Asking for help from my friends wise in all things British

[dragonyphoenix]

I have an idea for Summer of Giles but of course need  help, British info basically. I'm setting it shortly after Giles returned to the Council. He's back at school, university it's called there?, and a group of students - people he used to hang with before going all Ripper - are hanging at a pub. Now if this was the 80s in Pittsburgh, I could picture it quite well. What would the pub be like? What would they be wearing? I'd have Giles offer to get the next round because he's trying to get back in with the group so what would they be drinking? Ethan'd show up and he wouldn't be trying to fit in at all. Hmmm, I was thinking of asking what he'd be wearing but there is that flashback in the Eyghon episode so I think I can get an idea from that.

Thanks!

Comments

[feliciacraft.livejournal.com]

Hopefully you'll get real experts to chime in. Until then, here's my attempt to help. :)

No first person experience, but if I can do one thing, that is Google the heck out of things (no, really, I once took a written/computer test as part of a job interview on the ability to FIND THINGS ONLINE and ended up getting a job offer based on my test results).

If I'm not mistaken, Giles went to Oxford (and studied History).

So, in the hope that this helps, some links I found helpful:

1) A 2008 NY Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/travel/13Journeys.html?_r=0): "Journeys | Oxford, England - A Pub Crawl Through the Centuries"

2) Don't miss their multimedia slideshow (http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/04/13/travel/0413-PUBS_index.html?ref=travel) of Oxford pub photos. OMG they're adorable.

3) A 2009 NY Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/travel/19pubs.html) about the "current state of the traditional English pub": "Europe > Britain > England > Cotswolds -
Going Back in Time in Old England, Sip by Sip". Apparently the NY Times love writing about English pubs.

4) Because the Internet has EVERYTHING (I'm convinced of it), I found a website apparently dedicated to pubs in Oxford: http://www.oxfordpubguide.co.uk/pub.html

It's a bit overwhelming in the pure amount of reviews, etc. available. I'm hoping some of the beer names are at least usable.

But the payoff is this page about "drinking rules": http://www.oxfordpubguide.co.uk/rules.html

Obviously very subjective stuff, but it reads like an authentic guide for what to expect in a pub. The first rule, for example, says:

"When two or more enter the pub together, one - usually the first through the door - will begin proceedings with the words 'Now then, what are we having?' He or she will then order and pay. This purchase is known as 'the first round'."

5) Do an Google image search for things like "Oxford pubs" or "traditional English pubs" for exterior and interior views.

HTH and good luck!

[il_mio_capitano]

There would be no waitress service, drinks are bought at the bar for cash each round, no settling up at the end, so we take it in turns to buy a round for everyone in group. No free bar snacks, you buy a packet of peanuts if you need them. In that period, pubs didn't do a lot of food service, it was all about selling beer. People had free reign to smoke and did so.

They would drink beer and in pints. The glasses they use in A New Man are right. Probably women would drink in halves instead though depends how a strong a character they are. It was frowned upon to be seen to drink heavily as a woman. There was a quaint notion that ladies drinks were served in 'lady's glasses'. There would be same volume but slimmer to hold for our delicate hands! You don't see that anymore.

He would be 'up at Oxford' . Clothing wise anything goes. Studious students might dress conservatorily, mini versions of this dads. But jeans were common. If we take ASH birthdate to deduce this is mid to late seventies, then punk is starting up and jeans are getting skinnier. The flashback in the dark age suggest the Randall crew were more hippies, but that can be taken with a pinch of salt.

[il_mio_capitano]

I am now wondering if the lady's glass was a northern english thing only?

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Your Google fu is awesome. How do you do that?

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much.

Smoking! I hadn't even thought of smoking, mostly because I'm rabidly against it but given that it would have been okay then, good to keep in mind.

[dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com]

I hadn't even been thinking about ladies, but it's a good thing to put to mind. Thanks.

And now I'm thinking of that scene with the Hobbits in a pub and how amazed they are by the size of the glasses. ;-)

[feliciacraft.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome.

A little industry knowledge, a lot of practice. Hopefully some of it will turn out to be useful. :)