CHAPTER V 
THE PUBLIC HOUSE AND ITS IMPROVEMENT 
The Public House as it is—Improved Public Houses—Disinterested 
Management — The Carlisle Experiment— The Influence of 
State Ownership and Control on Sobriety—The Future of State 
Ownershio Schemes— The Bratt Svstem of Control—Clubs. 
Tue PusLic HOUSE AS IT IS. 
IN previous chapters the effects of drastic legislation 
involving partial or complete prohibition, the reduction 
in hours of sale and the increase in taxation, were 
discussed. In the present chapter the influence of 
milder reforms, including those which need no special 
legislation, will be considered. Before doing so it is 
desirable to say a little about the public house as it is. 
There are over 80,000 licensed houses in the country, 
and according to Mr. Ernest Selley, who has made 
a special study of them and of their frequenters,* they 
are used by well over half the adult population. In 
making his enquiry, Selley selected a number of towns 
in different parts of the country where particular 
industries predominated, such as coal, iron and steel, 
shipbuilding, engineering, docks, spinning, weaving, 
pottery, and hatmaking. He also visited towns where 
there was a mixture of industries, and a variety of 
residential districts, as well as villages up and down the 
country. He went as a casual customer, and rarely 
* E. Selley, ““ The English Public House as it is.” London, 1927. 
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