The English public houses or pubs have long been integrated with the lives of the British people. The concept of a pub may well have started during the time when the conquering Romans ruled England. Inns provided lodgings for the Roman officials and other people who travelled all over England then. The Inns were commonly called taverns.

When the Romans left England, the local Anglo-Saxons put up ale houses which were actually just sectioned- off areas in their homes. Since the concept of signage was introduced by the Romans yet the average Anglo-Saxon were illiterate, ale wives would put up poles with green bush or “ale-stake” to let the locals know that the brew was ready. Before the locals could sample the ale, the resident “ale taster” must first sample the brew to ensure its quality.

The monasteries also provided lodgings for travellers. Hospices were created and more often than not, ale and bread were offered free. However, it was not unknown that the monastery’s brothers might have one too many that an ale tankard was marked with vertical pegs to regulate a “shot.”

In the 15th century, the Flemish and Dutch immigrants in England added hops to ale brew thereby producing beer. The ale houses were no longer exclusively selling ale but also beer. By the 17th century, beer was commercially brewed. There were several laws that dictated the banishment of beer but in 1830, upon the lifting of the beer tax, the drink prevailed. This led to more homes converting their living areas into “taprooms” for seated patrons and the “bar room” for standing patrons. The rural public houses became an integral part of the community with the local barman being the wisest person in the locality in instances when the local lord was absent.

Near the end of the 18th century, a saloon was added to the pub. The saloon offered entertainment like singing, games of billiards or darts and even sports. By the 20th century, the saloon was for the middle-class whilst the bar room was for the working class.

The Snug was a small private room with tinted glasses for the client’s privacy. It was here where the local priest could take his pint and the occasional lady her ale. It was also called a smoke room because of the frosted glass used in the windows.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the distinction between a saloon and a bar room was slowly becoming irrelevant that eventually there was only the Pub. However, there are still a few pubs which have the distinction of separating their nicely-dressed patrons from the manual labourers.

Today, the local Pub is still a place to meet up with friends and a place for community concerns and dissemination of information. A study done a few years ago indicated that there are 53,000 pubs all over the UK but that the number is going down at an alarming rate – 6 pubs a week are being closed! To make pubs more commercially-viable, some pubs have added food service (pub grub), shops and postal services.

Author Bio: The pub is one of the oldest English establishments. It has evolved in the last 600 years but still retains its essence. Patronise your local pub.

Category: Travel
Keywords: pub, pubs