Why It Matters Yelp Nightlife
Summary
We have captured data on all restaurants, pubs and bars across London. Therefore, we are able to show you whether your local area has anywhere to dine and drink during evenings or weekends, and where the five closest such establishments are.
Definition
We have counted restaurants as any establishment one can eat hot food, and pub or bar as any place holding the necessary licence.
Why the metric matters from a commercial inhabitant’s perspective
This metric will have different implications on the various sorts of commercial inhabitants. If you are considering buying to let, you will find that the accessibility of pubs/bars and restaurants will be a factor, just like access to frequent transport or local schools, which will impact on whether or not your property is well-sought after by tenants. Such areas carry a premium to buy into but they will be less frequently vacant than a flat in an area without a vibrant local community-which locals and restaurants form a very important part of.
If you are considering buying/leasing an office in London, it will be wise to know whether there are such establishments within walking distance from the office, as you may consider providing on-site alimentation if not.
Developers will be keen to know whether there are restaurants and pubs/bars within the vicinity of a building they are planning to construct because, otherwise, they may have to provide such an offering. Developers will also be interested to know as it will indicate whether the area, they are developing already has a “sense of place” (a concept which is explained below) or if this is something they will have to create.
Why the metric matters from a residential inhabitant’s perspective
The number of restaurants or pubs/bars in your locale will signify more than just your access to food and drink - they are also an essential building block in the creation of local hubs where one is happy to pass time, or as urban economists might say, they can be an important linchpin in creating a sense of place, or “place-making”. Think about someone you know who lives in a brand-new development which feels rather sterile and has no amenities for miles around. Now imagine if that development was built round a square with a fountain, perhaps a few trees and a little restaurant. Suddenly it has more of a sense of place and becomes somewhere you might spend time rather than simply serving as a dormitory to sleep in, surrounded by pathways and roads to hurry through. One can just as equally wish for the same sense of place in suburbia if it lacks pubs/bars and restaurants in walking distance, as it can feel that you do not have any means of interacting with neighbours or simply feeling a sense of conviviality with other people.
We tell you which are your five closest pubs/bars or restaurants because whether or not establishments of this ilk are within walking distance will be a good indication of how “walkable” your area is. Urban economists increasingly reference the “walkability” of neighbourhoods as one of the conditions which is common to all thriving neighbourhoods whose inhabitants are very happy living there. Again, imagine living on a road which abuts a six-lane highway, and the nearest pub/bar or restaurant being several treacherous, sparsely populated miles away, versus being able to wander to a local eatery within ten minutes, through well-connected streets without dead ends and cul-de-sacs with little through-traffic or are pedestrianised. The latter neighbourhood would be described as highly walkable and a resident of such an area would find it very easy to reach local services and to interact with other local residents, providing an amenity value in and of itself.
There is also a correlation between concentrations of restaurants and property prices, because of the convenience and above-mentioned amenity value which they create, so residents should be aware of the premium that attaches to such areas and consider whether they are willing to pay the premium for having such services close-by.
Fabric is one of London’s most iconic nightlife venues (Photograph: Wikimedia Commons)
General commentary
Some studies show that the average London resident spends as much as quarter of the average income on eating out per annum. Studies also show that 67% of the people in the UK eat out more than once a month with at least 23% eating out once a week or more. This rises to an even higher figure in London, where the average resident eats out 3.7 times per week.
Pubs are equally popular and as much a part of London culture as shisha houses are to Beirut, or pavement cafés are in French towns and cities. Eight out of 10 adults consider themselves to be pub/bar-goers and more than 15 million people drink in a pub/bar at least once a week. This is not surprising as there are approximately 54,000 pubs/bars in the UK. There are also more than 900,000 working in the alcoholic beverage creation and onsite alcohol consumption industry and 600,000 working in restaurants, so these are not just places to relieve the pressures of the working day and seek cohesion with loved ones or the community, but important providers of employment.
Trivia
It was in 1393, during the reign of King Richard II, that pubs were first ordered to hang a sign outside to make them easily visible. Given that the majority of the population could not read, an illustration was often used, and considering their primary trade, many opted for something to do with beer: hops, barley or barrel.
Therein, the name of the pub was born. Many other pubs adopted a white hart, the personal badge of Richard II, as their sign. It was a choice that lasted—the White Hart continues to be the fourth most common pub name in Britain. It made sense to indicate your loyalty to the reigning monarch or local lord by adopting their chosen symbol.
History
In the medieval period alehouses were simply households where the owner served home-brewed ale and beer. If lodging for travellers was available, this would typically be bedding on the floor, or in a barn or stable. Taverns sold wine specifically and since this was far more expensive than ale or beer, taverns catered to richer patrons. They could only exist in towns and were rare compared with alehouses. Inns by contrast were differentiated by the fact that they always provided accommodation.
The term public house came into usage during the 18th century. Taverns meanwhile gave way to coffee-houses as a meeting place for more affluent members of society. From the 1800s, we see the emergence of purpose-built public houses starting in London and the larger provincial towns.
Meanwhile across the channel, following the French Revolution at the end of the 18th Century, unemployed chefs from aristocratic households began opening their own restaurants, which provided a far more refined experience than the public houses of the time. Guests did not have to eat at a communal table, as was the current practice, these establishments offered private tables, held by reservations- a new concept. These establishments were also set apart from taverns by the use of fine china and cutlery, and tablecloths.