A pub is a building where people meet to drink alcohol and to socialise. Some pubs also serve food, including traditional British dishes such as fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash and Sunday roast.
There are over 45,000 pubs in Britain and you are almost certain to find a local pub where you live. If you’re lucky you may even find a pub you like and go to regularly.
In Britain you have to be over 18 to buy alcoholic drinks so make sure you have ID with you when you go. This can be a passport, a UK drivers license or a Proof of Age Standards Scheme card.
Most pubs have a wide variety of beers, ciders, wines, and spirits on the bar. Some offer food too, usually at lunchtime or in a separate dining room. Some so-called gastro-pubs, which are restaurants with a pub license, serve meals to a higher standard and may have their own kitchens.
Beer is the most popular drink in a pub and the main drink served, but it is not the only one. A pub can also sell soft drinks, tea and coffee.
You should be aware of the rules in your area before you go into a pub, some have strict drinking laws, some don’t and some have no specific rules. In many places you have to be over a certain age to purchase alcohol.
There are many different kinds of bars in the United Kingdom, some have a lower age limit than others. Some have dance floors, some show football or rugby union on big screen TV’s and some are gay bars or singles bars etc.
