Seriously? A bar in a health-club?

I did actually manage to get out and do something I had been threatening to do, and joined a gym today.  Yay!  Although I walk to work, it has not been enough to keep me from putting on a few pounds since moving to England (and I have no idea how many pounds, since I’ve been weighed only in kilos lately!)   After my activity-filled beach holiday including the beach triathlon, I was feeling strongly motivated to keep the exercise level up.  So today I joined the most amazing gym I have ever seen.  Which gave me already one shock, since I thought we Americans were the health-club mavens, not the English!  What’s so amazing about this place?  Well, it’s huge and the equipment is all brand new.  There are 23 treadmills in a vast room with rows of other fantastic cardio equipment and 6 huge flat screen televisions–bring your headphones, they plug directly into the treadmills.  Plus the full weight room is duplicated with the second set ‘for ladies only’.  Classes, a huge swimming pool, a spa, the whole thing.  If I start to get organized, I can get my nails done after I work out and thus multi-task in the best possible way.  And when I added it all up, it’s barely more per month than I paid in rural Michigan over ten years ago, in a club that was nice for the area but nothing to write home about. Although come to think of it, I was probably remembering the Michigan monthly charge for two people, I was married at the time.  Regardless, this place is brilliant.  Some friends of mine here–actual English people!–were the ones who suggested this particular place since they are members, and so I met them there today to see the place and sign over my money.  After the deed was done and all had done at least some sweating, we met back in the little brasserie affiliated with the place to have some lunch.  And this was when I had my “we are NOT in Kansas anymore” moment–they serve beer there.  In a health club.  Yes they serve fresh juices and smoothies and other things like that, but they also serve nachos and beer.  This is not what one would find in a US health club dining establishment, right?  I’m not just mis-remembering?  Beer and nachos are not normal culinary options for an exercise establishment?