Are all Brits alcoholics?

If you're a muslim, or if you're from a country like China, you probably avoid pubs and can't understand why British people like them so much. Maybe you have seen drunk British people on a saturday night, and you find them noisy and frightening. Perhaps you worry that you have arrived in a country of alcoholics?

We're not all alcoholics! I promise. I go to pubs, but I'm not an alcoholic. Sometimes I even take my children (aged 7 and 10) to the pub, because in Britain this is an acceptable, normal thing for a family to do on a Sunday afternoon. Many pubs are calm, relaxing places.

Surprised? Read on. I hope this blog post will answer your questions about pubs.

Why do British people drink alcohol?

I can offer 2 explanations for this.

• Kate Fox is an anthropologist who has written an excellent book about English customs, called 'Watching The English'. She says that the English feel uncomfortable in social situations, and so we need to drink so that we can speak easily to strangers.

• It's part of our history. In the middle ages, we even drank beer at breakfast! Drinking water was dangerous because it wasn't clean. Beer was safer than water, because the process of making beer kills the germs. Everyone drank beer, all the time. Even children! (They drank a weak beer called 'small beer.')

Can you really take children to a pub?

It depends. Pubs that sell food welcome families, especially in the afternoon. Some will give colouring books and pencils to the children. But I would never take my kids to a pub at night (after 8pm) and I choose my pubs carefully. Bars and pubs are different - bars are for adults, not families. Also, I wouldn't take my kids to a rowdy pub full of noisy drunks, or football fans.

Who is welcome in a pub?

Years ago, pubs were for men. Women didn't usually go, because they weren't welcome and they didn't feel safe. Slowly, this changed, especially in the 1970s. From the 1980s, families with small children began to visit pubs, especially pubs that sold food. Now pubs often have some play equipment out the back to keep the children entertained while the parents 'have a quiet drink'. As a woman, I feel comfortable and safe in most , but not all, pubs.

Do pubs only sell alcohol?

A hundred years ago pubs just sold beer, to working men. No wine, no orange juice, just beer and spirits. This began to change when women started visiting pubs. Now that so many people go to the pub by car, many soft drinks are available for the 'designated driver.'

Where else can I go?I don't want to go to pubs.

When Newcastle University noticed that all the foreign students were going to the casino, they opened Quilliam Brothers, It's lovely tea room, and it's open until 12pm. Another possiblity is a pool hall, such as Spot White in Chinatown, Newcastle.

I want to make my first visit to a pub. How can I choose a nice safe one?

• Avoid sports bars, or pubs full of football fans.

• Avoid the busiest times- Friday and Saturday night from 8pm.

• Check the website first, especially the 'gallery' of photos.

• If you live in a poor area with lots of crime, don't choose a pub in that area. Choose a pub in a posh area instead.

• Try googling 'gastro pub.' This kind of pub focusses on food, and they're not usually full of drunk people. Often they are in the countryside. A lovely example of a gastro pub in a beautiful historic building is The Angel in Corbridge.

I hope I've helped you to understand pubs!

Our city centres are full of drunks after 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. There can be accidents and fighting, which is a big problem for us all. But most pub goers are just having a happy time with some friends. You don't need to be afraid of every drunk person you meet! Just ignore them and carry on with your life.

And whichever way you prefer to socialise, I hope that you have a nice time and enjoy living in this country.

Glossary

rowdy = noisy, crowded, full of shouting people

have a quiet drink = drink in a civilised, calm way, without the intention of getting drunk.

spirits = distilled alcohol. Vodka, whiskey, rum etc.

designated driver = the person who will drive the other drinkers home.

gastro pub = A nicely decorated pub which sells quality meals.

pub goers = people who go to pubs.

#experiencerealBritain #Britishculture