Again, I don't remember! Jugs were the default until some time in the 80's (I think) and I'm sure I used to drink from them myself. I don't mind people asking to have a jug but I find the modern hipster trend of being given a jug by default very annoying. It's not as annoying as being forced to drink halves or thirds just because the beer's a bit strong.
A good list with 43/50 for me, minus:
The Westminster Arms
The Alexandra
The White Swan
The Royal Oak
The Prince of Greenwich
Harwood Arms
The Harp and shameful given that I live in this pub's borough.
Of those that get an honourable mention, I've been to:
The Snooty Fox
The Bill Murray
The Hawley Arms
The Lord Stanley
McGlynn's
The Pineapple
The Black Cap
The Kings Arms
The Axe
The Wells Tavern
Bradley's Spanish Bar is a minor London institution and in a way, a must-visit with a trip to the legendarily narrow loo being compulsory. Minus the undoubted deaths of the two Spanish wrestling?/boxing? brothers who ran the place, I doubt it's changed since we hung out there in the late '80s, with the hordes spilling out onto Hanway Street - and this was before the smoking ban! A visit here is a little like eating in Wong Kei - people go not for the food but for the unbelievable rudeness! So yes, it's certainly worth a visit, mainly for the experience but also the great vibe and [probably still] funky jukebox - go before it's gone.
Last edited by Tris39; 23-02-2020 at 18:44.
Jugs were just about dead by the mid 1970s although we used to ask people "handle or straight" in the late 70s but by then it was usually Nonics (thin/straight/sleever) as the default or in some places the awful tulip glass. About that time branded glasses (other than Guinness) started to appear.
The best thing about pisspots was ease of washing up. Two in each hand, swill in the soapy water sink, rinse in the less soapy water sink, rim down on the drainer ready for the next punters. Change the water when it's the same colour as the beer - Charrington's IPA and Bass in my bartending days. The few straight glasses we kept to ourselves. At least they were dried with a tea towel, it also much the same colour as the beer, before re-use.
I still have my Dad's old Lantern, a lovely glass with the E. R. branding standing for 'Edward'. I actually prefer jars as they are harder to drop and you can carry a round of six.