Bar bells

A bar bell is the bell behind the counter rung for last orders, for time, or by a customer leaving a tip.

  • Wall-mounted bells stay put; freestanding ones tend to travel
  • A tip bell suits a busy bar and can jar in a quiet dining room

Showing all 5 results

Showing all 5 results

The one everybody knows is the last orders bell. Licensing law requires drinking-up time after the bar closes, and the bell is the traditional way of marking the point where orders stop u2014 a sound that carries over a busy room in a way that shouting does not.

How to choose

What to know

The other common use is the tip bell, rung by staff when a customer leaves something behind the bar. Whether that suits your room is a matter of taste, and in a quiet dining pub it can land badly, but in a busy bar it is part of the atmosphere.

What to know

Bells are mounted or freestanding and the difference is mostly about where the noise comes from and whether it can walk. A wall-mounted bell stays where it is put, which in a bar with a lively crowd is the practical consideration.

Common questions

Why do pubs ring a bell for last orders?

It is the traditional signal that the bar is about to stop serving, and it carries over noise far better than calling out. Drinking-up time then follows before the premises has to clear.

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