I'm not sure what the significance of drinking in every English city is. I don;t have a list of them but would be surprised if they came to over 100. Wales is another matter as I know I'm missing one of the six, namely St Asaph. I've never been there, know it's in NE Wales eerrrr that's it!
I've been to all five of his favourite pubs and am glad he included the JDW Imperial but there were pubs I much preferred in Alton & Newcastle Staffs.
I'm missing one of his beers & breweries as I don't believe I've had a Cloudwater beer. Stay Puft is good but rather sweet and as for Pedigree he looks old enough to know that it's not the beer it was over 25 years ago. I don't know Leatherbritches that well but on most days Salopian is my favourite.
It's a more plausible claim than that one some time ago. I very much doubt if I've been to as many pubs as the pack leaders on this site. With few exceptions, I find myself taking extended stays in favoured venues nowadays.