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

There is this, as well. If the restaurant doesn't have a booze licence, or doesn't want one, you may be able to BYOB, enabling the discerning drinker to get trolleyed at off-licence prices.

This seems to be a cultural thing; in South Africa, many extravagantly flash restauarants allow you to bring 'a special bottle of wine', but I never tried turning up to one of these with a case of Castle.

No just South Africa. Only thing is in UK they tend to charge you corkage for actually taking the cork out of the bottle for you.

I mean can't they just hand over the corkscrew and let you do it yourself.

Australia has a close cultural parallel. A restaurant licence is costly, so many small restaurants are unlicensed. They proudly proclaim themselves as "BYO" (no use of the fourth character to specify what you can bring). This label used to be a reliable indicator of low cost meals, so some "posh" (and licensed) restaurants also proclaim the BYO option - a trap for the unwary!

There is an Australian equivalent to the impoverished "BYOB", possible because of the survival of an obsolete English word "Grog" to represent a cheap drink. (WARNING: If you ask, I'll tell you all about the origins of Grog). Hence the student party will be defined as "BYOG"

Northampton, Massachusetts has seasonal wine and beer licenses for restaurants, and there is fierce competition for them. Many establishments complained that they will lose business to licensed places, or even other towns, and so they are allowed to offer BYOB in the off season. As far as most underage college students are concerned, it should be a year round policy!

Doesn't corkage usually get charged when you choose to take your own bottle instead of the overpriced stuff the restaurant wants to sell you?

Anyway, there are some decent curry houses in Leeds-Bradford that don't sell alcohol but are happy for you to bring your own.