Jaunted - Tag: Pubs

Britain Considering Yet Another Booze Ban

pbb — 2008-11-23T15:04:05-05:00

And to think we just declared The Hat and Tun London's newest must-visit pub: Officials at the UK Department of Health may recommend a ban on happy hours and drinking games at pubs to reduce excessive and underage boozing. The British Liver Trust, an advocacy group, says liver disease has killed 40 percent more people aged 25-29 this year than last, with more than 4,000 fatalities linked to alcohol-induced liver problems.

The Liver Trust suspects that making drinks more expensive--that is, by banning happy hour discounts--would cause the number of young drinkers to drop. But government health authorities are waiting for a University of Sheffield report on whether prices have a measurable effect on binge drinking before making any final decisions.

If and when the government cracks down on happy hours, don't expect gloomy nights leading up to a ban: When London outlawed drinks on public transport, booze hounds celebrated by hosting raucous parties that ended in 17 arrests and six Tube station closings.

Related Stories:
· Liver Disease Killing 40 Percent More Young People [British Liver Trust]
· Britain May Ban "Happy Hour" as Deaths Rise [AP, via Google]

[Photo: gia_s]

London: New In London: The Hat and Tun

BS — 2008-11-21T13:30:17-05:00

We know, we know, no one likes the phrase "new London pub." When we go out for a pint in London, we certainly aren't looking for some spiffy new lounge; we want greasy meat pies, floors that are sticky with spilled beer and that dank but homey lived-in atmosphere.

But give us a chance here! Farringdon pub The Hat and Tun--it's on Hatton Street, get it?--is a brand new entry to the scene, but it somehow has all that old-pub goodness. There's a genuine pub grub menu (with the requisite meat pies, along with Scotch eggs, sausage rolls and the like), along with plenty of quality brews on tap and a homey vibe complete with fireplaces, antique lounge furniture and an awful lot of taxidermy.

OK, so there are no sticky floors, but we're sure those are coming soon.

Related Stories:
· The Hat and Tun [Official Site]
· London Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: The Hat and Tun]

Endangered Species Watch: The British Pub

BS — 2008-11-04T16:45:07-05:00

When the Wall Street folks started losing all heir money, they told us it would hurt the rest of us sooner or later, but we didn't really understand why. Fast forward a month and we learn the latest economic causality is something we never imagined would go out of demand: British Pubs. Consider us hurt.

The smart economic folks at PriceWaterhouseCoopers report that some 64 pubs in the UK went out of business in the third quarter of 2008, but that's just the beginning. We're not exactly sure how they came up with such precise numbers, but they have predicted some 4,000 more pubs could close in the country over the next two years, as fewer and fewer customers can afford to go out drinking.

Looks like those world record bar crawlers finished just in time.

Related Stories:
· 4,000 Pubs to Close in Next 2 years [Metro]
· Brits Complete 24-Year Bar Crawl [Jaunted]
· Price Your Pints Before You Go [Jaunted]

[Photo: mijori]

Hampstead: Weekend in London: Escape to Hampstead

sedona — 2008-10-16T16:45:46-05:00

Even in London, it's nice to get out of the city for a while. Forgo the trip to Bath (and save loads on a pre-packaged bus tour or rental car) and hop on the Underground to Hampstead, just outside the city in Camden. Take the tube to the Hampstead stop, after Belsize Park, and the trip couldn't be easier.

We'll warn you that it's home to more millionaires than any other area of the country, but to most of us that just means excellent restaurants, shops and perfectly maintained streets to meander.

Darwin: Pub Travel: Sharing the Bar with a Crocodile

amandak — 2008-06-26T09:35:06-05:00

Tourists are often worried about crossing paths with a crocodile when they're visiting Australia's Northern Territory, but all you really need to know is you shouldn't smile at one--even if it sidles up to you at the bar.

That's what happened this week at the Noonamah pub on the outskirts of Darwin, and when the croc appeared, some local drinkers acted fast to tape its mouth up and put it in a box. Despite a few spectacular headlines, it wasn't a scary croc--the thirsty visitor was just two feet long.

But we still recommend watching where you put your beer down if you're in an Aussie pub. The next crocodile to walk in could be bigger.

Related Stories:
· A Croc Walks Into A Bar ... [Northern Territory News]
· Crocs Interrupt Tourist Plans in Oz [Jaunted]

[Photo: digitalreflections]

Maryborough: Australia Travel: Hit the Pub Route in Queensland

amandak — 2008-06-10T09:25:01-05:00

Australians love a good pub crawl--any excuse for a beer, and if you have to move between pubs to get the next round, then it's practically like playing sport. Over the weekend, the small Queensland city of Maryborough organized some particularly good pub crawling: It earned them a world record.

More than 3,000 people visited visited ten different pubs, and it looks like this will get the town into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Ten pubs in a night is a pretty big night out even by Australian standards, and we're not sure how we'd feel the next day after a marathon pub crawl like this. But in the pursuit of a world record, sometimes you've just got to make sacrifices.

Related Stories:
· Aussie City Crawls Ahead of Poms [AAP]
· Queensland Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Ben Harris-Roxas]

Euxton: Haunted Travel: Pub Keeper Not Buying It

pbb — 2008-04-17T15:20:02-05:00

Famous medium Derek Acorah says that Lancashire pub Euxton Mills is haunted by not one but three different ghosts. But barkeep Keith Burgess says no way--even if TV crews have stopped in to film them.

Sure, plenty of folks have reported a floating gray lady, a presence in the cellar and a spook in the loo. But Keith just doesn't buy it even though:

[He] admits things have been switched on and off in the cellar...and one or two of the staff have had a couple of "scares."

He probably just wants visitors to focus on something else: The place won awards for Best Kept Pub in Lancashire in 2001, 2004 and 2006. Maybe the judges give extra points for the paranormal?

Related Stories:
· Ghostly Pub's Landlord Is a Non-Believer [Lancashire Evening Post]
· Haunted Travel coverage [Jaunted]