The development of the UK public house

Abstract

Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the main changes that took place in the British pub from 1959 to 1989. The introduction of new products, more modern facilities and a more varied clientele are mentioned, together with the key factors driving these changes. Design/methodology/approach – There has been a heavy use of secondary sources drawn from the whole of the period studied. This has been augmented by discussions with licensees, retired licensees and older pub customers, to collect their reflections on the industry. Findings – The brewers introduced new products to increase profits, and they invested in the refurbishment of their estates to attract and retain customers, but government legislation was also vital for encouraging the off‐trade. The period saw a large rise in female customers and the weakening of the traditional male working class use of the pub. The emergence of a few brewers is also recoded. Research limitations/implications – The work report the changes in the industry, and examines some of the causes. Further work could examine the causes more carefully, and could include regional studies for comparison purposes. Originality/value – There have been other attempts to examine changes in the public house. This is the most detailed, and as such could be of interest to the general reader as well as practitioners and students of the hospitality industry.

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