The British pub is a world-famous institution, and one that has its own unique rules of etiquette and behaviour. As any visitor to the British Isles will soon discover, there is an extraordinary range of pubs from sleepy rural retreats to vibrant town centre student hangouts to glamourous palaces of carved wood and stained glass. Some pubs are for drinkers only and pride themselves on their range of locally brewed ales, while others offer anything from simply cooked English classics to lavish gastronomic specialities. Some pubs are quiet and conversational, others are rowdy, and many are hosts to live music or other entertainment.

But there is one overriding rule: whatever the nature of the pub, you must assess and respect the atmosphere. If other drinkers are sitting alone or quietly chatting in small groups, don’t ruin the mood with loud conversations or raucous games of pool or darts. Likewise, if you are in a busy town centre pub after work on a Friday there’s no point complaining about the boisterous group of office workers at the table next to you.

Buying Drinks

Pubs do not offer table service, so you will have to go to the bar and procure your own drink. In a quiet pub this is not a problem, but when pubs are crowded, customers mass around the bar and try to get the attention of the bartender. Although it really does not look like it, a kind of queuing system is in place; everyone is loosely aware of who is in front of them and who has come after them and a competent bar tender will also be keeping an eye on the seemingly anarchic dynamics.

Nevertheless, it is important when you reach the front of the bar that you catch the bartender’s eye – this can normally be done by no more than raising an interrogative finger. It is important that you do not ‘queue jump’ (even though it is hard to discern whether you have done so) and if you are wrongly signalled out for service ahead of your time, you should indicate who was there before you. This courteous gesture will be gratefully acknowledged and may well be reciprocated later in the evening.

When you get to the bar, it is advisable to order drinks that take a long time to pour (eg a stout) first – the head will be settling while your other drinks are lined up. The choice of beers available in many pubs can be deeply confusing, especially to foreign visitors. If you see an array of baffling beer taps you can ask the bartender for advice, and it is quite acceptable to ask to taste a sample of a draft beer. The server will simply draw off a small glass, which you can taste before making your judgement. Don’t abuse this service by asking to sample more than a couple of beers.

Tabs are generally only offered in pubs where you are also eating, so in most cases you will be asked to pay when you buy your drinks. There is not a culture of tipping in British pubs but if you feel you have been given excellent service you can simply say “and have one for yourself” to the bartender. They may choose to pocket the drink money or may enjoy a drink at your expense – it’s up to them. If you are rewarding exceptional service (which is by no means expected), you would only do it once, probably at the end of the evening, and not after every round.

Buying Rounds

If a goup of you are drinking together it is usual for people to take it in turns to buy a round for the entire group. If you find yourself in a round-buying situation, observe the following etiquette:

•Don’t opt out of rounds or hang back; you should never have to be reminded it is your turn.

•Don’t conveniently disappear to the loo when it’s your turn to buy a round.

•Don’t opt for overly expensive orders (for example a beer and a chaser) when other people are buying a round. The idea is to try and keep the expenditure broadly on a par from round to round.

•Don’t leave before standing your round; if you know you’ve got to leave before your friends, try to get your round in earlier.

•Try and pace yourself so that you match the other drinkers and, if you’re drinking like a fish, don’t hassle other people into finishing up their drinks or pressurise them into drinking more than they want. If you’re really drinking super-fast you can always ‘intercept’ an extra drink for yourself between rounds.

•Stand up and say “it’s my round” when all the drinkers’ glasses are about a quarter-full. This means that, by the time you have procured the drinks, they will be ready to move on seamlessly without any interruption in service.

•If you’re a non-drinker you might find a night of beer-drinking in a pub is pretty low on your list of social priorities. If you do decide to join your drinking friends and opt for soft drinks you will have to face the facts that you are spending more on your friends’ drinks than your own.

•Don’t be stingy or over-vigilant about the round-buying experience. You may be out of pocket on one evening, but the presumption is that you will be the lucky one on a subsequent night and ultimately it will all balance out over time. The main priority is to be open-handed and convivial.

Being Sociable

Pubs are very sociable places, so be prepared to exchange small talk with strangers – especially if a big sporting event is being shown.

If you want a quiet drink by yourself, try and tuck yourself away at a table with a book or your phone and the other drinkers will get the message.

Since drinkers buy their own drinks from the bar, room to sit at the bar on barstools is normally quite limited, and the few barstool seats in prime position are often the preserve of locals or regulars. If you’ve never been to the pub before, it is probably safer to opt for a table located away from the bar.

Taking it Outside

Smokers and vapers are compelled to go outside and in many crowded city centre pubs there is often a large knot of people milling about on the pavement. In country pubs there is usually a garden or outside terrace with tables and chairs for al fresco drinkers.

If you’re going to drink and smoke outside, especially in a city street, be mindful of neighbours and potential noise nuisance and take care not to block pedestrians from accessing the pavement. Use ashtrays provided and don’t drop cigarette butts on the ground. When you’ve finished your drinks, it’s helpful to bring your glasses inside; never leave them on a doorstep or window ledge or on the pavement, where they will inevitably get broken leaving hazardous shards of broken glass.