UK city ditches traditional pub for Polish tavern

By Luke Baker

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Tourists coming to Britain often rave about drinking in traditional English pubs. Now they've got another type to choose from -- the traditional Polish pub.

The city of Reading, west of London, will celebrate the opening of its first Polish pub this weekend, with Polish vodka and homemade Pierogi (stuffed dumplings) flowing thick and fast.

The "Gospoda" -- Polish for tavern -- will replace the "Battle Inn", a traditional Irish pub that had seen better days.

New landlord Lucas Celmer, who bought the pub with his Polish wife, plans to offer a range of Polish lagers and favourite dishes to Reading's fast growing Polish community.

"There are so many Polish people here -- we just thought it was time we did something for them," Celmer, 29, told Reuters.

"The idea is to introduce a totally different pub that will attract Poles, but also English people.

"We want English people to come and enjoy it too -- many of them have been to Poland and like Polish food."

Celmer, who moved to Britain from Poland 10 years ago, believes he's at the forefront of a growing trend -- Polish entrepreneurs improving life for the estimated 500,000 Poles who have moved to Britain since their country joined the European Union in 2004.