Usually, when you pop down to your local for a few pints, the only drama you’ll see involves people trying to remember whose round it is – or maybe a small scrap over who went for the last pork scratching.
But did you know that your carefree evening at the pub could actually be breaking the law, even if you’re all sat there having a perfectly civilised time?
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According to solicitors Britton and Time, there’s a ‘weird’ law in the UK that many people don’t know about, which all stems from the Metropolitan Act of 1839.
On its website, the firm says: “One weird UK law which may come as a big shock to many is the fact you’re not actually allowed to be drunk in a pub.
"According to the Metropolitan Act of 1839, it’s against the law for the 'keeper of a public house to permit drunkenness on-premises'. Under the Licensing Act 2003, it’s also illegal to serve alcoholic beverages to patrons who are already intoxicated or purchase alcohol on behalf of someone who is already drunk.
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“So, if you leave the house and drink over three to four pints, you might be facing a £200 fine.”
And that’s not the only bizarre law that people in the UK break daily.
The team at Britton and Time say it’s also illegal to knock on someone’s front door and run away - a favourite game from many people's childhoods - all thanks to the Metropolitan Police Act 1839.
If caught, you are deemed ‘willfully and wantonly disturbing any inhabitant without a lawful excuse’, meaning you could face a maximum penalty of £500.
Then there’s paying at a drive-through with your phone while the car engine in still running, a law that dates back to the mobile phone laws from 2003 that state it’s illegal to touch a phone or handset while driving.
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“Pulling up to the window at your local McDonald’s and paying with your smartphone with the engine on can get you slapped with a £200 fine and six penalty points if spotted by police,” Britton and Time said.
“In circumstances where your driving is particularly careless at a drive-through as a result of using your phone, you may have a court case and £1,000 fine on your hands.
“Furthermore, if you only recently passed your practical driving test in the past two years, you face a ban from driving.”
Others include jumping the queue at a tube station, sounding your horn through anger, putting a stamp on upside down and, better still, handling a salmon and ‘looking at all suspicious’.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: UK News