Pub becomes first in Britain to accept Bitcoins

Bitcoin is getting another real-life boost at the Pembury Tavern in Hackney, east London, as well as its sister pubs in Cambridge, Norwich and Peterborough, all of which are now accepting the virtual currency. Pub founder Stephen Early, a former computer scientist, created a Bitcoin payment system that is now in use at the pubs. The bar staff press two buttons on the till and the screen displays a QR code. The customer opens their digital Bitcoin wallet, takes a snap of the screen and confirms the payment. The staff press one more button and the transaction is complete. The Pembury Tavern is the first UK pub to go Bitcoin-friendly but not the first real-world business. In the Kreuzberg district of Berlin, restaurants, bars and a record shop have been using the payment system for months. In Ireland, just outside the small town of Birr, Bitcoin users can now book a night at a farmhouse bed and breakfast.