You may have to Search all our reviewed books and magazines, click the sign up button below to create a free account.
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 tha...
A brilliantly quirky and affectionate look at a British institution: Wetherspoon Pubs and their incredible carpets. If you’ve ever been in a Wetherspoon's (and who hasn't), you’ve probably looked down and noticed the brilliantly-hued carpet beneath your feet. But that carpet isn’t just for disguising spilt drinks... Each Wetherspoon has a carpet that is unique and bespoke, with a design inspired by the history of the building, its locale or the name of the pub. Thanks to the hit blog 'Wetherspoon's Carpets' – which posed the important question 'are any two Wetherspoon carpets the same?’ – these tapestried hymns to British boozers have become a cultural sensation. Now, Kit Caless has travelled the length and breadth of the UK, from Berkshire to Renfrewshire, Bradford to Bridgend, to photograph over 70 splendid carpets from Wetherspoons and meet some of the pubs' regulars. Each entry appears in all its glorious colour, along with Caless's witty and informative text on the inspiration for each carpet's design, the history of the pub and key facts about the branch and its regulars. Will your Spoons be there?
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
Inspired by George Orwell, Paul Moody and Robin Turner take a nostalgic road trip around Britain in search of the perfect pub. 'A deeply satisfying travelogue' Stuart Maconie In 1946, George Orwell, a man fond of a pint, wrote about his favourite pub, The Moon Under Water, in his EVENING STANDARD column. But it didn't actually exist. It was Orwell's vision of a perfect pub. Today, Wetherspoons have fourteen Moon Under Waters, and the nation is awash with identikit, high-street lounge bars competing for a dwindling clientele. Paul Moody and Robin Turner's road trip around Britain, therefore, is not just a search for the perfect pub. It is a deeper investigation into what has happened to Briti...
This book provides a fascinating and comprehensive history of brewing in the area, and is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of Reading and its drinking establishments.
Ever wondered whether Bob Holness really did play the saxophone solo on Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street? Or whether a swan can break a man's arm? Or whether computer games are illegal in Greece?! If so, you've probably spent far too much time down the pub, conversing with a mate on the wrong end of four pints of lager. We've all heard them: wild claims, spurious rumours and barely believable 'pub facts'. Don't pretend you've never wondered whether a crocodile really can run faster than a racehorse. Or pondered the possibility that there is only one cash machine in the whole of Albania? If this sort of thing keeps you awake at night, then this book has come to the rescue. Bears Can't Run Downhill... debunks and explains 201 common claims and popular misconceptions. It's the ideal stocking-filler for the quiz fanatic, the trivia buff, the show-off down the pub - or the wife or girlfriend who wants a way to a) get the upper hand and b) put a stop to this nonsense once and for all. So here is the definitive tome - all you will never need (until the sequel at least) - of well-known 'facts' both true and apocryphal.
If you are thinking about leaving the rat race to run your own pub, but don't know how to go about it, this book is for you. How to Run a Successful Pub provides you with all the information and advice you need to make your dream a reality. It will help you to: FIND YOUR IDEAL PUB PLAN AND SET UP YOUR BUSINESS TARGET YOUR CUSTOMERS MAKE MORE MONEY CONTROL YOUR SALES MAXIMISE YOUR PROFITS This book is packed with practical, up-to-date advice on marketing, managing staff, bookkeeping, licensing law, food, fruit machines, raising finance and the necessary regulations.
None
Paul Jennings traces the history of the British pub, and looks at how it evolved from the eighteenth century's coaching inns and humble alehouses, back-street beer houses and 'fine, flaring' gin palaces to the drinking establishments of the twenty-first century. Covering all aspects of pub life, this fascinating history looks at pubs in cities and rural areas, seaports and industrial towns. It identifies trends and discusses architectural and internal design, the brewing and distilling industries and the cultural significance of drink in society. Looking at everything from music and games to opening times and how they have affected anti-social behaviour, The Local is a must-read for every self-respecting pub-goer, from landlady to lager-lout.
The second edition of CAMRA's pocket-sized walking guide to London is packed with fully updated routes, new pubs and pages of fresh content, including special tours around the city via public transport. Full-colour maps and easy-to-follow instructions make this a must-have for both walkers and non-walkers who love a good pub and a great pint. --Publisher.