The pubs we see today in England and Ireland have evolved over centuries and are steeped in history and tradition. They are part of the very fabric of those societies and a central focus of local community life.

No village, town or city is complete without its pub; it is the place where the community gathers to share enjoyment, social interaction and relaxation. People come to drink and talk, eat and listen to music. And it is this meeting of folk from all walks of life that creates the unique ambience. Pubs provide a setting in which people can feel immediately comfortable and at ease, where the atmosphere is conducive to fun and leisure time.

The brewing of beer dates back to 10,000 BC and beer itself has been closely associated with most communities ever since. For centuries beer has been a mainstay of the adult diet. It has been served to supplement frugal meals in humble homes of the poor and as the drink of choice at the sumptuous banquets of the nobility.

In past centuries, most households would have been self-sufficient, brewing enough of their own ale for day to day needs and it did not take long for people to see the benefits in brewing slightly higher volumes and in trading or selling the surplus. These makeshift ‘beer-shops’ were usually attached to simple provisions stores that sold potatoes, butter, bread and other necessities. Customers who visited these shops would invariably stop to sample the brews and would perhaps linger to chat a while as friends or neighbours came and went.

From humble beginnings, these simple beer-shops marked the birth of what has become a global institution: the Public House.

Evolving out of everyday life, Irish pubs developed from the local grocery shop, where beer was sold as one of life’s staples, and from the country cottages, where villagers would meet and travellers might obtain some respite from the road and the elements.

As towns became cities and small communities became larger ones, the small pubs gave rise to bigger “brewery” owned pubs and urban-styled Victorian City pubs.

Across the Irish Channel in England, ‘alehouses’ remained a refuge for travelers and, like its Irish neighbour, a focal point of the local community in villages and towns. However, it was in the early 1800’s that the real growth and change of the English Pub took place.

The Victorian city of London was a stark contrast of wealth and poverty – an increasing divide created by significant advances in science and industry. As a result, two different types of establishment evolved, each catering to a particular lifestyle drink of choice – English gin or English ale.

The notorious ‘Gin-Palace’ catered to a customer that favoured gin, a cheap and quick means to numb the difficulties of the time. These establishments were generally gaudy and over-elaborate and usually quite raucous.

By contrast, the Victorian London Beer halls or ‘public houses’ were far more refined, offering a more cosy and comfortable setting in which people could congregate to talk and enjoy a jug of freshly brewed ‘real’ ale and a hot, home-cooked meal. The interior designs of these beer halls utilised the finest Victorian tradesmen: from joiners and carpenters to stained glass artisans and the facades of these pubs were brightly lit using huge gas-lamps, beckoning customers through foggy London nights.

Ironically, in the modern ages, it is the ‘old fashioned’ hostelry or traditional pub that has flourished in Britain and Ireland, and these fine establishments continue to attract millions of local residents and tourists seeking the historic yet unpretentious ambience. The design and authenticity of a traditional pub enables people to transport themselves back in time to a place in history where the meaning of the expression ‘the art of good conversation’ gained popularity, just as it remains in the traditional pubs today. The traditional pub has always been, and still is, a place where publicans take pride in hospitality, and consider the ale and home-cooked food they serve as their ‘craft’.

The worldwide success of the Irish or English pubs in other countries, far from their origins, lies in their attraction to curious local residents and ‘home-sick’ expatriates seeking to take the ‘trip’ to England or Ireland, for a quick drink without actually being there!

Gaelic Inns has proven that the ingredients of a traditional pub work well in the Asia-Pacific region, successfully delivering an authentic ‘home away from home’ and drawing custom from both the local population and the expatriate community.

The timeless quality of traditional pubs is no longer a mystery. The very essence of a quality pub, drawing thousands to its doors each week, has now been clearly defined and recreated internationally. This has ensured traditional pubs an eternal place in the history books as these new overseas traditional pubs become one of the fastest growing investment opportunities in the food and beverage sector worldwide, and Gaelic Inns is a respected leading player in the Asia Pacific market.