New at Reason: Josie Appleton on How Pointless Regulations are Ruining British Pubs

June 1, 2009

Pubs were once one of the most autonomous spaces in Great Britain. But as Josie Appleton of the UK civil liberties group Manifesto Club writes, they are now one of the most regulated. If you want to buy a drink at a pub in Oldham, northern England, for instance, you must stand in an orderly "post-office-style" line, complete with barriers, signage, a "supervisor," and a strict no-drinking-in-line rule. And if a pub wants to advertise discounted drinks, it must give the police and local council at least seven days' notice.

Read all about it here.

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