Last Call for Last Call

For a country that practically invented the night on the town, Britain has long been a difficult place to find a late-night tipple. Drinking hours in England and Wales are a source of much grumbling for locals and confusion for visitors. While bars in major cities like Madrid and Paris stay open till the early hours, most of London's publicans are obliged by law to close by 11 p.m. But take heart. After years of false starts, the government last month promised legislation to allow bars to serve through the night.

"I've prayed for this for 25 years,"...