Six in the evening marks the start of the British evening proper. The main television news bulletin runs, the last of the commuters get in, and the evening meal is on in most households — although what it is called depends entirely on where in the country you are.
It is also the hour that carries a lot of after-work activity: gym classes, five-a-side, choir and club nights, evening courses, and midweek football kick-offs on the earlier end of the schedule. Supermarkets start reducing fresh stock, and the last collections go from most postboxes around now or a little earlier.
Because six o'clock is such a common start time for scheduled things, counting to it is usually about arriving rather than finishing. The figure on this page updates continuously and points at the next 6 pm, whichever day that falls on.
Common questions
What is the evening meal called at 6 pm in Britain?
Dinner or tea depending on the region — both are in common use, and neither is more correct than the other.
Cookie policy