Something called the Social Issues Research Centre has produced Passport to the Pub. It's pretty long but well worth reading. It's a guide to pubs in general and pub etiquette for foreigners; Brits reading it will feel that it is like looking at instructions on how to get dressed in the morning: it is something we do automatically and we don't need a manual for it.

However, it explains pretty well to non-Brits the most popular British pastime. Quite a lot of Brits spend more time in the pub than at home. Most Brits will be amused by it, and many will disagree with specifics, but will have to admit that there are several truths about the British character that are highlighted in the article.

This is an excellent summary but there is one change that is presently afoot about which visitors need to know.

Just last month the last vestiges of the 1917 Defence of the Realm Act were swept away. What was this act? It was introduced by teetotal Prime Minsister, Lloyd George, who was persuaded that the munitions workers were spending too much time in the boozers and that this was affecting output. So, from then until the mid 1980s, all pubs in England had to close in the afternoon. That part of the act has been repealed but universal 1100 opening and 2300 closing is still in place in England (but not Scotland or the Isle of Man).

Now the Bill to remove these last restrictions has been enacted and is awaiting Royal Assent. Once that has been granted and the law is on the staute books, then pubs will be allowed to open at times that suit themselves and their customers, not as dictated by the nanny-state!

Thus, the information written about "Last Orders" will soon be but a historic commentary.

Richard English

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Originally posted by Richard English:
Thus, the information written about "Last Orders" will soon be but a historic commentary.

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Forgive me for quibbling, but should that be an historic commentary? I'm never quite sure about a/an in front of words beginning with h...

Ros

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Forgive me for quibbling, but should that be an historic commentary? I'm never quite sure about a/an in front of words beginning with h...

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Good question, Ros. However, I thought that when the "h" was heard, you don't need an "an"; I thought "an" was only required when the "h" is silent, as in "an honest man". I could be (and have been!) wrong, though!

Arnie, you don't know how timely that article is! I am so pleased to tell you that I will be in England in September! I was planning, closer to the date, to post this in the "Community" forum, as I would love to meet up with some of you. I will be staying at the Paddington Hilton and would love to meet some of you on September 7, if that would work. I will post the date again in "Community". I surely would love to experience some pubs when I come! One of my English friends here (from Manchester) says that he thinks I "romanticize" both England and their pubs. We'll see!

The article mentioned besides visiting pubs to be sure to visit Stonehenge. I have been told that is over-rated and to forget it; it's just a "big stone". Of course, this was told to me from someone who hasn't been to England, but who has "heard" it from a friend who lived there awhile. What do you think?

Fowler says:

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Practice differs with h-words in which the first syllable is unstressed: a (or an) habitual criminal; a (or an) hotel. There is evidence, especially in written English, for the continued use of an before habitual, historian, historic(al), horrific, and horrendous, but the choice of form remains open. However, an hotel now sounds dated (1930s) and a hotel is more usual.

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Kalleh,

I'd certainly love to meet you in September, perhaps we can make definite arrangements nearer the date.

I must confess that I have never visited Stonehenge. The only time I've been past it was during the period when it was closed to the general public so I only saw it from a distance. I understand however that it is very impressive. Some people have absolutely no imagination, and to them the pyramids are probably just some big tombstones, as well!

Stonehenge is quite a jaunt from London. Stick to the capital for your first visit.

After all, you wouldn't try to visit all of Illinois, or even all of Chicago, in two days, would you?

And after all, if everywhere is new to you, does it matter which new sights you see first?

Richard English

It's a deal, arnie! I would love to meet you, too!

However, I have now read most of the 75 pages of the "Pub Etiquette" booklet, and I must admit that I am a bit nervous about going to a pub! Now, I can only assume that the booklet is tongue-in-cheek? Otherwise, I will never be able to accomplish ordering a beer. Here is the part I love about getting served:

"When you achieve your goal of making eye contact with the barman [that discussion in itself was a page long!], a quick lift of the eyebrows and upwards jerk of the chin, accompanied by a hopeful smile, will let him know that you are waiting."

Now, I can probably achieve the "eye contact", "lift of the eyebrows" and "hopeful smile", but I worry about the "upwards jerk of the chin!" I fear, instead, that it may look like I have a palsy!

No wonder they quoted a Dutch visitor as saying "I cannot understand how the British ever manage to buy themselves a drink."

The main thing is that the bar staff are working very hard to serve everyone at the bar in order. People who call out, rap on the bar, or otherwise try to attract the staff's attention are committing a severe breach of etiquette. They are also doing themselves no good as they are likely to be ignored anyway, and dropped down the queue as a "punishment" for breaking the "rules".

It is therefore only permissible to ensure that the bar staff have, in fact, seen that you are waiting by dumb show of the kind described.

Much of the article is written tongue in cheek, but the general premise is completely correct.

There is no better way to get an entire pub-full of people hating your guts than to waltz in, stroll up to the bar, and call out over the heads of those patiently waiting for refills something like, "Ho Landlord!" A pint of your best bitter, please!"

The important thing to remember is that this is a public house, that is, the house of the landlord into which he has invited the public. If you were invited to a friend's house, you wouldn't (normally) demand a drink on entry; you'd wait until one was offered. This is the polite fiction that is maintained in pubs.

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Originally posted by Kalleh:
It's a deal, arnie! I would love to meet you, too!

However, I have now read _most_ of the 75 pages of the "Pub Etiquette" booklet, and I must admit that I am a bit nervous about going to a pub! Now, I can only assume that the booklet is tongue-in-cheek?

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The booklet is on the whole pretty accurate but bear in mind that all of this is unconcious behaviour. You can write these things about any aspect of human behaviour. I certainly smiled at a few things but it was a smile of recognition of the truth.

Don't worry though - this booklet is an anthropological study. In practice all you need is good manners and the knowledge that you buy and pay for your beer at the bar not your table and all will be well.

Non curo ! Si metrum no habet, non est poema.

Read all about my travels around the world here.
Read even more of my travel writing and poems on my weblog.

It looks fantastic: it is always strange to read details of things we do automatically. Its a bit like aspects of English Grammar being given names to teach to my English as an alternative language students.

An hotel and an history read okay but never sound right. If you speak them in an English pub, you will probably be laughed at.

Important restaurant etiquette: in posh restaurants it is expeected that you will shut the menu with a flourish, look the waiter in the eye, and loudly proclaim, 'I'll just have a Pot Noodle, please.'

For the benefit of foreigners - and especially those who will shortly be visiting our sceptred isles for the first time, this is a "joke".

It ranks alongside other similar statements including Hoffnung's:

"On entering a railway compartment, be sure to shake hands with all the occupants"

"All brothels in England have a blue light outside"

"Have you heard the famous echo in the reading room of the British Museum?"

And, seriously, pubs are among the most welcoming establishments in the world. Even the most callow and unexpected behaviour will usually be forgiven once it is realised that it is the mistake of a foreigner or stranger to the area.

Richard English

I wonder if British people are more subtle than Americans. I guess I will find this out soon.

Tonight I met 4 old and dear friends for dinner. Each of us hugged upon meeting in the restaurant. Would that be similar in England? At the end of the night, it was decided that I was the least inebriated, so I was elected to figure out the bill for us. I chuckled as I did that, thinking of how you Brits would do it. I remembered the section in the booklet that said, "The British tend to be rather squeamish and embarrassed about money." Or, is that just in pubs?

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Each of us hugged upon meeting in the restaurant. Would that be similar in England?

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Yes, quite likely. Women would, anyway. Fellers aren't likely to hug each other all that often.

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"The British tend to be rather squeamish and embarrassed about money." Or, is that just in pubs?

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The polite fiction that we are drinking in our friend's home applies to pubs. Restaurants would be different. If you'd been eating a meal in a pub you'd have paid for your drinks and meal in advance, so the matter wouldn't have arisen.

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If you'd been eating a meal in a pub you'd have paid for your drinks and meal in advance, so the matter wouldn't have arisen.

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Yes, and I see from the booklet that it is quite important to the barman (right term?) for you to pay for the whole group if you order for the whole group. By the way, that booklet is great; thanks again for posting it.

There is nothing more irritating than to go out for a meal with a group and then to have each person try to figure out exactly what she owes; I say "she" because it always seems to happen with a group of women. "Now, I had the house salad and a diet coke, along with the tuna sandwich. But, she had two iced teas, which is a lot more than a coke, and the hamburger is 50 cents more than the tuna sandwich. Then, Lynda had ravioli and a glass of wine! Let's add all those separately and not forget about the specific tax and tip for each." As the women sort through those complex intricacies, the poor waiter stands there. I would so much rather just split all bills evenly.

"Barman" is right; "barmaid" if of the opposite sex...

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I say "she" because it always seems to happen with a group of women.

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Yes, that happens here, too. If one person were to pay for all, then do the calculations and ask the others for their contributions later it would be much simpler.