Pouring One Out for the Pub

Over the Christmas break, I went to Germany and during my stay there I went to a self-proclaimed ‘Irish’ pub. Being honest, growing up in England, I had high expectations. Despite our differences, Germany is one of the few countries that has just as big of an established beer culture. Further, one thing the Germans do better is the time the pubs close. In England? Midnight strikes and you're out the door. In Germany? You have at least two more hours before bedtime. Unfortunately, that is where my praises end. I was with friends and they suggested we order the monstrosity that is a pitcher of Guinness. 

Guinness, the holy grail of the British Isles, is a notoriously difficult drink to pour. It is not a normal drink, neither a lager nor an ale. It is a stout: beer brewed with roasted malt. Favored by men of the same description, what sets Guinness apart from other drinks is the use of gas. It uses a nitrogen carbon dioxide, mix composed of 75% nitrogen to a 25% carbon dioxide ratio. What is also important is the use of the correct glass, a “tulip glass” and must have “Guinness” inscribed. Alongside this, there’s a sort of ritual associated with drinking Guinness. Known as “splitting the G”, the aim is to sip the beer until the level of the drink stops in the middle of the G of Guinness. How can you split a G when you’re drinking from a watering can? To make matters worse, it’s not like anyone drinks from the jug, it’s poured into another glass. What a waste of beer for such a disgrace. 

It thus becomes evident that you negate the delicate art of Guinness pouring, by chucking it into a glass jug. It is a crime. It is blasphemy. Yet, regardless of my rather loud complaining to my German companions who simply laughed at me, one thing struck me. In between my half-hearted groans, somewhere nestled in my disgust, I realized something—I felt warm. Not just from the alcohol mind you, but from the company I was with. I felt content basking in the dim dingy pub lights. Satisfied against the backdrop of the conversations of strangers. What becomes obvious is that, regardless of tradition, or attempts to humiliate Ireland, irrespective of language and culture, one thing remains the same: The pub is universal as a place for togetherness. 

A birthday party celebrating the friend you’ve known since you were 10 years old, cheers of joy and promises to never grow apart. Drinks after work with your coworkers, complaining about your boss, or that one customer determined to get you fired. A beer with a stranger who supports the same football team as you, who, by the end of the game, 3-0 up, you dedicate the role of best man to. One common theme becomes clear, the pub is more than just a building. It’s a place for awkward first dates, rekindling lost friendships, or a roast with your grandparents. A place for darts, pub quizzes and being taken home by your neighbour. Perhaps most importantly though, it is a place for socialization. 

My best friend lives back in the United Kingdom, over 1,000km away. Whenever I come back home, we always meet at the pub. Why? Where else can you sit as long as you like, with a beer and sausages for the grand total of £12? The relaxed atmosphere of our local Wetherspoons serves as an informal atmosphere for conversation to flourish. The best thing? No one has to host, no cleaning up or wondering when the night will end. It’s not just with close friends that pubs are useful, many places are local gathering spots. As an example, my local Farmers Union often meets at a pub. Such an institution, often overlooked as just a drinking house, becomes more. It creates a sense of belonging coupled with the opportunity to catch up with friends and local events. 

Yet this opportunity is steadily vanishing. In the United Kingdom, more than one pub a day closed its doors in 2024. Pub closures rose by 6.7% as opposed to 2023. At this alarming rate, this meeting point for generations will be irreparably damaged. It’s not just pints and chips being sacrificed, but history too. On 2nd February 2025, it was announced that the historic “Ye Olde Swiss Cottage” in London was set to close. It had been in business for nearly two centuries and the nearby tube station “Swiss Cottage” was named after it. Pubs or the “Public House” have been a part of English culture for centuries, with its history being traced back to taverns in Roman Britain and alehouses in Anglo-Saxon times. Although it was with the turn of the 19th century that pubs began to resemble their modern counterparts, in his diary written in the 17th century, Samuel Pepys claimed the pub was “the heart of England.” In lieu of sounding too patriotic, Pepys’ words hold truth. The British values of democracy, rule of law, respect, tolerance and individual liberty, are exemplified in the pub. You do not need to be a lord to drink, a musician to enjoy “Mr Brightside”, or a Michelin star chef to enjoy a pub lunch. Such closure of public spaces damages culture that has been prominent for centuries. 

The major question, really, is why pubs are facing closure. Half of the closures of English pubs since 1980 have occurred since 2006. According to a report from the Institute of Economic Affairs, there are several reasons for this consistent demise. Contrary to popular belief, the United Kingdom does not hold the coveted title for the highest consumption of alcohol worldwide. We are not the shirtless beer-bellied football hooligans like how the rest of the world sees us. Countries like Romania, Austria, even the Seychelles all have higher recorded annual consumption of alcohol, with the United Kingdom sitting at a rather measly 22nd place. In fact, alcohol consumption is actually decreasing. The average literage consumed per person in 2016 was 11.4 compared to 10.8 in 2019. Such a number is only further declining, something that has severe consequences for the future of the pub. Perhaps more importantly, the drink falling out of favor is beer, also the most popular drink served at pubs. It’s relatively simple—people don’t drink beer, pubs die. Alongside this, there is the dreaded “cozzy livs” or the cost of living crisis. A UKHospitality survey found that businesses, including institutions like the pub, should expect an 82% rise in energy bills. Further, due to this prolonged cost of living crisis, fewer people can afford to go out to the pub on a regular basis, condemning an already struggling business towards financial ruin. 

The sad reality is that nothing changes if nothing changes. Many of these institutions of joy, companionship and laughter will soon be derelict. The United Kingdom’s long-standing culture of pub-going will be reduced to mere memories of times long gone. Yet it doesn’t have to be that way. To keep it English, sometimes all we need to get by is a little help from our friends. What most of these pubs need is more support to keep afloat, so that they can continue to be the stage for well-needed social interaction in an increasingly disconnected society. So, next time you’re out, raise a glass to the roof over your head. Pour one out for the pub, for if not, your last sip may come sooner than you think.

Photo credits: Kamal H. on Flickr