Last orders engenders almost ritualistic behaviour among pub drinkers, aimed at squeezing a final drink from the landlord. Varies from state to state. Virtually 24-hour in Sydney. Licensing is complex, but bars generally close about 1.30am, and up to about 3am in Paris. Varies from state to state.
Laws vary from state to state but most city bars stay open after midnight.
If it's 11.01 they say they've been waiting at the bar and you haven't seen them, or that your clock's wrong. They try and hide from you as well. If you've got a garden they'll go and hide in the garden. Brits abroad Just as visitors to Britain are often mystified by the 2300 shutdown, so Britons can be confused by foreign licensing laws. Edith Meyer from the French Tourist Office says there have been problems with British tourists going out too early, and then wondering why places are not lively enough.