Can you guess what a pub's going to be like by the name?

[bluecanary]

Basically, what it says. Do you have any preconceptions of what an unknown pub, its owners, and its regulars, are going to be like based on its name?

Pub names tend to be a little like first names--you come upon the same ones time and time again: the Red Lion, the Rose & Crown, the King's Arms etc. etc. Are there general trends related to these names, or is it as random as were they shuffled and allocated?

[GorillaMan]

Nope, no way.

Two Red Lions within walking distance of here: one is a typical food-based chain-owned thing, the other is chav central.

I can think of a few White Horses and Black Horses, none of which fit any consistent pattern. Some are for chavs, a couple alternate between football & heavy metal, and so on.

There's not a great number of Kings' Anythings, which wouldn't necessarily surprise me given the Parliamentarian background of the area.

I'm struggling to think of any other names I should look for which appear with enough consistency.

[astro]

Well, if a bar is named "The Blowhole" it's a good that you'll find sea men there.

[AskNott]

Originally Posted by astro

Well, if a bar is named "The Blowhole" it's a good that you'll find sea men there.

Or semen.

When Dad lived in Bradenton, Florida, he pointed out a bar called Fast Eddie's. The sign bragged, in big letters, of Bad Food & Warm Beer. Dad explained it was a really nice place, but they preferred locals to tourists.

In Evansville, when I went to school there, a new joint opened with a rowboat and crossed oars on the front. The Oar House. The city made them change the name.

[Hung Mung]

Originally Posted by AskNott

In Evansville, when I went to school there, a new joint opened with a rowboat and crossed oars on the front. The Oar House. The city made them change the name.

Heh. I had to say it out loud before I got it.

I've never been able to tell what place is like until I've sat down and had a few pints. In Knoxville there's the very chilled out Preservation Pub just a few blocks away from the rambunxious MacLeod's.
I determine what a place is like by its location. The downtown pubs were generally (but not always) more laid back than bars close to campus. The closer to campus you get, the greater the presence of freshmen and the Greek social behemoth.

I have come to the conclusion, though, that any place with the word Brewery in its name is probably a very nice place to have a pint.

[Nic2004]

Many years ago there was a pretty rough place called the Gutlevel Bar and it was a good example of Truth-in-Advertising in my mind.
<snif> I sure miss that ol' dive!

[eleanorigby]

Originally Posted by GorillaMan

Nope, no way.

Two Red Lions within walking distance of here: one is a typical food-based chain-owned thing, the other is chav central.

I can think of a few White Horses and Black Horses, none of which fit any consistent pattern. Some are for chavs, a couple alternate between football & heavy metal, and so on.

Translation? What's "chav"? Is it gay? Biker? Gay-biker? Clueless in Chicago.


I have noticed no trend in names, but have noticed that the closer one is to a tourist attraction in UK, the crappier the lager and the nastier the food.

Best food in UK, ever, for me, was in Durham--nice lil pub, too. Can't remember the name, sadly.

[cantara]

In the late '80s I visited London with my girlfriend (now wife), her sister and boyfriend. I wanted to visit the 4AD/Beggars Banquet headquarters to see the source of so much good music (I know they didn't make it, but they did market it) and maybe buy some stuff from the labels store. It took us a while to find it (since I didn't have my London A-Z) and when we did there was a pub beside it. I wanted to go in to have lunch but sis and BF would NOT eat at a pub called the Slug and Lettuce. It looked very respectable from the outside. We ended up down the road at a hole with a 'proper' name. It appears to be a chain...





Nice rainbow, elmwood!

[Capt. Ridley's Shooting Party]

Translation? What's "chav"? Is it gay? Biker? Gay-biker? Clueless in Chicago.

Chavs - are loud, obnoxious, swear a lot, wear expensive clothes like Burberry and Henry Lloyd even though they cannot afford their own houses, fight a lot, listen to bangin' choons, drive Vauxhall Novas or Ford Cosworths, wear too much jewellery, the girls wear skirts so short they're more akin to belts, the girls are normally pregnant by the time they're 18, the girls have makeup on that looks like it was applied with a trowel.

More chavs.

[eleanorigby]

Originally Posted by Dominic Mulligan

Chavs - are loud, obnoxious, swear a lot, wear expensive clothes like Burberry and Henry Lloyd even though they cannot afford their own houses, fight a lot, listen to bangin' choons, drive Vauxhall Novas or Ford Cosworths, wear too much jewellery, the girls wear skirts so short they're more akin to belts, the girls are normally pregnant by the time they're 18, the girls have makeup on that looks like it was applied with a trowel.

More chavs.

Oh-our jumped up white trash.

I see.

No idea what bangin' choons are (it sounds vaguely dirty) and no reference point for the Vauxhall or Cosworths......

but I think I catch your drift.

Question: we will be in UK in March. How does one know which pubs are OK to take kids into for a quick meal? (sorry if this is too OT, you can email me).

[ouryL]

The Hind and Hiney