Pub Life: The LURE of the chalkboard sign!
There is something more than satisfying about discovering a pub that is hidden down a narrow alley, or even better, one that is hidden down an alley AND has been around since the 1500's (like the George Inn pictured above, which is located a stone's throw from Borough Market). Pubs here are often advertised only by way of a simple chalkboard sign, perched outside the establishment, and sometimes on the main street, with a catchy phrase to lure and reel in the unsuspecting passerby. I did some research about pub signs, and I was amused to find out that in the "olde" days, there were laws requiring pubs to have signage. For example, a 1393 law required a sign to be posted at each pub, to allow the ALE TASTER to locate and inspect each establishment's beer. Good job for a budding alcoholic---the ale taster was (not surprisingly) paid in BEER! Signage was important back then because the general populace couldn't read, and thus, pubs used sy...