English Pub Culture

Ever wondered what English Pubs are like? Then read on…

The importance of the pub in English culture cannot be over-emphasized.

More than 75% of England’s adult population go to pubs, and more than 30% are “regulars”, visiting the pub more than once a week.

Pubs are used by people of all ages, classes, occupations, and education levels. So, to really understand Englishness, you should spend a fair amount of time visiting pubs. In fact, you wouldn’t even need to leave the pub if you want a good understanding of the English!

So what are pubs like and why are they special?

Well for a start, the bar in a pub is among the few places in Britain where it is acceptable, appropriate and normal to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger. Even in London, which tells you something.

Don’t be the butt of locals’ humor!

Many overseas visitors find it hard to come to terms with the fact that there is no waiter service in English pubs.

So, when you’re enjoying your summer vacation in England and you fancy visiting a pub for a thirst-quenching pint or a refreshing, chilled white wine, please don’t sit at a table outside the pub and wait patiently for someone to come and take your order. It won’t happen. You’ll just get some funny looks and smug sniggers. Don’t give ‘em the satisfaction.

This no-waiter system is designed to encourage sociability. After all, we English perhaps aren’t the best when it comes to talking to people we don’t know. Hence the bit above about striking up a conversation at the bar in a pub – it’s much easier for us to drift into “accidental” chat than it is to deliberately break into the conversation at a neighboring table.

The Invisible Line

The pub bar is the only place in England where anything is sold without the formation of a line, or “queue”. It is often observed that queuing is a national pastime for the English. We’ll automatically arrange ourselves into orderly lines at bus stops, shop counters, ice-cream vans, entrances, exits, elevators (“lifts”) – and sometimes in the middle of nowhere and for no apparent reason. We’re even very good at forming orderly queues of one. If you don’t believe me, when you visit England, just watch us and see for yourself. We don’t even realize we’re doing it.

So, in the pub, you simply take your place at the bar (anyplace where there’s a gap) and wait to be served or, if it’s particularly busy, make eye contact with someone serving. It might help if you discreetly pull out a £5, £10 or £20 note from your purse or wallet and make it visible to the bar staff.

You’ll notice that both the staff and the customers are aware of each person’s position in this invisible line.

Tipping

We generally don’t tip bar staff here in England. We might, however, suggest, “And one for yourself?” – which basically is a tip of sorts, except we choose who we offer a drink and when (if ever).

Buying a “round”

English people, when visiting a pub, will usually buy “rounds”. That means, for example, if you go to a pub with three friends, you might buy the first round of drinks – ie, one for you and each of your friends. And, when you’ve finished those drinks, it then becomes someone else’s turn…it’s someone else’s “round”. And so it goes on.