These files can be used to place pubs on your GPS's maps as points of interest. So now you'll be able to find them even more easily. Download the files you want and import them into your GPS system (sorry, we can't advise you how to do this; they all differ).
This is an experimental feature and cannot be guaranteed to work correctly with all GPS units. Your GPS will probably reject the file if it's unsuitable, but as we haven't tried it with every unit, we can't be sure.
We don't have the resources to test this with many devices; if you try it and it works, please let Tony Green know so we can add it to the list of those it's known to work on.
At present we only have tested files available in GPX and OV2 (TomTom) format; we wll try to make other formats available in the near future. (If you have a device you'd like this on and are willing to help test, please get in touch).
We have four different files available:
- Real Ale: Suffolk pubs that sell Real Ale
- Keg: Suffolk pubs that only sell keg beer
- Closed: former Suffolk pubs we've located so far
- Putative: Buildings we've found that might have been pubs
And optionally, you can take a file containing pubs across the whole of Suffolk, or just for one of the local authority areas.
Most people will only need the Real Ale file, possibly the keg one. The other two are probably only of interest to historical researchers.
Choose the files below that you want to download.
Details of each file format will appear here when you select them on the format drop-down
GPX format
GPX is an open format that's being promoted as one that can be used as standard for all mapping applications, not just GPS. Life would be easier if every GPS manufacturer used it, but unfortunately many have their own proprietary formats so they can lock their customers in.
Tested with:
Mappero on the Nokia N900. So any other device running this software should work.
Expected to work with:
Garmin units are supposed to use GPX format, so they should work. If you can confirm this, please let Tony Green know. Similarly, any other units that use GPX should work.
Note for Mappero users
It's possible with Mappero to customise the icons shown on your maps according to the category POIs are assigned to. In order to do so, you need to create the correct categories, then assign these to the POI file entries as you import it, and then save the relevant icons in the same directory as the poi.db file (on the N900, this is usually /home/user/MyDocs/.maps - on other devices it may be different).
The following table shows which categories to create and allows you to download the requisite icon (right-click on the image and save it to your computer).
| File | Category name | Icon |
|---|---|---|
| Real Ale | Realalepubs |  |
| Keg only | Kegpubs |  |
| closed pubs | closedpubs |  |
| possible old pubs | putativepubs |  |
OV2 (TomTom) format
This is TomTom's proprietary format. It apparently takes many forms, but we have produced our files in the simplest one, in the hope that this will work with as many units as possible.
Tested with:
TomTom GO910.
Expected to work with:
Most other TomTom units. Please let Tony Green know if you try it with any not listed so they can be added to the list of known workers.
Icons for TomTom devices
These are bitmap icons that are suitable for TomTom units. To use them, copy the relevant ones into the same directory on your unit where you copy the .ov2 file. Please note that the filenames are correct for use with the county-wide files; if you are only using files for a particular local authority area you need to rename the icon file accordingly. It should have the same name as the OV2 file, except that ".ov2" should be replaced with ".bmp".
Right-click on the icon you want and save it to your computer.
| File | Icon |
|---|---|
| Real Ale |  |
| Keg only |  |
| closed pubs |  |
| putative old pubs |  |