The Gastropub – A great British Concept

The term “gastropub” was coined in 1991, when David Eyre and Mike Belben took over The Eagle pub in Clerkenwell, London. Traditionally, British pubs were drinking establishments and little emphasis was placed on the serving of food. If pubs served meals they were usually basic cold dishes such as a ploughmans lunch. But all this was about to change. Demand began for a good honest pub serving sensibly priced affordable food that was genuinely of restaurant quality. And so developed a generic term that was able to distinguish between a place serving a decent meal and a local boozer offering a packet of crisps or a luke warm pie.

And so today we are spoiled with the selection of hostelries offering culinary excellence, top quality ingredients and innovation, and thanks to Estrella Damm, who are sponsoring the Gastropub Awards for the 4th year, we are able to savour what is considered to be the Top 50 in the UK (according to votes from 400 food critics and other culinary experts)

The Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs

The concept of gastropubs largely redefined British dining and general pub culture but has attracted criticism for removing character from the good old British Pub serving what is fondly known as “Pub Grub” though we are sure their is a place in the market for both aspects of British dining.

In August 2012, “gastropub” was added to Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary

The Guinness Six Nations Rugby 2020

It’s all about to kick-off! The 2020 Six Nations will once again see England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales face the challenge of international rugby over the course of five thrilling rugby-packed weekends of fixtures, with one big question – can Wales defend the title of 2019?

The 2020 fixture schedule for the Guinness Six Nations begins on Saturday, 1st February with the title defenders, Wales getting the first match underway against Italy at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff followed by Ireland hosting Scotland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin; then on Sunday 2nd February 2020 France host England and all fixtures will be available for you to watch live.

https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/fixtures-2020/

And where better to watch the match than down the pub? So why not take a look at our list, find one close to you and support your favorite team. Guinness are supporting the event, though many other delicious pints are available…..Enjoy the match!

https://uylo.co/2020sixnations

Happy Chinese New Year 2020 – The Year of The Rat

A great reason for celebrations on 25th January – the Chinese New Year of the Rat! This could bring new opportunities for finding true love, and earning more money in 2020 – it’s going to be a successful year so why not find a pub near you and raise a glass to the great year ahead. We have put together a list of pubs named after this extraordinary yet much maligned creature and who knows? Buying a pint in one of these outlets may add to your good fortune – you just don’t know who you might meet….

http://uylo.co/chinesenewyear

According to Chinese tradition, this year is going to be a strong, prosperous, and lucky year for almost all Chinese zodiac signs.

Everyone will show determination regarding their goals, aspirations, and even their hobbies. A great year for founding and evolving and those who plan to buy property, to start a business or to invest money in a long-term project have great chances of being satisfied in the future. But, beware! This type of initiatives will only be successful if they are carefully planned.

The Chinese New Year is celebrated every year through sumptuous and colorful festivities. It is the most important celebration, an occasion for familiar reunion, party and two weeks long winter holiday – and possibly a visit to the pub?

The World’s Biggest Pub Quiz 2020

The World’s Biggest Pub Quiz is back with us, and it’s going to be bigger and better than ever before. Over 1,500 venues took part in last year’s quiz and raised a whopping £230,000 for good causes. This year’s event is expected to raise even more with more pubs than ever before expected to take part.

Set up by PubAid in 2016, this annual pub quizzing extravaganza continues to go from strength to strength and hundreds of charities are set to benefit. This year’s lead partner is Action Against Hunger, a charity helping in the fight to end child malnutrition.

The quiz is running from Sunday 8th March – Thursday 12th March 2020. Every pub chooses their own date, perhaps their regular quiz night, so why not have a look and see if your local is taking part and give them a call or pop in to find out exactly when they’ll be holding theirs?

FIND A PUB NEAR ME TAKING PART

If they’re not yet down to take part, why not suggest it to them? Pubs can register by clicking here and completing the simple registration form. It’s free to sign up, and every venue that joins will automatically appear on our World’s Biggest Pub Quiz Pubfinder, making it really easy for everyone to find a pub near them that’s taking part.

Here’s to raising even more money than last year for these great causes!

Happy quizzing.

Pubs on the Big Screen

Whatever you call it – the pub, the local, the good old-fashioned boozer – few things are as important to the British way of life.

A place where friendships are formed, legends made and lives changed forever. So it’s little wonder the pub has played such an important role in the history of British cinema and television… who can forget Del Boy falling through the bar, or the many smokey hours spent at The Winchester Club, courtesy of Minder?

And the good news is, it’s not all fiction – Some of the greatest pubs from the big screen are actual places selling actual real-life booze.

Sadly a few of the greats haven’t stood the test of time. Last orders have been called on such as The Winchester from Shaun of the Dead, and The Mother Black Cap from Withnail and I ….Gone but most certainly not forgotten.

So let’s raise a toast to their memory whilst you have a look at our round-up of the greatest TV and film pubs still serving….

https://www.useyourlocal.com/publist/pubs-featured-on-the-big-screen-1682/

Or why not find you favourite show – you never know who you might meet at the bar:

Only Fools and HorsesThe Alma (Islington, London)

The InbeweenersThe Black Horse (Pinner)

Minder The Blue Anchor (Hammersmith)

Sherlock Holmes The Bush Inn (South Glamorgan)

VeraThe Crown Posadsa (Newcastle upon Tyne)

HeartbeatThe Goathland Hotel (Whitby)

LutherThe Griffin (Hackney, London)

Ashes to Ashes/Life on MarsThe Horseshoe (Southwark, London)

Fresh MeatThe Kings Arms (Manchester)

Peep ShowThe Oval Tavern (Croydon)

Rock & ChipsThe Pelton Arms (Greenwich, London)

Line of DutyThe Queens Arms (Birmingham)

Peaky BlindersThe Roost (Birmingham)

Sherlock Speedy’s (London)

Phoenix Nights St Gregory’s Social Club (Bolton)

Gavin & StaceyTardross Hotel (Barry, South Glamorgan)

Auf Weidersehen Pet The Windmill Inn (Nottingham)

EmmerdaleThe Woolpack (Shipley, Bradford)