Scots most generous at getting a round in at the pub

Scots are the most likely to buy a round in the pub, according to new research conducted by Greene King.

The findings are part of a Greene King funded report by leading social anthropologist Kate Fox to examine the role of the British pub in the 21st Century.

The study found that two-thirds of Scots were happy to splash out for a round, followed by 29% of Londoners, 25% of Brummies, 24% in East Anglia and 24% of Southerners.

The research also showed that one in four Britons are happy to buy a round that includes people they don't know very well and 27% say they don't mind if they don't get a drink back.

Only 13% expect to get as many drinks back as they buy and one in 10 said they tried to avoid buying a round altogether.

Men are twice as likely to buy a round and 25-35 year-olds are the most generous.

"Pubs have a tradition that goes back centuries, and while many of these traditions are evolving and changing over time, some elements of pub etiquette such as the practice of round buying remain very important to modern pub culture — particularly north of the border, as the findings show," said Greene King chief executive Rooney Anand.

"This report — a combination of focus groups and consumer polls — shows that the pub is not only relevant now, but that its appeal is abiding over time and the landscape of who is going continues to evolve, with more women and families discovering the pub as a social venue than ever before."