I think he might have been speculating about the Romans writing home - probably a sub pulled out a qualifying expression such as "no doubt". Or maybe he's just a lazy writer, which would be in keeping with much of the article.

For example ...there is no table service at pubs... - he's not quite right there. In Wetherspoons pubs you have to order at the bar, but they bring the food to you.

And my experience of Wetherspoons pubs is wholly different to that of the nameless hack who wrote that article. "...a mid-sized pub which shall remain nameless..." and by not naming it, he effectively sets out to slag off all the excellent Wetherspoons pubs around the country, like the one we've got in Harlow, with it's wall of books and it's intriguing range of beers (Polish Plum beer is a recent favourite), and no problem with smells from the urinals either.

But then I wouldn't go to the Economist to find out about pubs or beer. (Or economics either.)