With a new year now well underway, many drinkers will be swearing off alcohol in aid of Dry January or due to a rough hangover from New Year's Eve.
But as hoards of people continue to enjoy a trip down the pub in 2023, many will often find themselves in a spot of bother due to forgetting who's round it is or missing out on a final drink due to round sharing.
But these petty squabbles will seem minor in the grand scheme of things as there is a bizarre law that many drinkers unknowingly break when they visit a pub.
Solicitors Britton and Time state that there is a 'weird' law in the UK that many pub-goers do not know about and it stems from the 1839 Metropolitan Act.
On its website, the firm says: “One weird UK law which may come as a big shock to many is the fact you’re not actually allowed to be drunk in a pub.
"According to the Metropolitan Act of 1839, it’s against the law for the 'keeper of a public house to permit drunkenness on-premises'.
"Under the Licensing Act 2003, it’s also illegal to serve alcoholic beverages to patrons who are already intoxicated or purchase alcohol on behalf of someone who is already drunk.
“So, if you leave the house and drink over three to four pints, you might be facing a £200 fine.”
While this law may seem bizarre to some, it is not the only law in the UK that many people break on a regular basis.
Britton and Time says that it is also against the law to knock on someone’s front door and run away.
This law is stated in the Metropolitan Police Act 1839.
If you are caught, you are deemed ‘willfully and wantonly disturbing any inhabitant without a lawful excuse’ and could face a maximum penalty of £500.
Another law that is easily broken in the UK is paying via your phone at a drive-through while the car engine in still running.
This dates back to the mobile phone laws from 2003 that state that it is illegal to touch a handset or mobile phone while driving.
The team at Britton and Time said: “Pulling up to the window at your local McDonald’s and paying with your smartphone with the engine on can get you slapped with a £200 fine and six penalty points if spotted by police.
“In circumstances where your driving is particularly careless at a drive-through as a result of using your phone, you may have a court case and £1,000 fine on your hands.
“Furthermore, if you only recently passed your practical driving test in the past two years, you face a ban from driving.”
Other unusual laws that are broken regularly include honking your car horn through anger, placing a stamp upside down and jumping the queue at a tube station.
