Pint of the Usual
The festive season is when our local pubs come into their own, so what better time to celebrate the entertainment they’ve been providing in our neighbourhoods for hundreds of years.
It was the Romans who first brought taverns to the UK, but the real boom came after the introduction of gin in the 17th century. Now there are around 48,000 pubs across the country, 73 of those within a 5 mile radius of Birmingham city centre.
A time traveller going back to experience a 17th century alehouse would perhaps be surprised at how little has changed. Just like the bands that you can enjoy today (Hare and Hounds and The Station in Kings Heath, Patrick Kavanagh and The Bull’s Head in Moseley), live music has always gone hand in hand with the drinks on offer. Many premises also included a card room or a billiard room, and by the end of the 18th century, saloons or lounges were another common feature. This was a room where, for an admission fee or higher drinks prices, singing, dancing, drama or comedy (much like that on offer at The Dark Horse in Moseley) was performed and orders would be served at the table.
Also familiar would be traditional games such as darts, skittles and dominoes, although these days, you might also find a pile of board games (Fletchers in Kings Heath, The Village in Moseley) or a shelf of books (Loco Lounge in Kings Heath) to help you while away your time. Even seemingly modern innovations such as karaoke (The Goose in Kings Heath) and DJs (One Trick Pony Club in Moseley) have their roots in the singalongs of the past.
Some things have changed however. Modern pubs and bars prefer large, clear windows to the ornate smoked or stained glass of Victorian buildings like The Fighting Cocks in Moseley. Gone are the days where genteel ladies, police officers or the parish priest wanted to hide their drinking from the judgemental eyes of the general public.
Published in My Moseley and Kings Heath, December 2015.
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