The Demise of the British Pub

[Neil]

Not that I read newspapers as they are a waste of trees, but what I glean I glean from looking around me as I am an observer of others, my attempt to understand what people are. But what else is there, we have had the rat run hysteria and how many roads that were once viable routes anywhere are now closed off or made into one way only and then there is the traffic calming measures that actually add to congestion, authorities are fine at building speed humps to treat us all with contempt, but will not fix the holes appearing in the road anytime soon. And then there is peoples desires being trampled on all in the name of business and a government that does not listen but will when it's too late as always.

You really dig metaphors, right?

 

[silverclaws]

That will be the aspie in me.

 

[chriscl]

My local, one of seven pubs in the village, has just had its rent put up again by Punch Taverns, and this has (of course) increased the price of the beer.

However, the pub prides itself on being part of the community, indeed, it is known as "the village pub" and attracts a mixed crowd, mostly of locals.

The pub organises a well-supported annual beer festival, and the landlady takes great pride in the range of real ales stocked (the pub is even recommended in CAMRA's guide) and they have fresh-cooked food.

Beer is between £2.60-£3.50 a pint, not the cheapest, but the quality is excellent, and the atmosphere almost always good.

It depends what you are looking for from a pub; do you just want somewhere cheap to drink, or do you want more of a "social" environment?

 

[uno-speedo]

As a young lad working in London, this was the pub we would frequent every Friday night after work for copious amounts of beer. Sad to see it gone.

 

[technodup]

I'm not often in pubs these days. If I'm having a drink I want music and the music I like can only be found in my living room.

Supermarket beers and oldschool on the decks beats the pub for me.

I've worked in them, lived above one and drunk in many but £4 a pint and shit entertainment doesn't do it for me. The only exception is Friday night pool, and even that's on the wane just now. £3.30 a pint and £6.50/h for the table doesn't work out cheap over 6 hours.

What I hate most though is the poncy real ale places or trendy food type ones attracting families. They're not pubs. A real pub should have a stained ceiling, sticky floor, old men asleep in the corner and most importantly those wee hooks for your coat on the bar. And they're dying out fast, partly because for some reason people prefer to frequent arsey kid on restaurants with food platters and baby changing facilities. People, eh?

 

[captaincosmic]

Sorry I am a lazy sod so havent read all the replies but I think it is like this.....the people with the exception of village pubs..who used to frequent pubs are now buying booze from a supermarket as the benefits class is dragging it all down to poundland.
I was in a real pub at the weekend the Lifeboat in Margate the beer and cider list was amazing and it was a pleasure to get stuck into some Kent ciders
that is the only way pubs can go now I think by selling something you cant buy in Asda and I think the customers will be different too I am afraid plenty of badly behaved children running around while their Public school educated `something big in the city` parents ignore them.....ever been to Cornwall on Holiday and you will know what I mean...North East coast instead every time

 

[yanee71]

As a young lad working in London, this was the pub we would frequent every Friday night after work for copious amounts of beer. Sad to see it gone.

is sad read this...i've never been in Uk, but when i will come i would like spend some nights in those traditional places not in starbucks o big M or in commercial centers , same places that i can find at 5 km from my home

and yes...

red lion was the name of a english pub at 5 km from my home owned by 2 friendly brothers english/italian , but closed many years ago

 

[silverclaws]

The pub is somewhat vital to me because I spend most of my time on my own, but when the cabin fever gets too much, it is off to the pub, the village pub where I know people and they know me, first name terms and all that so a safe environment. If friends aren't there, then it is mp3 player on and get stuck into a book or get on with my designs with a pint by my side often in front of the fire.

I never drink in the town and if I can help it, I won't even go into the town, as it is I have to do something in the town, and it has been five weeks so far and I have still not managed to do it, I dislike that place that much.

The pub that annoyed me is not my regular, but I am known there, so another safe environment mostly, although there has been a bit of aggro in the past, but the business is suffering, it's good reputation created by previous landlords is wearing thin as the existing landlord now wants to retire but can't sell the place at what he is demanding, so his attitude comes across very strongly, but it is a place I needn't go and won't now.

 

[Neil G]

I'm not often in pubs these days. If I'm having a drink I want music and the music I like can only be found in my living room.

Supermarket beers and oldschool on the decks beats the pub for me.

I've worked in them, lived above one and drunk in many but £4 a pint and shit entertainment doesn't do it for me. The only exception is Friday night pool, and even that's on the wane just now. £3.30 a pint and £6.50/h for the table doesn't work out cheap over 6 hours.

What I hate most though is the poncy real ale places or trendy food type ones attracting families. They're not pubs. A real pub should have a stained ceiling, sticky floor, old men asleep in the corner and most importantly those wee hooks for your coat on the bar. And they're dying out fast, partly because for some reason people prefer to frequent arsey kid on restaurants with food platters and baby changing facilities. People, eh?

I couldn't agree more, far to many good pubs in my neck of the woods have gone that way.

 

[RichT]

On a similar, yet local-ish, topic, here's 98 pages about closed pubs just in one city!!

http://www.secretleeds.com/forum/Messag ... readID=300