A term used in the UK to refer to a person's most regularly attended drinking establishment. Not to be confused with
nearest,
best or
favourite.
The local tends to be the place where everybody knows your name, you know the pecking order for the pool table and the bar staff will have your round ready faster than you can ask for it.
My local at home is actually about 2 miles away, and I pass about 8 other pubs to get there. So why did I choose it? It's the only bar with a decent sized no smoking room in the whole town, and the only bar that would serve us when we were sixteen.
These things are important when you're under-age and your parents don't know you're there. That's another reason local doesn't necessarily mean nearest.