Pubs are doomed

[norrahe]

I know what you mean OH, but the reason I go to the pub, is to drink with my neighbours and, other people, and possibly even strangers - it's a social thing.

I have a fridge full of beer and a rack full of wine, but I cannot enjoy it much, without company.

I have far more fun having 3 pints of some old ale down the local than sitting at home sipping a fine vintage Burgundy.

I love beer and wine, but for me, it's the company that makes it - not the quality of the drink.

It is the social aspect, sipping an ale or two and getting out and meeting people, but the age old pub where you could get a decent pint and sit in front of a fire and chat is gone as half the pub will be taken over by an area to eat in as that is the only way some pubs can get by.

Which is a shame.

With levies on alcohol and pressures from breweries, landlords are struggling, those that are free houses, pay through the nose to sell their wares.

[d000hg]

Weekends, every pub here is totally heaving, mid-week less so though it is a student town... however weekends students are scared away and it's full of loud idiots.

I like pubs, but I actually like going on a Monday when they're pretty dead, it's part of the variety. However in the 10 years I've lived here, I can only thing of 1 or 2 pubs that closed and one (the Cock of the North, I think it's quite well known?) was knocked down to build a new housing estate.

[wobbegong]

I went out for a 'brace of beers' with a mate the other week. Ale that was brewed just a mile from the pub was £3.20 a pint. The breweries have hiked the cost of tenancy so much that landlords are forced to commit commercial suicide.

[MarillionFan]

pubs are social centres that have a culture all of their own. Noone minds if you choose to drink at home... but a culture is dying


I like pubs

You don't tend to get adult social
interaction in pubs like you used to. The two local pubs to me are always full of kids, running around, being noisy. Since the smoking ban came in, loads have become more like crèche than adult entertainment centres.

The local boozer is dead.

[VectraMan]

I like pubs, but I like them when they're quiet and you can have a conversation, or maybe just sit in the corner and read the paper (I quite often do this). Which I guess is the last thing the landlords really want.

There's a couple of nearby town centre pubs that have closed. One was closed for a year, then reopened for the World Cup, and now appears to be closed again. My local seems to be doing okay though, and I think they do well out of lunchtime food, to get the office workers, but not ruin things by serving food in the evening.

One thing I hate is the number of pubs that have gone upmarket in their food. You want scampii and chips for £4; spending £20 for a meal in a pub just doesn't seem right.

[Jubber]

I know I've posted this before, but there is hope (in Holland anyway)

Dutch smoking ban reversed for small pubs

and I don't smoke anymore but believe people should be able to.

They have the best system (IMO) in Spain. A little sign on the door tells you if smoking is allowed or not. You then take your choice to either move on to a smoking / non smoking venue.

[Troll]

They have the best system (IMO) in Spain. A little sign on the door tells you if smoking is allowed or not. You then take your choice to either move on to a smoking / non smoking venue.

They have voted to extend the ban to all pubs/clubs / restaurants in Spain by 2011

The Spanish government in turn maintains that smoking bans in other European countries have not had any detrimental effect on the economy.

But then its a Socialist government

[Platypus]

They have the best system (IMO) in Spain. A little sign on the door tells you if smoking is allowed or not. You then take your choice to either move on to a smoking / non smoking venue.

I think that's an excellent option and one that should have been used over here. Of course a prescriptive Labour government was never going to allow that

[gingerjedi]

You don't tend to get adult social
interaction in pubs like you used to. The two local pubs to me are always full of kids, running around, being noisy. Since the smoking ban came in, loads have become more like crèche than adult entertainment centres.

The local boozer is dead.

You are SY01 and I claim a free packet of pork scratchings.

[Platypus]

I know what you mean OH, but the reason I go to the pub, is to drink with my neighbours and, other people, and possibly even strangers - it's a social thing.

I have a fridge full of beer and a rack full of wine, but I cannot enjoy it much, without company.

I have far more fun having 3 pints of some old ale down the local than sitting at home sipping a fine vintage Burgundy.

I love beer and wine, but for me, it's the company that makes it - not the quality of the drink.

Exactly how I feel too!

Well said.