The rise of the temperance bar marked a turning point in British social history as, from the 1860's, Britain changed rapidly from a rural society to an urban industrial nation. The growth of urbanised, low-income communities with Free Church attitudes to "strong drink" provides a ready market for the herbalist shopkeeper. Typically, the shopkeeper would have two sides to his business, stocking and selling loose herbs and also running a bar selling soft drinks brewed from those herbs. The flavours and combinations of these drinks quickly multiplied and developed into alternatives, where fruit juice and the essences were mixed to create yet more exotic drinks of which the best known, and still with us today, was Vimto.

By the early part of the Twentieth Century the temperance bar was a firmly established part of the social scene. For members of the free churches (i.e. Methodists, Salvation Army, Missions etc.) it provided an alterative drinking parlour with family appeal. In the USA the same role was played by the "soda fountain" at the local drug store.

The era of the temperance bar came to an end after the Second World War, again as a result of broader social changes. The introduction of the NHS reduced the demand for herbalist medicines, there was a growth in licensed drinking and populations began to disperse out further from the town centres.

Although the temperance bar has long since gone, you can still enjoy sarsaparilla made to the original recipe by contacting your nearest stockist of Mawson's Sarsaparilla, or by mail order directly from us.