A pub, or public house, is an establishment licensed to sell alcoholic beverages, which traditionally include beer, ale and other brewed alcoholic drinks. It is a relaxed, social drinking establishment in Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia. In many places, especially in villages, a pub is the focal point of the community. Samuel Pepys described the pub as the heart of England. Pubs can be traced back to Roman taverns, through the Anglo-Saxon alehouse to the development of the tied house system in the 19th century. Pubs are socially and culturally distinct from cafés, bars and beer halls. Most pubs focus on offering beers, ales and similar drinks. As well, pubs often sell wines, spirits, and soft drinks, meals and snacks. Traditionally the windows of town pubs were of smoked or frosted glass to obscure the clientele from the street but there has been a move towards clear glass and brighter interiors.. In Europe, some pubs date back to the Medieval era or Tudor era. The owner, tenant or manager (licensee) is known as the pub landlord or publican. Referred to as their "local" by regulars, pubs are typically chosen for their proximity to home or work, the availability of a particular beer or ale or a good selection, good food, a social atmosphere, the presence of friends and acquaintances, and the availability of recreational activities such as a darts team, a skittles team, or a pool or snooker table. Until the 1970s most of the larger pubs also featured an off-sales counter or attached shop for the sales of beers, wines and spirits for home consumption. In the 1970s, supermarkets and high street chain stores and off-licences undercut pub prices; and all but a handful closed their off-sale counters.

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