There are some pubs in London where you can get kicked out for swearing or using your mobile phone. But if you can stick to the strict rules, pints tend to go for a cheaper price than the average London spirit.
Sam Smith’s pubs are all over the UK and there’s a good chance you’ve been to, or simply passed one, in London. The pub chain prides itself on its traditional values, The Mirror reported: “The rules include no phones, no jukeboxes and absolutely no laptops. If you have to take a call, you should go outside to answer it, just like a smoker would take a cigarette, according to manager Humphrey Smith. The ban also applies to tablets and iPads, which cannot be used indoors or outdoors.
“Not only that, pubs owned by the chain are not allowed to play music or television, while there is also zero tolerance for profanity.” The rules may seem a bit heavy handed to a drinker but Sam Smith’s pubs say they are all about the beer and creating a relaxed pub atmosphere that is all about conversation without distraction.
On their website they say that George Orwell described his ideal pub in a 1945 essay titled “The Moon under Water” – Samuel Smith’s pubs conform to his ideal in several ways:
- If asked why you prefer a particular pub, it seems natural to put the beer first, but what appeals to me… is what people call its ‘atmosphere’.
- Games such as darts are only played in the public bar so in other bars you can walk around without worrying about darts flying
- The pub is quiet enough to talk, and the house has neither a radio nor a piano
- Barmaids know the customers by name and take an interest in everyone
- A creamy draft stout is served
- In winter there is generally a good fire burning in at least two of the bars
There’s even a Sam Smiths challenge to get around all the chain’s pubs in London, you just need to remember the rules for each one or it could cut your pub crawl short. You can read more about the challenge here.
Here are the names of all of London’s Sam Smiths pubs with the majority of them in central London, but some spread out as far as Kingston and near Croydon:
Sam Smith’s pubs pride themselves on their independent brews of lagers and ales including Taddy Lager, Alpine Lager and Extra Stout. Prices have recently gone up in some Sam Smith’s pubs, according to punters, but with prices rising across London, a drink at the popular chain can still save you pennies.
