British Pub Culture
With approximately 46,800 pubs in the UK, almost 1 in 4 Brits first meeting their husband/wife in a pub and records showing that they have been around for about 2,000 years (first introduced as ‘tabernae’ by the Romans), it’s safe to say that pubs are a central part of British culture…
Whilst it’s true that pubs are often a place where the British go to get drunk and throw off the stress of the week, they are also places that we take children to for a daytime family meal, where we enjoy a relaxed Sunday roast dinner (lunch) with friends, where we go alone to read the newspaper, where we warm up after a wet, wintery hike or go to for a quieter ‘pub quiz’ night or to catch a local band playing. They are the heart of many communities and definitely a must-do whilst visiting or living here!
However, as a Brit, the next time you invite an international colleague or friend to the pub, keep in mind that it may not be such a natural meeting place for them and that it may not be a place they feel immediately comfortable in – even if they would like to be.
In their home country, pubs might be perceived very negatively – one young Sri Lankan man told me that you are seen as irresponsible and wasting money when you should be saving for the future. In many cultures, it is more normal to socialise in cafes, restaurants or people’s homes.
Others are keen to try, but their hesitancy comes from not knowing what is expected of them – ‘What is it normal to order? What drinks are typical?’, ‘When do we eat?’, ‘Do I have to drink alcohol?’ or ‘How drunk can/do people get?’. For those whose English is less fluent, they simply find it harder to understand people in a noisy environment.
So if you are LOCAL / BRITISH:
- Be curious and ask if pubs are popular in your colleagues’ culture? How do they socialise with friends or work colleagues? This will give you a sense of their comfort level and whether they might have questions before going to a pub or whilst there. Look out for them.
- To be more inclusive, vary where you socialise as a team.
- Check in on non-native English speakers from time-to-time – they don’t expect to understand every word, but will appreciate you talking to them 1-1 sometimes or explaining something important they have missed.
If you are an EXPAT IN THE UK and are less comfortable with the idea of pubs:
- Start by trying out a pub during the daytime when it can be more relaxed, or on a midweek night – try a family-friendly pub, maybe one with a restaurant and possibly avoid one that has a big sports match on (as they are more likely to attract large, rowdy groups). Ask colleagues for recommendations. It’s also OK to walk into a pub and straight out again, if you don’t like the vibe/ atmosphere!
- Be open with British colleagues. Say if socialising in pubs in your home country is less common. Be curious and ask them any questions you may have.
- It’s OK to ask what food/drinks are available – beer, wine, juices, fizzy drinks and spirits with a mixer are the most common. Cocktails are generally more typical in bars than in pubs. Hot drinks are often available, but the British would generally only choose those during the day rather than on a night out (or after a meal in any restaurant area). Whilst some pubs serve meals, many Brits will make do with snacks only – it’s OK to ask whether people are planning on eating.
- Be sure to go for a traditional Sunday Roast dinner at the pub (usually eaten for lunch/ in the afternoon). Vegetarian options are often available. You might need to book ahead, as popular places get busy!
- It’s OK to join colleagues for just one drink (non-alcoholic is fine) and to then go home. People like to get to know you outside of work and appreciate that you make the effort, even very occasionally. But it’s also OK to decline, if you really don’t want to go or if you have other commitments – you could always suggest grabbing a coffee or lunch sometime instead to show that you want to get to know them.
For more about the history of pubs, this is an interesting quick read:
https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/The-Great-British-Pub/
For more about British drinking culture, here is a previous post from the Barton Insights blog.
#BritishCulture #Pubs #CulturalCompetency