London Pubs: 'Hic' and happening

Can drinking be considered a cultural activity? You will have a better picture of what drinking means if you happen to be in London. Although my visit there was for a short duration, it seemed to me that life in London revolves around its famed pubs that offer frothy drinks and excellent food, fish-and-chips in particular.

Here, in this city of nearly eight million people speaking 300 different languages, I realised that weekend is considered a good time for the working class and their friends to ‘meet up’ at these joints and enjoy themselves. London pubs (most of them) are open on all days till 11.30 pm. “It is not just about weekends; people here enjoy all the time and in all seasons. You can’t be in London and refuse to be a part of its pub culture,” says my friend Babul Mukherjee, who has been a part of this culture for over 10 years now.

What is the most attractive aspect of a typical pub in London? It is classy and boasts of calm surroundings. There are no noisy streets around. And, one thing that is common to all of them is the premium they place on quiet surroundings. Looks and architecture are important to them and therefore every pub strives to look beautiful in its own way, with open spaces, wooden tables and classy furniture. 

You find people — minimum age to purchase alcohol is 18 — enjoying their beer with banger and mash (sausages with potatoes or meat) or with some other dish. Notwithstanding rare fist fights, people here talk about and debate any subject under the sun. 

In fact, most of the adults are said to be regulars who spend a considerable amount of time in the pubs. It is little wonder that families and friends can be seen immersed in conversations inside, while their children play outside.

It is clear that to understand more about English culture, you need to spend more time in a pub. You can even strike a conversation with a total stranger inside any pub and come out with an enriching experience.

There is more to a typical English pub besides being a place that offers thirst-quenching pint, chilled wine and food, especially in summers.

When it comes to service, overseas visitors must know that there is no ‘waiter service’ in these pubs. You buy your ‘stuff’ at the counter. “Perhaps the no-waiter system has been put in place by earlier generations to encourage sociability as the English are generally reserved people. This way, one gets an opportunity to strike conversation when people gather at the counter to place their orders. Pubs must be the only place where a queue is not followed in England and yet people are friendly in allowing others to have their order first,” says a journalist friend Isaac Hamza.

One needs to be calm, and a rushing attitude is not appreciated. “It is actually a home away from home. These pubs offer a cosy and pleasant atmosphere,” feels Mukherjee.

There is no compulsion to tip in these pubs, and most pints cost anything between three and four pounds, and come with instructions to ‘enjoy sensibly’. A pint contains four per cent alcohol. The UK Chief of Medicals recommends everyday limit of three to four units for men and two to three for women.

Although most of the pubs have menus, some pubs display their offers on chalkboards. One can always take the help from the counter to understand what the food varieties mean and contain, and how they taste. You need to be sure, even careful, before ordering dishes such as ‘Toad in the Hole’ or ‘Shepherd Pie’.

The article appears on this Deccan Herald link as well:

 http://www.deccanherald.com/content/509353/hic-happening.html