Unlike other European countries, this ritual is commonplace here - and is encouraged by the pub industry, largely because it generates more alcohol consumption.

Many pubs now have virtually no furniture - except four foot high tables - to accommodate the vertical drinker. Who drinks faster because his/her hands are full.

Drunkenness is the sole aim of the majority of nightime pubgoers - often made certain by preloading elsewhere, before embarking on the night out.

Vertical drinking - to be banned, when lockdown ends - is known to be a catalyst for fights. Seating puts customers in a more awkward position for confrontations.


Perhaps our public houses will be quieter places - with all customers seated, at a distance...

I'd never heard of vertical drinking before. Maybe pubs will solve the problem of losing faster drinkers who have their hands full by removing the tables.

Crikey a bit of wowserism there Barney.

But I admit I was an enthusiastic Vertical Drinker in my youth (pre WW1) which often led to horizontal drinking (and even horizontal dancing ) and eventually..just horizontal sleeping (ie: passed out pissed as a rat )