Frequently Asked
Questions
How many pubs are there?
How many have
pub signs?
What is
the most common pub name?
What is
the difference between a pub and an inn?
What is the
purpose of the Inn Sign Society?
Do you
arrange meetings that I can attend?
Where is the
Annual General Meeting held?
Do any
of your members give talks to local clubs?
What do you
mean by local distinctiveness?
How many pubs are there?
About 55 thousand at the last count, but the figure
is decreasing by about 1.5% each year.
How many have pub signs?
Impossible to say, but certainly enough to sustain the keen
interest of our members.
What is the most common
pub name?
There are about 600 pubs named the
Red Lion, which makes it the most popular choice. The Top 20 list
of pub names is shown in the box - see left. Although we can be
reasonably certain of the order of the Top 10, names from 11-20
are less easy to quantify, so they are provided in alphabetical
order only.
Click here to read about the origin of
some of these names.
What is
the difference between a pub and an inn?
Precious little today. In the past, there were
significant differences in legal and licensing classifications. On
various pages of this website, the left-hand column explains some
of the distinctions between one licensed premises and another.
Start reading about the origins - beginning with hospices -
on this page.
What is the
purpose of the Inn Sign Society?
The Society exists to provide a forum for persons interested in
the fascinating study of inn signs and pub names. Many such names
have links with events from the past plus personalities of
national and local importance. Without wishing to sound too
pompous, if the Inn Sign Society doesn't bother, no-one else will.
Do you arrange
meetings that I can attend?
The West Midlands-based regional group meets quarterly at The
Swan, Martin Hussingtree, Worcestershire. The pub is situated on
the A38 between Droitwich and Worcester. Members travel from as
far as Shropshire and Wiltshire to attend the Saturday lunchtime
get together.
Where is the
Annual General Meeting held?
The AGM is held at a different venue each year. Details are
announced in the journal.
Do
any of your members give talks to local clubs?
They most certainly do!
Click here for
the list of currently-registered speakers. If no speaker is listed
in your area, please
contact
the Secretary who will endeavour to respond to your needs.
What do you
mean by local distinctiveness?
An organisation named Common Ground was set
up in the 1980s. It champions the principle of local
distinctiveness - what unites us, and what sets us apart.
'Local' implies neighbourhood or parish. 'Distinctiveness' is
about particularity. It is evident in the buildings and land
shapes, the brooks and birds, trees and cheeses, places of worship
and pieces of literature. The ephemeral and invisible are
important too: customs, dialects, celebrations, names, recipes,
spoken history, myths, legends and symbols.
The humble country inn and its sign are both essential features of
local distinctiveness.
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