The English Pub

Hi Ricardo. I've been to many pubs as a foreigner myself but honestly I've never realized the existence of any particular rule. You may need just a little bit of practice with a few words at first but nothing more than that. For example, you might want to know that a 'small' or a 'large' beer doesn't mean as much to an english barman as a 'pint' or 'half a pint'.  A 'dark' beer is a 'stout' and that you want an 'ale' or a 'lager' if you like something lighter.

Also, if you want to eat and you are used to ask the waiter for anything , as i am (was), you may need to know that lots of the ordering is done by yourself at the desk. You get and pay for your drinks at the desk and then you just bring them to your table, waiting for the waiter to come and get the food order.  In many places you'll need to order food at the desk too (no fear,  you don't need to bring that to the table yourself ;-).  

Last thing , if you are a tourist with long days/evenings or just a southern used to late dinners like me, it might be good to know that to find pubs open for food after 9 p.m. is quite difficult.

Other than that, there isn't much else you might need to know, and should you come across a moustached bartender...well... just indroduce him to us  lol ;-)

I am glad we are back to the original thread...

Thank you everybody for your answers!

John Ravenscroft: the article at the SIRC site is perfect, nothing could be more complete, although a little scary too: I never expected so many rules!!!

As Judy and Sue did, it would be also great that every English member mentions a pub that he/she likes, and even better if a photo is inlcuded.

It is also true that nothing like an English pub exists in the rest of the world, but every country has its own kind. For example, in my country foreigners area amazed about that you can stay hours in a bar over a cup of coffee just talking or reading the newspaper without any waiter bothering you to leave the table (and you don't have to pay extra for it). You will never find here places for "take-and-go" coffee, or people drinking it in a rush standing next to the bar.  

There are a couple of English pubs on my picture site Ric.

My favourites for a sunday drive were The Wheatsheaf, Raby Wirral. and The Harp Inn, Burton Marsh Wirral

I will see if I can get some pics.

Thanks Catherine (trouble was I didn't watch M.A.S.H)!

Ricardo I have a link to show you an interesting pub near my house - it's called the Crooked House - you will see why!

http://www.sedgleymanor.com/historical/crooked_house.html