Noun

public house (or pub)

1. (chiefly British) An establishment licensed to sell alcoholic beverages to be consumed on or off the premises; they often provide meals and sometimes accommodation.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:pub

A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking-establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises in countries and regions of British influence. Although the terms often have different connotations, there is little definitive difference between pubs, bars, inns, taverns and lounges where alcohol is served commercially. A pub that offers lodging may be called an inn or (more recently) hotel in the UK. Today, many pubs in the UK, Canada and Australia with the word "inn" or "hotel" in their name no longer offer accommodation, or in some cases have never done so. Some pubs bear the name of "hotel" because they are in countries where stringent anti-drinking laws were once in force. In Scotland until 1976, only hotels could serve alcohol on Sundays. In Wales an 1881 Act applied the same law until 1961 when local polls could lift such a ban in a district and in 1996 the last ban was lifted in Dwyfor. The need for such polls was removed by the Welsh Assembly in 2003.

There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. In many places, especially in villages, a pub can be the focal point of the community, so there is concern that more pubs are closing down than new ones opening.

The history of pubs can be traced back to Roman taverns, through the Saxon alehouse, to the development of the modern tied house system - a period of huge growth in the number of drinking-establishments.