Kumamoto University:
Comparative Culture

Rick Lavin

The British Pub

The British pub

One constant of British culture for nearly 2000 years is the pub (public house), inn, or tavern. Looking at the changing pub in its historical context gives us a chance to think about many aspects of British culture and history.

A short history

Origins

At least as early as Roman times, taverns existed in Britain. As the Romans built roads throughout the country, and travel became more common, inns were also built to serve travellers.

Post-Roman, Pre-Norman

After the withdrawal of the Roman Empire from Britain, civilisation as a whole regressed and the number of inns decreased. But with the spread of Christianity, a large number of monasteries were built. Monks had a religious obligation to welcome travelers, so where there were many travelers they built separate inns to accommodate them.

Norman times

From the early 11th century, the Normans spread feudal civilisation through Britain. The Normans built more monasteries and generally encouraged religious pilgrimages. More travel meant that entrepreneurs had a chance to make money by building inns to house the travellers.

1534

Britain changed from Catholicism to Protestantism. Monasteries were destroyed, which was bad news for inns.

17th century

British Kings and Queens designated certain inns as places for the monarch's officers to stay on their journeys through the kingdom. These places would receive a salary in exchange for offering food, drink, accommodation and stables, firstly to the king's officers, and then to anyone seeking shelter.

Modern times

The spread of the railways and roads meant that people didn't need to spend several days travelling from one point to another. The pub tended to become a place for drinking only. Rising taxes on beer, changing ideas of the family, limited opening hours, the rise of big breweries with a more uniform product, and the bad economic situation in many villages along with falling rural populations, may all have played a role in the decline of the pub.

Recently, however, CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale), with its promotion of higher quality beer, has reawakened interest in smaller breweries. At the same time, pubs have put a lot of effort into food, to the point where food has become the main reason for going to many pubs. Many pubs have also begun to reemphasize their accommodation, with rooms of individual character and personal, friendly service which larger hotels cannot match. With the provision of family rooms, many pubs are now the standard stopping-off point for families going on Sunday walks, as well as being a good place for wedding receptions and various kinds of parties.

Questions to consider

Where do people drink in your country? Is it the same as a British pub?