Historically, public houses have been socially and culturally distinct from cafés, bars, bierkellers and brewpubs.Traditionally the windows of town pubs were of smoked or frosted glass to obscure the clientele from the street but in the 1990s and after in the UK and other countries there has been a move towards clear glass, in keeping with brighter interior décors.
Until the 1970s most of the larger public houses also featured an off-sales counter or attached shop for the sales of beers.