pub

Mark Wolters shared some advice for tourists on how to approach British pubs, listing six unwritten rules that people should be aware of if they ever find themselves visiting the UK

A world traveller has listed six unwritten rules that tourists should pay attention to if they ever visit a British pub. Proper pub etiquette may feel second nature to Brits, but the unspoken rules of the boozer aren’t universal — and the UK has its own quirks that could potentially catch out overseas visitors.

Mark Wolters is one such visitor who’s spotted this, but with trips to more than 80 countries under his belt, he’s clearly no stranger to navigating the cultural differences that come with travelling.

A familiar face on YouTube, Mark had some advice on how to approach British pubs for his 1.17m subscribers, specifically six tips that tourists should be aware of if they ever visit Blighty.

1. Order at the bar

For his first rule, Mark warned prospective punters watching his video on Wolters World that pub staff are “not coming” to their tables, stressing that they need to go up to the bar to order.

He said: “And whether you’re going to be ordering your pints or you’re going to order your food or you’re getting your snacks and your crisps, you order there. Also, when you go up and order, that’s when you pay.

“It is not one of the things like in the US where you do all your drinking, you do all your eating, then you pay at the end. You’re paying each time you go up there. “

2. Respect the queue

Mark noted that people should “respect the queue” when they come to the UK, but pointed out that there may not be a single discernible queue at the bar. As we all know, people tend to gather at different points.

But Mark said everyone “kind of knows” who was there before them and will ensure they go first.

3. Order in rounds

Mark said: “Now the third unwritten rule of going to the pub is that they order in rounds. So if we’re going with friends, we’re not all going up to the bar to order.

“We will go in rounds. It’s like I’ll go up first, ask everybody what they want, and then I’ll go and I’ll pay the first round. Then the next time up, my friend will go up and take the orders, and they’ll order and get a round for everybody. And everybody needs to pay for a round.”

He went on to warn people not to “skip your round” and “don’t leave early” to avoid getting one, as “people remember that”.

4. Not all pubs sell good pub food

Mark observed that not every pub that sells traditional food actually sells “good” British fare. He noted that you can sometimes get “phenomenal” food such as Scotch eggs and bangers and mash.

But if an establishment sells food and nobody is eating it when you walk in, this should be a “red flag”.

5. Watch out for stairs

Something that he says becomes “more precarious” as your night goes on, Mark claimed that pub toilets will “undoubtedly” be down a “very narrow and steep” set of stairs.

He advised people with accessibility issues to research the pub beforehand, as visitors may be be presented by what he described as “little stairwells”.

6. Don’t linger past closing time

Finally, Mark stressed the importance of not lingering past closing time and how, generally, bars don’t really stay open “super late”, adding that staff like to “wrap things up really quickly.”

He advised people to be “respectful” and do the same for those in the local community by being quiet when you leave.

TAMWORTH may not be top of many tourists’ to-do lists, but it boasts the best boozer, a kids-go-free castle and even a chance to ski on real snow, all within staggering distance of each other. 

I’m lucky that this Midlands marvel is only half an hour from me, so I headed over to check out all the things that make the town a perfect day trip destination this year.

It’s been ages since I last visited Tamworth Castle, a landmark feature in the centre of town, still standing tall on its original motte.

It’s just announced that it’s the latest visitor attraction to join the Blue Peter scheme, which means that kids who’ve earned a badge from the beloved TV show can get in free.

We were absolutely amazed by all the different eras of history showcased at the castle, a fascinating snapshot of its own journey through time.

What I really loved though was the recreated Saxon mead hall with fount-of-knowledge volunteer guide Ralph on hand to bring history to life and chat to us about the Staffordshire Hoard, a huge stash of Saxon riches discovered by a metal detectorist on a farmer’s field in 2009.

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The hoard was split between three Midlands museums and Tamworth makes the most of the sparkling specimens it received in its Battle and Tribute exhibition.

We love a castle and have visited many of the biggest and best, like Warwick and Windsor, but Tamworth gives them a run for their money in terms of immersive experiences for children and offering up history in easy-to-understand bite-size chunks. 

One thing that Tamworth really has going for it is the greenery of the Castle Grounds right in its centre.

This open-to-all public space has a fab castle-themed playground, a skate park, tennis courts and a cafe.

It is bordered by indoor attractions like Namco Funscape, which includes bowling, softplay and adventure golf, and the SnowDome, where visitors can ski, skate, climb and swim.

My boys love taking to the slopes and a firm family favourite here is the snow fun park, where you can play in the white stuff all year round.

The pool offers flumes and floats sessions for families.

If you have a Blue Light Card, you can often get money off and it’s always worth checking out the deals section of the SnowDome website, as you can bag a bargain at quieter times of the year.

We rounded up our visit with a trip to the Tamworth Tap, which has just been named pub of the year by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) for the third time.

It’s the first pub to win this award three times, so it was no surprise to find it already bustling with barely a table to spare within half an hour of its opening on a Friday afternoon.

You won’t be able to bring the kids in here, as it’s over-18s only, but if you’re visiting with older kids who are happy to enjoy the skate park, which is only a two-minute walk away, you can sneak in for a cheeky pint and a portion of £4 frickles – pickles fried in breadcrumbs. 

If you’re here in the warmer months, the pub’s beer garden certainly has one of the best views in the town, overlooked by its castle neighbour.

April is a great time to visit the town, with a dragon egg hunt around the castle over the school holidays and then a free medieval festival to mark St George’s Day in the park on April 18, with jousting, archery, games and fairground rides.

Just outside Tamworth, there’s plenty of family-friendly visitor attractions a short drive away where you can easily while away a day if you’re making a weekend of it. 

My top picks would be Twycross Zoo (20-minute drive), Statfold Country Park (10 minutes) and Drayton Manor (7 minutes).

As well as visiting the animals, Twycross also has the Gruffalo Discovery Land, which is great for little ones, while both Drayton Manor and Statfold are perfect for train fans and anyone who loves fairground and theme park rides.

Drayton, which hosts Thomas Land, has just celebrated its 75th anniversary by installing a lake lights show, while Statfold recently opened the National Fairground Museum, so visitors can now enjoy vintage fairground rides as well as steam and diesel trains.

With a hoard of hidden gems of its own, this Staffordshire treasure has a wealth of wonders just waiting to be discovered.

The island is said to have more pubs per capita than anywhere in Ireland, and perhaps the British Isles. It also has a nightclub run by two OAPs that opens on demand

Every June, hundreds of teenagers descend on Pub Island.

The youth of Donegal leave their hilltop farms, hop on a ferry and head to this mythical land of pints and pork scratchings.

On the busiest days, when Coláiste Árainn Mhóir’s summer Irish course is in full, céilí-practising swing, hundreds of teenagers fill the island’s youth hostels, B&Bs and campsites. In the evenings, once lessons end, they head for the pubs.

The island, actually called Arranmore, is said to have more pubs per capita than anywhere in Ireland, and perhaps the British Isles.

Alongside the hordes of youngsters, the island’s 480 permanent residents, mostly sheep farmers and fishermen, sustain six pubs and an iconic nightclub that opens at midnight if the boozers close.

Smugglers is an institution on Arranmore, introducing generations of islanders and visitors to disco at its late-night parties. Opening hours are irregular.

Partygoers either check Facebook for a “disco this Friday” post or knock on the door at the witching hour and hope. The OAP pals who run it have been known to give in and open up.

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An unusual quirk of the island is its lack of police. That leaves plenty of scope for debauchery and no need to call last orders until everyone is done.

“The morning after is like D-Day,” one mainland resident told me, recalling teenage nights on the island before her group caught the ferry home, trying to hide seasick hangovers from parents waiting at the other end.

In the UK, the miserable state of the pub industry is well known. Rising costs and falling demand mean hundreds close each year. The Republic is faring little better. More than 2,100 pubs have shut since 2005, about a quarter of the total. An average of 112 close annually, rising to 128 a year between 2019 and 2024, leaving 6,498 licensed pubs.

Against this backdrop, I travelled to Arranmore to see why this Atlantic community is bucking the trend.

Before arriving, the ferry weaved through an archipelago of islands that narrowed the channel to a handful of meters, providing a view of the derelict Rutland. The once-booming island of over 1,000 was deserted when the herring fisheries collapsed, leaving a crumbly but intact high street. Although officially population-less, it is possible to rent a holiday home on the abandoned island.

Aaranmore hoved into view a minute later, a patchwork of fields dotted with sheep rising up on the hill above Leadgarrow port. The island’s main attraction is the lighthouse, which stands on the western cliffs above sea whipped into a deadly froth. It’s a striking scene, but one that requires a fair tolerance for cold and wind.

Unlike the main strip over in the east, which is protected from the worst of the weather. Here you will find the pubs.

My crawl began up the hill at the charming pods at Aaranmore Glamping, my home for the weekend, which came complete with an incredible sea view and a hot tub. From there, a short walk took me to Neilys.

The only inland pub, it has two sides. In winter, it serves locals dropping in for a quick drink after work. In summer, it caters to tourists with cocktails, craft beer and a pizza van.

Next was Early’s, closest to the ferry and opening onto the beach. A three-generation family business spanning 60 years, it is now run by sisters Kayla and Aisling, who recently took over from Jerry. It is the place for generous plates of food and a chat with the owners, whatever the weather. On quiet evenings, the refurbished band and darts hall sits empty while punters gather around the fire.

At 9.30pm, I made my way to Phil Bans, roughly 10m down the road. It was packed to the rafters with well over 100 people of all ages, many of them wearing football jerseys in support of the national team. Even Ireland’s eventual penalty heartbreak wasn’t enough to kill the good vibes in the cheery room.

Sadly, that was all the pubs I was getting for the night. Smugglers wasn’t opening, and the other pubs have given way to Phil Ban’s superior big-screen setup.

So how does a place support so many pubs?

Being a beautiful island with a lot of weather means many visitors come and are then pushed inside for a warming tipple.

But more than that, Aaranmore is just a very friendly place. In 2017, the community council wrote an open letter to the world, urging people to move there to stop the dwindling population from falling even further. Many, from across Ireland’s 80 million diaspora and beyond, answered the call.

It’s a place that’s used to people from all over coming and staying for more than a quick drink.

Book it

Pods at Aaranmore Glamping cost €150.00 a night.

The Aaranmore Ferry charges €15 for adults, €10 for students, and €7 for children.

A NEW Wetherspoons pub has opened its doors at a holiday park near Blackpool.

Called The Springfield, the new Wetherspoons watering hole is at Haven Holidays‘ Cala Gran Holiday Park in Fleetwood.

The new pub officially opened on March 31, in time for the Easter weekend.

Between March and June and September and November, the pub will be open from 8am to 10pm each day.

Then during July and August – peak season – the pub will be open each day from 8am to serve hungry holidaymakers breakfast and remain open until midnight.

As you’d expect from a Wetherspoons pub, the bar will serve ales, wines, beers and cocktails and the food menu will boast full English breakfasts, fish and chips, burgers and pizzas.

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The pub gets its name from Springfield House, which used to stand in the 1960s, on what is now the main entrance to the park.

Inside the boozer, you’ll find Wetherspoons classic interior decor with a unique carpet designed specifically for the pub.

The design includes a motif that resembles a glass domed ceiling, resembling the nearby Marine Hall in Fleetwood.

The pub will also be able to host up to 600 people.

According to the Blackpool Gazette, Jayne Mushet, General Manager, Haven Cala Gran said: “This is a fantastic addition to Cala Gran Holiday Park and something we know our guests and owners have been eagerly anticipating.

“We’re thrilled to kick off the season by opening the doors to our brand new pub.”

Cala Gran Holiday Park can be found on the outskirts of Fleetwood on the Fylde Coast – which is around seven miles from Blackpool.

Back in 1960, the holiday park was first a camping site with a paddling pool with Springfield House still standing.

The house was then demolished later in the 1960s.

Today, visitors heading to the holiday park can enjoy a family pool with a water slide, a steam room and a number of activities including Leap of Faith and a vertical assault course.

In the warmer months, guests can also make the most of the outdoor SplashZone, which is open from May half-term until the end of August.

Exclusive to Haven, the park also has a Nerf Training Camp.

Other activities available include crazy golf, footgolf, karts, a climbing wall, a bungee trampoline and junior segways.

Rossall Beach is also a 20-minute walk from the holiday park.

If the weather is playing up though, you can head inside to paint some pottery.

In addition to the new Wetherspoons onsite, there is also a Mini Market and Cook’s Fish & Chips.

The new Wetherspoons at Cala Gran Holiday Park joins three other pubs opening at Haven holiday parks – which will take the total up to nine.

The others include The Alfred Wainwright at Haven’s Lakeland holiday park in Cumbria, named after Alfred Wainwright, the British fellwalker who wrote about the 214 fells in his seven-volume guide to the Lake District.

In Cornwall, Riviere Sands will open up The Bluff – the name refers to the steep cliff edge where the pub is.

And lastly, there will be a new Wetherspoons at Haven’s Hopton in Great Yarmouth.

It will be called The White Clover and is named after the flower grown across the county, which represents good luck.

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CORNWALL isn’t short of cracking coastal escapes, but the newly-renovated Pedn Olva is a step above the rest, not just because of its rooms but its excellent pub grub, too,

Here’s everything you need to know.

Where is Pedn Olva?

Its name translates to Lookout on the Headland in old Cornish – a rather accurate description of its perch, a craggy cliff several metres above the choppy St Ives sea in Cornwall.

Guests can park for free in a nearby car park above the hotel – they will need to collect a slip to display in their car window from the hotel reception. 

What’s it like?

Inspired by the windswept patch of coast it sits on, Pedn Olva in Cornwall has buckets of coastal character.

It’s first and foremost a cosy St Austell Brewery pub, but the 27 boutique rooms mean you can hunker down for the night. 

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Each of them looks as if they have been carved into the rockface, all with views of the ocean and the flickering lights of the town centre a short distance across the water.

What are the rooms like?

Extremely well thought out.

A property can look sleek and stylish but if the basics haven’t been mastered then everything else becomes redundant – that’s certainly not the case here. 

There’s every tea imaginable from camomile to berry and decaf, while USB ports have been conveniently placed next to the bed and hooks on the walls make efficient use of the cosy space.

Next time I’ll be bringing my dog who can stay in selected rooms for an extra £15 per night.

What is there to eat and drink?

The restaurant is a popular dining spot in its own right.

Classic by-the-sea dishes star on the menu such as golden ale and chilli pickled cockles and grilled buttery scallops, served in their shells.

I jazzed up my classic fish and chips by swapping out the chunky fries for Pedn Olva’s famous crabby fries, which come with hunks of white crab meat and a thermidor sauce.

Wash it down with a local ale and make sure to try the chocolate and stout cheesecake – subtly bitter and indulgently creamy.

What else is there to do?

Superb, friendly service is what takes this place a notch above the rest.

All rooms come with a large and sturdy tote bag that guests can take with them for the day, while an in-room mini telescope meant that I could take advantage of our seafront position and gaze up at the stars.

You won’t be short of ideas for days out with the family and the dog in this patch of Cornwall

How much is Pedn Olva?

Rooms cost from £200 per night on a B&B basis. 

Is Pedn Olva family-friendly?

Most of the rooms sleep just two, but there is a family room that sleeps four.

The hotel’s great locations makes it ideal for a family break and there’s a fair distance between the restaurant area and rooms meaning you’re unlikely to get disturbed at night.

Is there access for guests with disabilities?

Due to Pedn Olva’s cliffside perch, mobility issues are likely to struggle.

The car park is only reachable via a set of stairs and the higgledy piggledy nature of the building means guests may find it challenging getting into and out of some rooms.

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IF you fancy a quiet escape off the coast of the UK, then an island is about to become much easier to get to.

The L-shaped Rathlin Island is six miles off County Antrim in Northern Ireland and is home to just 140 residents.

It does get busier during tourist season with holidaymakers hopping over on the ferry – which will relaunch for spring.

And there’s even more on offer with new weekend sailings starting up.

Once on the island, the main port and beach is where you’ll arrive.

Called Church Bay, it’s a small harbour with a gravel shoreline where visitors can spot seals and also check out the island’s only pub.

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McCuaig’s Bar sits opposite the bay with an adjoining Ebb and Flow Cafe.

The walls of the bar are decorated with name places from ships that have been wrecked around Rathlin.

In total, there have been over 40 shipwrecks off the coast of Rathlin Island.

The island itself has three lighthouses which are needed because of Rathlin’s unique shape.

It’s on the western tip of Rathlin Island where you’ll find the ‘upside down’ lighthouse.

It was built into the cliff face back in 1912 and has been there to guide in boats and ships ever since.

While it’s not actually upside down, the lighthouse has its lantern room at the bottom of the tower rather than the top – which is traditional.

The reason is that when it guides ships in, the light isn’t obscured by fog that usually settles at the top of the cliff.

The island isn’t just popular for tourists seeking a quiet getaway as it’s also a nature reserve for seabirds.

So you’ll be able to spot razorbills, kittiwakes and puffins.

During the spring and summertime, some of the most popular activities include heading to Knockans viewpoint.

On a clear day, from here you can see across to Donegal.

Seals will be sunbathing at Church Bay and Mill Bay – which is on the east side of the island.

For those who don’t just want a day trip to the island, there is a hotel too.

The Manor House is an 18th century guesthouse with 12 rooms, a restaurant, bar and café.

It has a rich history as the house was built in 1756 for the Gage family, who bought the island 10 years earlier.

The last member of the Gage family to live at the Manor House was Brigadier Rex Gage who died in 1973.

Now, the hotel is owned by the National Trust – single rooms start from £80 and doubles from £140.

Come spring, there will be daily crossings from Ballycastle Harbour to Rathlin Island.

The ferries will run from April 3 to September 20, 2026 with an extra return journey every Saturday and Sunday morning.

The additional return crossings will leave Rathlin at 8.30am and Ballycastle at 9.30am.

It has two ferries, one that’s passenger-only and another that can take larger luggage cases and even pre-booked vehicles onto the island if you fancy driving around.

The quickest ferry takes just 25 minutes.

For more on Northern Ireland, this pretty city has unique black cab tours, and waterfall walks.

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IN CORNWALL is a pretty fishing village that made an appearance on television across 18 years in the hit ITV series Doc Martin.

Now, a pub that starred in the show and overlooks the seafront will reopen after it announced its sudden closure last month.

The postcard-worthy village of Port Isaac sits on the North coast of Cornwall.

It’s full of white-washed cottages and pubs including The Golden Lion which closed in February when the ‘local company running them ran out of money‘, according to Cornwall Live.

Just a few weeks later, the pub announced it was under new ownership of St Austell Brewery and would reopen on Friday 13 March with the same team.

When the news was revealed on Facebook, one local said: “So pleased to hear it will be reopening. It is the hub of the village. Will be in next week for a meal.”

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Another added: “Wow that was a quick turnaround but really excellent news.”

While some might not have literally stepped into the pub, it has appeared on TV.

The Golden Lion doubled as the ‘Crab & Lobster‘ in the ITV series Doc Martin starring Martin Clunes which was on air between 2004 and 2022.

In fact, lots of Port Isaac was used in the TV show as it doubled as the fictional village of Portwenn.

Fans of the series will recognise the pretty harbour, beaches and the Grade-II Listed Fern Cottage which is perched high above the harbour.

The stone cottage once stood in as the doctor’s surgery and now fans of the show can rent it out as a two-bedroom self-catering holiday cottage.

The cosy cottage sleeps four, it also has a sun terrace, garden and a hot tub.

It’s not cheap though as the booking website estimates the cottage at £443 per night.

Fans of the show can take guided walking tours exploring locations like the cottage as well as Mrs. Tishell’s pharmacy, and the harbour.

A guided tour bookable with The Official Shop of the British Tourist Board starts from £17.

Port Isaac has roots dating back to the Middle Ages and later on was used as trading port for slate and then a pilchard fishing hub.

Fishing is still a popular activity in the village with daily catches of crab and lobster.

The village itself is full of pretty cottages, independent shops and narrow winding streets.

There’s even a street called Squeezy Belly Alley which is an 18th-century passageway that at its smallest point is just 18 inches in width.

Port Isaac is not the only location in Cornwall to appear on British TV shows.

The pretty village of Looe is famous for being the backdrop of Beyond Paradise.

Another is the Lizard peninsula which is set to be big this year when the the new HBO Harry Potter series airs.

Earlier this year, actor John Lithgow who plays Albus Dumbledore, was spotted filming on the beach.

One of the spots where Harry Potter has been filming is in Cadgwith Cove, a small fishing village and Kynance Cove, a tidal beach with white sand, turquoise sea and rock stacks.

For more on Cornwall, this pretty English town was once the ‘capital of Cornwall’ and here you might spot some royals.

And here are the Sun’s favourite hotels, holiday parks, cottages and campsites in Cornwall.