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

Entry: Etiquette in the English Public House - A3091592
Author: Pan Galactic Hoopy Frood (Fable Writer) - U168592

Flea Market Rescue - Original Entry A2611649 (original PR thread can be found there too) New ideas, old ones, critique etc. please.
PGHF

Wouldn't be the done thing to come with a bunch of mates in kilts brandishing claymores and screaming 'Death to all Sassenachs' then would it.

Mind you a good guide for when I next deem to travel South of the Border!

sounds like fun are you running a bus?

We could do for the next meet up!

This is a really excellent piece!

Just one small comment - its probably not that different in Scotland, Ireland or Wales. Ireland has about 95% the same rules, apart, er, from the smoking bit .

Would it might be an idea to have a paragraph at the end on local differences?

Woodpigeon

Very thorough entry!

Just a few things:

the pub next door all is space and serenity => the pub next door is all space and serenity

sevice => service

You can ask for any of the bottles in fridges or on shelves behind the bar, red or white wine or soft drink => You can ask for red or white wine or soft drinks, or any of the bottles in the fridges or on shelves behind the bar.

When you are drinking in a round with other people try not to drink faster than them. => When you are drinking in a round with other people, try not to drink faster than them.

Engae => Engage

patrons => patron's

befell => befalls

usaully => usually

to drink alcohol on premises => to drink alcohol on the premises

opposing sides colours => opposing side's colours

or plam one when you do this => [should this be 'palm one'?]

Simply put you money => Simply put your money

collect themselves => collect them themselves

atleast => at least

ammenities => amenities

theses => these


Claire

Scotland may be joining you on that one WP.

everyone, will get cracking with the revision soon
PGHF

Right! I've fixed up the embarassing grammatical errors ( claire) and added a little more to the Entry, generally cleaned it up and edited it and made it nice to look at

Anything else?

PGHF

Well, it's a good Entry, but it's a generally cosy treatment of the subject.

What about spit and sawdust? What about town pubs on council estates, with the bookie's straight across the carpark, and a baseball bat behind the bar?

Maybe it's just me, but I frequent a range of pubs. Some of them are family places. Some of them are mildly laddish. Some of them are as dark as hell.

I've got half way through this entry, and so far it's fabulous! I really like it.

There is an error in it though - "People under the age of 18 are allowed to drink alcohol on the premises as long as they are accompanied by their parent/guardian."

As far as I know this is wrong. In this country it's against the law to buy alcohol for an under 18. They are allowed to drink alcohol at home I belive (it's only illegal under the age of 5 then I believe) but they can't drink in pubs.

People aged 14 and above are allowed into pubs, so they can visit with their older friends without a parent or guardian, but they must stick to cola and crisps. Some pubs do put an over 18s only, or over 21s only on the door, and then they wouldn't allow 14 year olds in.

I'll go back to the entry now.

Sorry me again...

In your section about pool, I think that you should add that in pubs where there are more than one or two tables, one table will often be 'winner stays on'. So if you pop your 2p on this table (to prevent someone stealing the much more attractive £2) you won't get to play your mate, you'll have to play what will likely be the best player in the pub. So it's good to check first.

I agree about the jukebox stuff. I once chose the Nolan Sisters in the wrong sort of pub, and the staff turned it off after about 4 seconds.

Fruit machines - over 18s only, I think that should be added.

This is a really great entry, and I look forward to it being in the Guide!

Hi PGHF,

I had another quick look and it looks very good! Just...

then a shout to one of staff => then a shout to one of the staff

It is unwritten => it is an unwritten rule

Always have a way of getting home such as a designated drivers => Always have a way of getting home such as a designated driver

Also, there is a Guide Entry on designated drivers that would be good to link to - A1170253.

Claire

This is really shaping up! An excellent effort and well done for saving it from oblivion.

A few little points:

Echoing Pin's comments, there are some pubs that are just not meant for strangers to go into. A good rule of thumb is that if you can't see into it at all without opening the door (ie no windows) then you might want to give it a miss if you're not local. Think about obvious factors - where is the pub? How am I going to come across with the locals? If this gets broadened out to UK, a concrete example is being English and going in to some pubs in Welsh nationalist areas for example...

I also think the section about standing at the bar for a conversation is a little optimistic. In some pubs, there may be people standing at the bar talking, but that does not always mean that they want to talk to you, a stranger... (Of course if you are a six foot blonde, for example, this may not apply). I think the section could say that it never hurts to try, you'll soon see if they are interested in talking to you or not.

Did the saloon bar/snug/etc differences make it in? I can't remember. There are some places that have sections that you can go in in your work clothes/walking boots and some that you can't. In fact some pubs ban football shirts and dirty working clothes outright.

sprout

Not quite right Mina, 16s and over are entitled to drink beer or wine in a pub, with a meal.

I wasn't sure I was entirely right (how did I know it would be you who would correct me? ). That bit should be tweaked to relect what we've said though.

Too many hours spent talking to landlords. Yes, it should be changed.

I'll get crackin' soon
PGHF

Very well-written with informative and humorous content.

This is certainly an essential entry for those who are either not from these shores or who visit pubs infrequently.

On a minor, nit-picky, grammatical note: you have quite a few semicolons where colons are needed. For instance: "There are many to choose from; beers, lagers, ales, stouts and even scrumpy."

Colons generally introduce lists or explain something further, whereas a semicolon is principally used to separate a sentence into two related parts. (It's easier to think of it as replacing 'and'.)

Otherwise an excellent piece of work.

Hope this helps.