SIRCumlocution

December 4, 2005 9:23 AM

The Social Issues Research Centre in Oxford, England, publishes sociological and antropological studies of contemporary issues. Particularly interesting are their guides to British pub etiquette, flirting, and horse racing watching etiquette. But watch out for their opinionated bulletins about current events—surely articles their corporate sponsors and sister PR agency (at the same address and with the same staff) would be proud of. SIRC studies previously mentioned here, here, and here.
posted by grouse (9 comments total)

Fantastic stuff. I can imagine the story of the two researchers and their study of pub etiquette would make a great stage play or short story.
posted by MrMerlot at 10:06 AM on December 4, 2005

Do not even try to get served outside these legal ‘licensing hours’. It is also illegal for pubs to serve alcoholic drinks to anyone under the age of 18, and you will be breaking the law if you try to buy an alcoholic drink for anyone who is under 18.

GB has such good pub priorities. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT getting a drink after last call. You will be executed on the spot. Oh yeah, and if you're under 18, please don't ask someone to get a drink for you--get you're own drink.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 10:20 AM on December 4, 2005

Starting this week, legal licensing hours are now much more reasonable, though. :D
posted by grouse at 10:39 AM on December 4, 2005

From the flirting one:

We would not suggest, for example, that a woman in a mini-skirt should 'echo' the open-legged sitting posture of her male companion

Don't spread your legs wide open when wearing a mini skirt? Finally, enlightenment!
posted by SassHat at 10:50 AM on December 4, 2005

Funny how the mere phrase "last orders" triggers in me an involuntary desire for two more pints of something nutty with a frothy head.
posted by snoktruix at 2:46 PM on December 4, 2005

I read Kate Fox's book and wasn't much impressed. It takes all the dubious clichés of Englishness (stiff upper lip, sense of fair play, etc) and presents them as sociological fact. "Nutty with a frothy head" just about sums it up. For a more dystopian take on Englishness, you have to go to the Social Affairs Unit.

Oh, and the SIRC is a deeply dodgy organisation, funded by the fast-food industry to publish 'research' dedicated to proving that obesity is a myth. (The guide to pub etiquette, which purports to show that all British pubs are friendly, welcoming places, appears to be a PR job commissioned by the Brewers and Licensed Retailers Association .. quelle surprise.) But I see grouse has already pointed this out.
posted by verstegan at 3:59 PM on December 4, 2005

Who paid for the flirting guide?
posted by grouse at 4:14 PM on December 4, 2005

It sounds like they are keeping up the traditions of Mass Observation. For more on that group, I cannot recommend the following documentary highly enough: How Little We Know of Our Neighbors.
posted by jann at 4:37 PM on December 4, 2005

The SIRC is right next door to the Angel & Greyhound pub. I suspect they just sat in there while writing their guide to British pub ettiquette.
posted by salmacis at 3:16 AM on December 5, 2005