h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The laws in Canada did seem a little odd to me when I was out in the Rockies some years ago. Unless it was some kind of wind-up, there seemed to be a need for a bar to have a special kind of mingling licence to allow patrons to pick up their drink and move around the bar with it.
Also, having to go to a government-run liquor store (some of which were decorated in an attractive Victorian public-toilet style blend of green and white tiling) to get some take-away beers did make one feel like rather an addict.

PS - I could be wrong, but I thought the UK licensing laws were introduced in the First World War. LLoyd George trying to boost arms production and all that.

I've never been to Canada so I can't comment on public toilet decoration. As for the English laws they were introduced during WW1 (1915 if memory serves) and in fact when they were first introduced closing time was at 7pm.

Believe it or not this was so that working men would be home in time for their dinner and sober enough to work in the factory the next day. Needless to say the good old English working man then took it as a challenge to drink as many pints as possible between finishing work and the pub closing. The closing time was changed to 11pm some time between the laws, not too sure when. Who said studying a bit of law at University is a waste of time

"good old English working man then took it as a challenge to drink as many pints as possible between finishing work and the pub closing"

As many still do.

I'm from Canada and the laws there are a bit odd, there's no one set of laws pertaining to legal age for alcohol. It changes by province really, in Ontario the legal age is 19 and you must have photo ID in Quebec it's 18 (though most would agree if you can see over the bar counter they'll serve you) and the same goes for Manitoba, British Columbia and Alberta.