The Pub Club blog
Pub guides from people who check the details
Where to drink, by neighbourhood, by beer garden, by match day. Every pick links to its full Pub Club profile.
Pub culture
Do You Tip in Pubs in the UK? Bar Rounds, Table Service and 'One for Yourself'
Tipping at a British bar isn't expected, but table-served food and service charges change the picture. Here's where we land, plus how the old 'and one for yourself' custom works.
11 November 2026 · 1 min read
Pub culture
Why Are So Many Pubs Called the Red Lion? British Pub Names Explained
The Red Lion is Britain's most common pub name, but not for the single reason you've probably heard. Here's how heraldry, loyalty, a king hiding in a tree and a medieval sign law shaped what we call our pubs.
10 November 2026 · 9 min read
Pub culture
Literary Pubs in London: Where Dickens, Orwell and Yeats's Poets Drank
A story-led walk through four London pubs with literary links you can actually stand behind, from Fitzrovia's namesake to a galleried Southwark inn named in Little Dorrit.
9 November 2026 · 8 min read
Pub culture
What Is a Free House Pub? Free Houses, Tied Pubs and Pubcos Explained
A free house is a pub that can buy its beer from anyone. Here's how that compares with tied pubs, pubcos, brewery estates and managed chains, and what each means for your pint.
8 November 2026 · 10 min read
Sport & events
Lord Mayor's Show 2026: Where to Drink Along the Route on a Rare Busy Saturday in the City
The Square Mile is quiet on most Saturdays, but not on 14 November. These eight City pubs list Saturday hours and sit close to the Lord Mayor's Show route, from an 8:30am opener near Bank to a 3am finish off Mansion House.
7 November 2026 · 5 min read
Pub culture
Traditional Pub Games Explained: Darts, Bar Billiards, Shove Ha'penny and More for Dark Evenings
Darts, bar billiards, dominoes, cribbage and the rarer old English pub games: where they came from and quick rules so you can play tonight, now the evenings have moved indoors.
6 November 2026 · 9 min read
Pub culture
Pub Quiz Tips: How to Win a Pub Quiz, Pick a Team and Keep the Quizmaster on Side
The clocks have gone back and the weeknight quiz is back on the calendar. Here is how to build a team, keep your phone in your pocket and stay on the right side of the person with the microphone.
5 November 2026 · 7 min read
Pub culture
Taking Your Dog to the Pub: Etiquette for Muddy Autumn Walks
There's no law keeping dogs out of pubs, but there are plenty of unwritten rules. Here's how to handle mud, water bowls, furniture and half-term crowds after a wet autumn walk.
5 November 2026 · 9 min read
Pub culture
What Is Scrumpy Cider? Cider, Perry and Scrumpy Explained for Apple Harvest Season
Cider is fermented apple juice, perry is fermented pear juice, and scrumpy is the West Country's loose word for rough farmhouse cider. Here's how they differ, what to order, and where to try them in Bristol this harvest season.
4 November 2026 · 8 min read
Pub culture
How to Book a Pub for Your Work Christmas Party (and Why Early November Is the Moment)
A step-by-step planning guide for whoever ended up organising the office do: what to decide first, what to ask the pub, and why the first fortnight of November is still a good time to book.
3 November 2026 · 8 min read
Sport & events
Battersea Park Fireworks 2026: Where to Drink Before and After the Display
An evening plan for the Battersea Park fireworks on Saturday 7 November 2026: when to eat, where to warm up near the gates, and which late pubs to wait out the station crush in.
2 November 2026 · 9 min read
Sport & events
Blackheath Fireworks 2026: Pubs for Before and After the Display
A Saturday-night plan for Blackheath Fireworks on 7 November: an early pint on the heath's edge, the display, then a slow walk downhill to a Greenwich pub that stays open late.
2 November 2026 · 11 min read
Sport & events
Pubs Near Twickenham Stadium: A Match-Day Plan for England v Australia
Breakfast by the Thames, a Beatles-haunted corner pub by St Margarets station, and somewhere warm to watch if you missed out on tickets: a pub-by-pub plan for England v Australia.
2 November 2026 · 9 min read
Pub culture
Bonfire Night Traditions: Guy Fawkes, Tavern Lore, Toffee Apples and the Drinks That Keep You Warm
From a foiled plot in 1605 to tar barrels in Sussex and treacle toffee in Yorkshire, here's why Britain lights fires every 5 November, and where the pub fits in.
1 November 2026 · 8 min read
Pub culture
How to Order at a Pub in the UK: A No-Embarrassment Guide for Visitors
Ordering at the bar, pints and halves, tabs, rounds and table numbers for food: the practical guide for first-timers in a British pub.
31 October 2026 · 8 min read
Gardens, roasts & more
Pubs with Fireplaces in London: Where to Warm Up Now the Clocks Have Gone Back
Eight London pubs with a verified fireplace, from Harrow to Greenwich, each with a strong reason to stay once you've thawed out.
30 October 2026 · 10 min read
Pub culture
What Is Mulled Ale? The Forgotten Winter Warmer, and How It Differs from Mulled Wine and Cider
Long before mulled wine took over the Christmas market, Britain warmed its ale. Here is what mulled ale is, where lambswool and wassail fit in, and how to make or order a hot pint this winter.
29 October 2026 · 7 min read
Pub culture
Haunted Pubs in London: The Ghost Stories Behind the City's Oldest Bars
Prisons, coaching roads and the Thames: why so many old London pubs have ghost stories, told as folklore, with three atmospheric pubs to visit this Halloween.
28 October 2026 · 7 min read
Sport & events
Halloween Pub Crawl London 2026: A Saturday-Night Plan from Fleet Street to Spitalfields
Halloween 2026 lands on a Saturday, so London's pubs will be packed. Here's a crawl that starts where pubs close early, finishes at the Ten Bells, and covers booking, costumes and pacing.
27 October 2026 · 11 min read
Sport & events
NFL London Wembley 2026 Pubs: A Texans vs Jaguars Day Plan, from Pre-Game Pints to Watching on TV
A Sunday 18 October timeline for the final NFL London game of 2026: where to drink near Wembley Stadium before the 2.30pm kick-off, and Brent pubs with sport on screen if you're watching instead.
14 October 2026 · 11 min read
Best pubs
10 Best Historic Pubs in London You Need to Visit
From a hidden 16th-century alehouse in Holborn to a coaching inn on Hampstead Heath, discover 10 of London's most iconic historic pubs — with real addresses, what makes each one special, and everything you need to plan your visit.
16 September 2026 · 14 min read
Six Essentials for the Perfect Six Nations Pub Experience
Discover how to find the ideal pub for watching the Six Nations in London.
3 February 2026 · 2 min read
Why is the Six Nations Starting on a Thursday? Where to Watch After Work
Discover why the Six Nations is kicking off on a Thursday and the best spots to catch the action after work.
3 February 2026 · 2 min read
Best pubs
London's Most Stunning Pub Interiors: A Journey Through History and Design
Five London pubs where the room is the reason to visit — an Art Nouveau friary, two Victorian gin palaces, a gilded Fleet Street banking hall, and a Fitzrovia local lined with stained glass.
3 February 2026 · 8 min read
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