A beerhouse was a type of

public house A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

created in the United Kingdom by the 1830 Beerhouse Act, legally defined as a place "where beer is sold to be consumed ''on'' the premises". They were also known as 'small' or 'Tom and Jerry' shops Existing public houses were issued with licences by local magistrates under the terms of the Retail Brewers Act 1828, and were subject to police inspections at any time of the day or night. Proprietors of the new beerhouses, on the other hand, simply had to buy a licence from the government costing two

guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from t ...

per annum, equivalent to about £150 as of 2010. Until the Wine and Beerhouse Act 1869 gave local magistrates the authority to renew beerhouse licences, the two classes of establishment were in direct competition. The Ordnance Survey conventional sign for beerhouses is 'BH'.

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* * * {{refend Legal history of England Pubs in the United Kingdom 1830 establishments in the United Kingdom