As of the latest count—because they open and close them like I open bags of crisps—the number hovers around 830 to 850 pubs. Yes, you read that right. Almost a thousand places where you can get a full English breakfast for less than a fiver.
That number includes pubs in the UK and Ireland. And a few in… well, mostly the UK. They did try a couple in the US and France once. It went about as well as a dry January at a Oktoberfest.
The Great British Invasion
The backbone of the empire is, of course, the UK. You can’t walk ten feet in a British town without tripping over one. It’s almost a law of physics at this point.
England alone holds the lion’s share—something like 700 pubs. Think of it: that’s enough to host a national championship of 'Who can stay awake on the sticky carpet longest.' Scotland and Wales get a healthy dose, too. Glasgow has a few crackers, and Cardiff practically has one on every corner.
The Irish Outpost
Ireland, bless its heart, has a respectable 30-odd pubs. That’s a whole bunch of craic (and cheap Guinness) for the price of a bus ticket. You get the same glorious shagpile carpets, but with a lilt in the air.
A look at the rise and fall of JD Wetherspoon as it closes 32 pubs
