How Brighton Pub Quizzes and Trivia Can Drive You Insane

Pubs in Brighton have been running quizzes since the 1970’s which were created to entertain the local punters, but how many of us actually enjoy them deep down?

Bad Outcomes to Pubs in Brighton Quizzes

When we go on a night out we walk into a pub expecting to have great fun and a nice drink with our friends but instead we find ourselves sinking into a trivia-launching one-on-one battle with the local brainbox. So you’re locking horns and you haven’t even started your first pint of beer.

"I once attended a pub quiz in Bristol where a dispute over an answer resulted in a wild west-style brawl and the police had to be called," says publishing executive Helen Lanwell.

But why does an answering trivia question over a pint bring out such passion?

Societies Love Of Facts and Trivia

The problem is; as human beings we have a desperate love for 
facts and sharing our knowledge. We often hide by saying we’re “just doing it to have a laugh and a couple of drinks” but really we just love proving ourselves with intellectual chatter and small talk. Then there are the perks of possibly winning some money or a bottle of wine whilst sitting in a pub - a nice combination. 

For example, The Norfolk pub in Brighton offers free wine, money, a pint and a pie! “Quite simply our quiz is… AMAZING! So get your monkey butts to the Duke, get yourself a pie and a pint and win some money! And maybe some free wine! Word!” a quote from one of their own bar staff.

Ever Growing Technology Destroying The Pub Quiz World

We're talking Mobile phones here. Cheating has always been a feature of pub quizzes, but now an untruthful participant or ‘the local brainbox’ can get out their phone and use the internet to Google answers or text their close and smartest friend. Plus, phones with fast Wi-Fi have taken cheating to a whole new level of dishonesty. This is a result of boredom as Jack Waley-Cohen, founder of UK quiz-night Company, QuizQuizQuiz said “People cheat when they are bored and don’t engage properly with the quiz in the intended way. So at a really exciting quiz night, people don’t cheat.” So it’s as simple as making a quiz night more physical rather than masterful, for example; a spot-the-difference round.

Remembering Why Pub Quizzes Are Good Fun

Author of quiz culture book Brain Men, Marcus Breckmann the pub quiz is mostly a British craze and a recent one at that. He believes quizzes are good for the British, allowing the nation to stop being so uptight, and instead choose to relax a bit and behave like sulky eight-year-olds.

“They don’t seem to have existed before 1970 or so. Nor have they spread too far outside the British Isles, although they are a big deal with our overseas ex-pats and armed forces. And in my opinion the phenomenon really started with Trivial Pursuit.”

So maybe the nation should take a step back and focus on picking a funny name instead like The Dirty Harry's, Quizteam Aguilera or Village Idiots. Then you might even find you learn to appreciate the quizmaster’s terrible taste in music, and remembering it’s all a bit of light-hearted fun. 

http://shepherdanddogpub.co.uk/
http://callusfirst.uk.com/listing/the-plough-henfield/ 
http://www.welovebrighton.com/features/things-to-do-features/best-pub-quizzes-brighton/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2286242/Heres-question-pub-quizzes-turn-raging-monster.html