Pub Basics in England and Ireland
Traditional English and Irish Pubs Segregated Genders and Classes
Feb 25, 2009
In Dublin and London, pubs are located on almost every street corner. The pub has been copied in every major world city and tourist destination. While these ersatz pubs reproduce the decor, they miss out on reproducing the ambiance! Often, these “nouveau pubs” are a part of a hotel complex for instance, or a “new” historic district.
Authentic Pub Atmosphere
Pub ambiance has developed over a few centuries, with major changes just in the last generation or so, according to experts who keep track of such things. Until about 30 years ago, there were generally two parts to a pub, the public bar and the saloon or lounge bar. The public bar was all spit and sawdust, a stand-up-and-drink-beer type of place. The blue-collar working-class crowd most generally frequented these. Quite often, women were not welcome in the bar section. In Ireland, pubs that were only pubs—no lounge section—didn’t even offer a ladies lavatory.
The saloon, or lounge of a pub, was generally more comfortable, with cushioned seats and cozy “snugs,” tall-backed booths where couples could sit to be alone in a crowded place. The upper crust usually drank in lounges rather than bars.
Today, the split between the two phases of the pub (bar and lounge) and between genders (not to mention the social strata) have pretty much disappeared. Most pubs have combined the original bar and lounge spaces, or at least furnished them similarly. Most pubs now offer food, necessitating more tables. On the social side, these days, you are much more likely to see doctors, solicitors (lawyers) and clergy rubbing arms with plumbers, masons and ditch diggers all at the same bar, especially if the landlord keeps a good pint.
Pubs Can Be Tied or Free
One aspect of pubs that’s still in place and still important is their ownership or trading arrangements. One may notice, in England, that some pubs advertise that they are a “Free House.” This does not mean the booze is free! What it does mean is that the pub is not a “tied house.” A tied house is bound to a brewery, and is most likely owned by the brewery and then leased to or managed by the landlord. In a tied house, the landlord or manager must sell what the brewery the pub is tied to offers and markets. If the brewery is a good one, that’s OK. If not, pass it by! (For many years, Guinness Breweries ran an “Own an Irish Pub” contest; needless to say, the winner’s pub was tied to Guinness. It appears that contest hasn’t been run for over a decade, though, so would-be pub owners have to buy their own establishment.)
On the other hand, a free house is typically privately owned by the landlord or a firm that probably owns a chain of pubs. These free houses are “free” to sell whatever beers and booze they like. So they frequently have several competing bitters, stouts and lagers, to cater to their customers’ varied tastes.
Simple Drinking is Still King in England
Traditional pubs are mainly for what might be called simple drinking—draft or bottled beers, simple shots of booze such as scotch and water, or a gin tonic. Getting something more esoteric such as a Martini (American style) is challenging, to say the least. They probably do not even have the right glassware, let alone a concept of the recipe! This is changing, but don’t hold your breath! Getting ice in your drinks is optional, too, in England and Ireland, and still not the norm.
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