Pubwatching

Why do we go to pubs? How do we choose a pub? How do we behave in pubs? What rites and rituals do we engage in? What do we talk about? Why is the pub such an important part of British culture? What is pub life all about?The Brewers' Society commissioned MCM Research to find out, with the help of "manwatcher" Desmond Morris.Equipped with tape recorders and notebooks, the MCM research team - led by Joe McCann and John Middleton - visited over four hundred pubs in England, Wales and Scotland. They interviewed publicans, bar staff and customers of all ages. They travelled with pub darts, pool and football teams. They talked to pub musicians and entertainers, went "circuit" drinking with the lads, played cards with the pensioners, and pulled pints on busy nights. As participant observers, they became involved in every aspect of the pub culture. From this wealth of material, MCM Research Director Kate Fox, in conjunction with Desmond Morris, has produced an informative and entertaining anthropology of pub life.