Beer-loving Brits will spend over ONE YEAR of their lives at the pub, it was revealed yesterday.
The findings emerged in a study of 2,000 adults, and show that during the average week we tip up for a pint at least twice, for a total of 3 hours and 34 minutes. Across the average year that's the equivalent of 185.5 hours or just under eight days spent drinking with friends and family down the local. And during the average adult's lifetime of 60.5 years, adults will prop up the bar for a total of 11,220.7 hours - or 467.5 days.
A spokesman for traditional British English pub chain Taylor Walker, which conducted the research, said: ''A good pub is a fundamental part of British culture.
''So it's inevitable that many adults will spend a large part of their leisure time in either their local pub or trying new ones.
''Over the years the pub has also become synonymous with watching sport which will significantly boost the amount of time people spend in the pub.
''Whether you're catching up with friends after work, having a quick pint at lunchtime, catching some rays in a pub garden or watching the latest Olympic events a pub always tends to be the natural choice to meet.''
The study shows the average drinker will fork out up to £124,927.66 on their favourite tipple over their lifetime. Pub-goers will spend around £18.41 between Monday and Friday, and an additional £21.30 at weekends. Lager is the most commonly bought pub drink, closely followed by beer, but a healthy one in 10 people usually opt for a soft drink such as cola or lemonade.
White and red wine, cider and vodka are other tipples enjoyed regularly by Brits. When it comes to keeping company, 44 per cent of loyal people prefer drinking with their partner, while a further third like to catch up with mates and one in 10 will sup beer with work colleagues. But the public house isn't just a place where people go for a quick pint or glass of wine.
The findings shows that a fifth of Brits often retreat to their local for a bit of 'me time', and 14 per cent will go in order to escape the pressures of family life. Incredibly, more than one in 10 people admit to confiding in the bar maid or man about their personal affairs. The same percentage of people would think nothing of going to the pub alone, and 14 per cent claim the boozer does feel like their second home.
Indeed, just under half of those polled know the names of all the staff at their local pub, and one in 20 people have been in trouble with the other half for spending way too much time at the bar.
The spokesman for Taylor Walker added: ''With the Olympics upon us and 96 many of our pubs being in Greater London, we are expecting thousands of tourist to visit a proper British pub and we are both proud and very much looking forward to showing them what a traditional public house is all about.''
TOP 10 TIPPLES:
1. Lager
2. Beer
3. Soft drinks
4. Cider
5. White wine
6. Red wine
7. Vodka
8. Bitter
9. Whisky
10. Rum
BREAKDOWN OF FINDINGS:
UK adult drinks for 214 minutes per week (3 hours 34 minutes) 214 x 52 weeks = 11,128 minutes drinking per year (185.5 hours or 7.7 days) 11,128 x 60.5 years (average adult lifetime age 18 to 78.5) = 673,244 minutes drinking per lifetime (11,220.7 hours or 467.5 days)
