UK pubs await call to open doors again

LONDON (AP) — phone rings and voice on or side gets straight to point: "Fancy a pint?"

response, equally pointed: "God, yeah."

That brief conversation, or some mir variation of it, is going to take place up and down U.K. on day pubs eventually open ir doors again to thirsty regulars.

y've been missed bly during country's coronavirus lockdown. In fact, country's pubs, which number around 47,000 according to British Beer and Pub Association, were told to close ir doors on March 20, three days before Prime Minister Boris Johnson anunced full lockdown.

“We’re taking away ancient, inalienable right of free-born people of United Kingdom to go pub and I can understand how people feel about that,” he said when anuncing ir closure.

And again, on Sunday when extending bulk of lockdown restrictions furr, he referenced “darkened pubs” to relay his understanding of social impact of fight against coronavirus. change before July it seems.

industry, which has seen thousands of pubs close over past couple of deces, faces prospect of thousands more going under. Many are doing what y can to serve community, such as

That's something, but if it was just about drinking beer, n living room or garden would suffice. But it's never quite same.

pub, after all, is a public house, a home away from home — for drinkers and n-drinkers alike. It's go-to arena for friends and family in good times and b, for first dates and breakups. Or just to while away hours with thing much to say or do.

y are host to life’s rich pant.

pub holds a special place in British culture, unmatched anywhere else in world. y are key building blocks of a shared identity and shared connections from tiniest hamlet in cider country in southwest England, such as

Some, like

And re's everything in between from top-tch dining to weekly quiz.

y even have an array of names, to solidify bond, history lessons in mselves. Who ye John Sw? 19th-century epidemiologist of course. Duke of this and Duchess of that — let's do some research. Ors are just plain bizarre. Really? Pyrotechnic's Arms in souast London or

y change through year, comforting in winter as log fires roar and real ales are supped. Refreshing in height of summer as beer gardens mutate into a kind of mini-festival — especially so w that y are kid-friendly.

It's closeness of strangers that's perhaps most missed. Opining on this and that. It's where many learn ir diplomatic skills — and use m. Sometimes, it can get too much, especially when one too many has been imbibed — a cross word here, or an inappropriate look re, can turn air blue. Or worse, violent.

Without pubs, thing quite works as well and ir reopening, even in an era of social distancing will signal start of a path to rmality, more so than perhaps anything else. After months of lockdown duress, communities will need to re-eng, and pub will undoubtedly be main vehicle to lift spirits, for life's rich pant to make itself heard once again.

Fancy a pint?

God yeah!

___

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