We were asked by our professor to investigate the culture and society that revolves within and around pubs in London. I honestly think he didn’t even have to require us to do it; we did it instinctively. But nevertheless I did what I was asked to do grudgingly, just kidding, I definitely did it willingly. And what I found in my short experience with pubs was that to the British or Londoners in general the pub is the equivalent of the American coffee shop with just a little more pizzazz.
Since our first day in London we have been to a variety of Pubs ranging from overtly tourist pubs to a bit more native pubs. In all the pubs that I visited there is a sense of privacy. Some people who have just gotten off of work go to pubs with co-workers discussing the day’s events over a pint. Others go to pubs alone seeking a sense of solitude to relieve some of the stress. Yet, others attend a pub to see the playing field pick up on someone and maybe have a good night. That is why drinking in the United Kingdom has a largely different connotation to that of the United States. I believe it has more of a positive air than back home. Yes like any other place there are alcoholics here but the majority that I have seen are able to compose themselves and carry on with life.
I definitely had to learn a couple of things when it came to ordering drinks and food at pubs. I first had to learn that customer service in the UK is virtually non-existent. Second there are no waiters what so ever, you go to the bar and order for yourself. Third and this is the most important part, you have to KNOW WHAT YOU WANT BEFORE YOU REACH THE BAR. If you fail at any of these three unwritten guidelines there is no ale for you. Considering I am a fast decision maker I had no trouble with this but I have definitely seen people get some glares of annoyance when they reach the bar and hold up the line.
As George Orwell wrote in his essay entitled The Moon Under Water, people favor not over the beer that they sell or the furniture they but instead its based upon what they call “atmosphere”. From the pubs I have been to my favorite by far has got to be the Marlborough Arms. What makes this my favorite from all the other pubs I have been is based on two aspects. The first is simply that I have been there so many times the staff already knows me and they crack jokes with me. It makes me feel like I am part of the establishment and above all makes me feel welcomed. And second they always, always have the best selection of American music. They play music that I haven’t heard in years. The place just simply lifts up my mood.
Pubs have been a place for people of diverging backgrounds to convene and have in depth conversations of life, politics, and religion. This has been true of London in the past where great minds discussed the status of the general welfare, like Karl Marx, and it is still true today. I have grown to love and appreciate the pub scene in London, and I look for forward to this next year.
A word of warning to all of those people who wish to do experiential learning whilst in Norwich – start early. Like many of the other people in Dickinson Humanities 310, I have been having an issue with organizations responding to me, let along promptly responding. So, with the clock ticking ominously in my ears, it was time to get a little bit creative. Instead of volunteering my time and free labor to the local festivals of Norwich and Norfolk like I was counting on (honestly, who doesn’t like fifteen-plus hours of free paper pushing, stuffing envelopes, and filing?), I had to think a bit further outside of the box. So far outside that it has pushed me into pubs… darn.
One of the festivals I am looking at for the research portion of the paper is the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Norwich Beer Festival. According to their website, this organization and festival promote “good-quality cask conditioned beers (commonly referred to as ‘real ale’), allied to traditional Brisith breweries and pubs.” However, what really caught my eye was their goal to support local pubs that serve not only real ale, but also invoke a sense of community.
Last night, I ventured out of my cosy flat and wandered the wet streets of Norwich. I had four main questions that I wanted to answer; 1) Does this pub serve real ales, as defined by CAMRA? 2) What imported beers/ales does this pub serve? 3) How traditional is the pub in decor? 4) What atmosphere does this pub give off? The three pubs I visited last night answered these questions very differently.
My first stop yesterday evening was to the Mischief Tavern. Of the three pubs I went to, this one was the most traditional. There were lit open fireplaces, a well-worn hard wooden floor, crooked staircases, and even a beautiful pressed tin roof with exposed roof timber beams running through it. It was spacious, yet cozy, with both large and small tables that added to the comfortable sense of community. Although there were a number of loud Americans running and dancing around the place, locals of all ages were enjoying a nice drink.
This pub served real ales, and even had a couple of signs promoting it, but you had to look carefully in order to see them. Much more obvious were the colorful and flashy logos of Budweiser, Heineken, and Tiger.
The second pub I went to was Delaney’s Irish Pub. Now, I know it seems slightly odd that in my quest for a traditional English pub serving traditional English ales, I went to an Irish pub. However, in my defense, other than a couple of Irish proverbs on the walls and the fact that they sold Guinness and Jameson, there was nothing remotely Irish about it. (In fact, I might even go so far as to say it was one of the least-Irish Irish pubs I have ever been to. I am slightly confused as to what exactly “Irish Tapas” is…) They did not sell any real ales and focused mainly on imports of Guinness, Fosters, and the like.
The pub did, however, have an odd sense of community about it. They had pictures of people who had been there previously taped to the underside of the staircase and giant games of Connect-Four and Jenga for patrons to play with. There were seperate high tables that could fit four or five chairs around them at most scattered just far enough away from each other to give the illusion of privacy, but still with the ability to draw another table into conversation.
The third and final pub from last night was the Belgian Monk. The Monk is more high-end, with imported fruity beers and a wonderful sit-down restaurant. The decor in the Monk includes posters in German, a library, and small tables with which to sip a frothy concoction of your choice. A large portion of the indoor tables are taken up by the restaurant, as opposed to the pub, and tend to attract a clientele that has a bit more money than your average college student.
The Belgian Monk is most certainly not a traditional English pub. Much like with the Irish pub, it might seem slightly odd that I am including it at all in my blog post. My reasoning is simple – all of the pubs I visited fill a niche in Norwich. The Belgian Monk is a restaurant, Delaney’s is an Irish pub, and the Mischief is a more traditional English pub. I know that from three pubs, I can’t conclude anything about CAMRA’s presence in Norwich. However, my next time out, I hope to come across more of the traditional English pubs in Norwich that CAMRA rightfully brags about.
Total time – 4 hours
