If you had grand plans of getting drunk in a pub or perhaps walking a cow down the road during the day, stop and think again because you would be about to break some old and very strange British laws
Most of us have at one time been drunk in a pub. Right? Well if that’s you then you’ve committed a crime! While the majority of places wouldn’t enforce such a law as it would severely dampen their profit margins, they would be perfectly in their right if the situation called for it.
Waldron’s Solicitors explain: “Section 12 of the Licensing Act 1872 states: ‘every person found drunk… on any licensed premises, shall be liable to a penalty’. Meaning you could technically face a £200 fine if you are found intoxicated in a pub or another public place.”
And it’s not the only weird law to still be enforceable today in the UK. TikTok account Histonerd shared a number of surprising facts about British legislation including that it is illegal to walk a cow down the street in daylight thanks to the Metropolitan Streets Act from 1867.
Bizarre UK law which means boys are not allowed to see naked mannequins
It is also illegal to wear a suit of armour inside Parliament, which sounds fair when considering security threats even if chainmail isn’t everyone’s first sartorial choice. One surprising law that either you or a child has broken is flying a kite in public. Under section 54 of the Metropolitan Police Act 1839, it was brought in to stop them being a nuisance and any danger to local passengers.
Possibly the most bizarre law that is still going strong today is that it is an offence to handle a salmon and look suspicious. This comes under section 23 of the 1986 Salmon Act, which equates to suspecting a salmon had been illegally fished or was stolen property.
One desperately sad law is that it is illegal to linger after a funeral. It was enforced as recently as 2015 when a man stayed an extra 20 minutes at his wife’s funeral and was charged a harsh £160 just so gravediggers could continue with their work.
People reading about the peculiar British laws were shocked with many admitting to breaking them on a regular basis. One user replied: “So… I’ve broken a law for flying a kite??” Another person questioned: “So you cant be found drunk… in a pub… even though pubs sell alcohol…” And a third user asked: “How do you just casually walk around with a salmon and not seem a bit suspicious though? Asking for a friend.”
Someone else shared: “My primary school literally had us make a kite each, like 30 of us, and go to a public field to fly them. Illegal activities!” And a fifth user confessed: “Sooo… I’ve broken 3 laws then, im curious to how many more I’ve broken now.”
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