We’ve had laws requiring landlords to serve standardised pints the UK since 1698. This is not a new problem.

xnorswap 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

1985 is the current one: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/72/contents

It's why all bars will have a little plaque saying what size their shots are. Almost always 25ml these days, but 35ml was common in many places. You're allowed to serve shots of either size but not in the same pub.

( edit: Better link: https://www.gov.uk/weights-measures-and-packaging-the-law/sp... )

	▲	tialaramex 4 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		The way they got to the 25/ 35 split involves even more craziness. In England the law said spirits are always measured in sixths of a gill. This entire unit is obsolete, but 1/6 is a tiny bit less than 25ml. Fine. However in Scotland two sizes were common, a fifth of a gill (slightly more generous than England) and a "nip" or quarter of a gill (a lot more generous). If you're used to ordering a "nip" of something and now you get a lot less you'd be very angry! So the 35ml option is there for the kind of Scottish or Irish establishment which would have been used to these larger measures rather than either try to keep the gill (which is a stupid unit nobody else needs) or anger drunk people. I wouldn't be surprised if the "Make a sign" difference was to allow licensed premises to gradually shift to the more profitable, smaller, size. Maybe you change the place you own in Glasgow to 25ml first, and if the locals don't kick off you can try Aberdeen next, otherwise try again in a few years.
	▲	graemep 4 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		I did not know about the 35ml is OK too but not both on the same premises rule.
	▲	maxbaines 5 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Great minds...

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maxbaines 5 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Agree this is a fact - we mark our glasses because of it. https://www.gov.uk/weights-measures-and-packaging-the-law/pr...

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gib444 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

And they say England becoming low-trust is a recent change !

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philipwhiuk 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I like the CAMRA ones which have the pint line below the rim of the glass. Because technically the head doesn't count as part of the pint and there's a lot of back-and-forth about what the legally acceptable amount of head really is (CAMRA say 0%, pub associations serve 5%, pubs themselves serve whatever they think you'll pay for).