London, England, and the Pub

Now that we have some of the origins of the pub out of the way, what makes a pub, well, a pub? It could be the décor, the ambiance, the food (the "pub grub"), hell, it might be all of these things or it might be something else entirely different. One thing is for sure though, the minute you walk into a true British pub you immediately have a sense that you are not anywhere else and that you are about to partake in a tradition that the English almost hold sacred. With this feeling one can definitely tell that there is a true distinction between a pub, a bar, or a saloon. 

Many of the pubs in London have historical ties to the city or events from age's past. Some also have ties to famous writers, artists, or political figures. These watering holes would be the places where artists would discuss their works or where members of Parliament would discuss political affairs. Some other pubs have ties to the darker side of London's history as well: With being associated with serial killers or gangsters of the period. However, the history of these taverns of olde is truly a sight to see and is also a great conversation piece for a story to tell if you have had a pint in one of these drinking spots: Especially if some of these historical events took place over a hundred years ago.

Not all of London's alehouses have to be old and from a bygone era to be steeped with British tradition. Some of the more modern pubs, while still maintaining the décor of older ones have adopted their own set of ideas and quirks so that a more modern 20th century tradition can be found while still holding on to their roots. Some of these niche (or theme pubs) are rock pubs (British punk rock, for example), or game pubs, where traditional British games such as Skittles or the obscure Aunt Sally are played. But these "game pubs" also feature darts, billiards, or snooker and some also have slot machines (known as fruit machines) and host quiz nights. These pubs have adopted their own set of specifics to compete for the shillings of the wandering masses that pass by them on a daily basis.

Whether these alehouses are traditional, historical, modern, quirky, or a combination of all of these, they are still truly British and have their own charm and appeal and are distinct from pubs elsewhere.

Thanks - Charles