WINNER OF THE DRINK BOOK AWARD AT THE FORTNUM & MASON FOOD AND DRINK AWARDS 2017. Pete Brown has visited hundreds of pubs across the UK and is uniquely placed to write about pubs that ooze atmosphere, whatever the reason, be it food, people, architecture, location or decor. The best pubs are those that always have a steady trade at any time on any day of the week, and where chat flows back and forth across the bar. They're the places where you want to drink weak beer so you can have several pints and stay longer. Some are grand Victorian palaces, others ancient inns with stunning views across the hills. Some are ale shrines, others gastropubs (though they probably don’t call themselves that any more). A precious few are uniquely eccentric, the kinds of places that are just as likely to have terrible reviews on Trip Advisor as great ones, because some people don't realize that the outside toilets, limp sandwiches on the bar and really disturbing full-size mannequin glaring at you from the corner are all part of the charm. This charming collection of 300 pubs explores what makes each one ooze atmosphere, be it food, people, architecture, location or décor, and looks at the quirks of local history as well as different trends and types of pub. Full of pen portraits of punters or publicans, legends, yarns and myths, this entertaining book is the perfect gift for regulars of that well-loved British institution, the pub.

Carlene Rivers is many things. Dutiful, reliable, kind. Lucky? Not so much. At thirty, she’s living a stifling existence in Cleveland, Ohio. Then one day, Carlene buys a raffle ticket. The prize: a pub on the west coast of Ireland. Carlene is stunned when she wins. Everyone else is stunned when she actually goes. As soon as she arrives in Ballybeog, Carlene is smitten not just by the town’s beguiling mix of ancient and modern, but by the welcome she receives. In this small town near Galway Bay, strife is no stranger, strangers are family, and no one is ever too busy for a cup of tea or a pint. And though her new job presents challenges—from a meddling neighbor to the pub’s colorful regulars—there are compensations galore. Like the freedom to sing, joke, and tell stories, and in doing so, find her own voice. And in her flirtation with Ronan McBride, the pub’s charming, reckless former owner, she just may find the freedom to follow where impulse leads and trust her heart—and her luck—for the very first time . . . “Guaranteed to become one of the books on your shelf that you’ll want to read again.” —The Free Lance-Star “A fun, quirky read.” –Publishers Weekly

Mass Observation was founded in 1937 with the aim of researching the everyday lives of ordinary people in Britain. One of its best-loved publications is The Pub and the People (1943), a unique study of one of Britain's best-loved pastimes, describing how people behaved in pubs, what and how much they drank, and the decor and layout of the average pre-war alehouse. Alongside sociological interest it offers amusing insights into an era when supping pints was only for the roughest customers, and beer was considered helpful not only to general health ('There is no bad ale, so Grandma said') but also (contra the porter in Macbeth) to the act of love. 'The authors of this book have unearthed much curious information.' George Orwell, Listener 'Anyone with an interest in the history of beer and pubs in Britain ought to read it.' Boak and Bailey's Beer Blog

It's an extraordinary tale of yeast-obsessed monks and teetotal prime ministers; of how pale ale fuelled an Empire and weak bitter won a world war; of exploding breweries, a bear in a yellow nylon jacket and a Canadian bloke who changed the dringking habits of a nation. It's also the story of the rise of the pub from humble origins through an epic, thousand-year struggle to survive misunderstanding, bad government and misguided commerce. The history of beer in Britain is a social history of the nation itself, full of catastrophe, heroism and an awful lot of hangovers. 'a pleasant antidote to more po-faced histories of beer' Guardian 'Like a good drinking companion, Brown tells a remarkable story: a stream of fascinating facts, etymologies and pub-related urban phenomena' TLS 'Packed with bar-room bet-winning facts and entertaining digressions, this is a book into which every pub-goer will want to dip.' Express

In his outstanding new cookbook, Gordon Ramsay teams up with Mark Sargeant to showcase the best of British cooking. Packed full of sumptuous and hearty traditional recipes, Gordon Ramsay's Great British Pub Food is perfect for relaxed, homely and comforting cooking.

This is his first attempt at publishing his work, with follow-up stories on life lessons in football, family, friendships, the classroom, and death.

From the Roman conquest to the passing of legislation protecting the rights of LGBTQ+, the history of London is one of diversity, integration and progress - never standing still and always setting the agenda. Metropolitan London has around 7,000 public houses – an average of 25 pubs per square mile. No other capital city in the world matches this density. It’s not surprising that the London pub is such an institution at home and abroad! Pubs were part and parcel of the expansion of London – that grew to be the world’s largest city by the 1830s. Because pubs are so widespread in the capital, a pub can always be found near a place of historical significance. This book selects some key moments in the history of London, from Roman times to the modern day, and suggests a popular pub nearby to savor the moment - reliving the history with a drink in hand! The Pub Lover’s Guide to London explains the driving forces behind the most significant moments in the history of London - and the best pubs near to where history was made. In all, 52 great pubs to visit - one for each week of the year!

Meeting friends at the pub is something most of us look forward to, but there are times when it's hard work, and you end up staring into your drink for something to do. If this sounds all too familiar, don't fret, a potent antidote to tedium is at hand - The Pub Quiz & Puzzle Book. With this collection of fun puzzles, challenges, traditional games, jokes and quizzes tucked under your arm, every get-together with friends - whether in your local hostelry or in your own home - is guaranteed to be great fun. All you need in addition to the book are a few pads and pencils to share around, plus any other bits and pieces the challenges call for, such as coins, a dartboard, playing cards, dice, lengths of string, or a box of matches. Let The Pub Quiz & Puzzle Book revolutionize your social life: with this book as your companion, you may never have to buy another round!

The British pub is a much-loved institution, but recent decades demonstrate how vulnerable it is, being subject to the vicissitudes of fashion, markets, licensing, the economy and most of all the structure of the industry as the big brewers have abandoned their heritage and been supplanted by the Pub Companies and Pub retail groups like Wetherspoons. The book describes the frequent and dramatic changes within the beer industry. It carefully examines the issues and enigmas over the last 50 years in a manner which will enlighten those less familiar with the licensed trade and may alter the perspective of those with closer connections. From the perspective of pub brands, the book examines why they suddenly took hold, how the branding process dovetailed with Nineties inner-city regeneration and why it was supported by some licensing magistrates but opposed by others. How did brands differ from traditional pubs and why were they undermined by them? Tony Thornton looks at community ownership as a vehicle for saving pubs, along with its flaws, and examines the critical role of CAMRA. Returning to the overall market, the book focuses on the battles between the Regional brewers for survival and why these took place. It explains how the hedonism of the Nineties suddenly ended in the new millennium and why the high street operators faced their own crisis, which then merged with that of the retail industry. It also examines how the politicians have frequently misjudged pubs and the beer industry and done it few favours – and how the industry is still paying the price for their decisions. Equally controversially, it discusses why the Beer Tie, the glue that holds the industry together, is threatened if the Government introduces a Statutory Code. Moving to the present, the book considers the effects of the renaissance in brewing, the changes to food-led pubs and debates the impact of Craft beer. It looks at how pubs have changed because of the influence of food. Most crucially it concludes with the plight of the traditional, drinkers pub and looks for positive signs and trends for the future.