I'm happy pubs are dying out

Fucking hell, you need to get out more.......in a Wetherspoons 😂

Well as a recently retired woman in my early sixties I would be very upset. I love going into my local city and seeking out interesting pubs and research their history, have a small beer and a light lunch and sometimes meet new people.

I am with you on the huge, soulless chain, I never use them!

Let me repeat pubs are not closing because of lack of custom. They are suffering due to ridiculous costs thrust upon them by a government who now wants to get more unskilled people into work IN WHAT INDUSTRY 🙇‍♀️

Inflationary rates, business rates, tax, NI, Min wage, energy costs. All of which are compounded by consecutive useless govts.

Maybe the issue is the area you live in! I live on the edge of a town now and like to walk to the neighbouring village which has three absolutely lovely pubs that I wish were busier than they are but when it costs £13.50 for a glass of wine and a pint! There's some beautiful pubs closing down around Lincolnshire where I live, some of them were the only pub these villages had.

These type of people have always been around. It's just that workingmens clubs have been replaced by spoons and the like.
I'd like right wing thinking to disappear but that's not going to happen either.

Thats the wonderful thing about pubs, the diverse nature of the people who frequent them -if you go to a proper pub, like you say, you will see all walks of life using them, they are so important to British culture. We need to ensure we keep using them and supporting them.

At a time when we are talking more and more about division in society pubs are a great place for integration, people chatting, getting to know others in your community. They really are a social hub and can play a massive role in integrating society for people from all backgrounds grounds.i don’t really drink, but pubs serve loads of non-alcoholic drinks these days

Another shit and run thread.

Controversial first post, and then nothing from op

The only appropriate response here. Love your username too 👌

Many pubs are still very important as social hubs. They also often serve a lot of nonalcoholic drinks too. Some are old men's clubs but many are not. Village pubs often also serve food. Last week my band played as part of a festival at a pub supporting a local hospice. Family's, young and old all enjoying the day and contributing to the community. What's not to like.

WTF? 😳

Another British thing down the bin. Some really are up for destroying this country’s culture. What is setting this country from others apart is fast in extinction. My friends all want to come here and visit the pubs and have a pint as a fun experience of our culture.

Out of all the pubs I've worked in and frequented over the years you'd be surprised at the different clientele you get throughout the day.

This is just one day in the life of the pub I used to work in.

The old boys first thing with their paper who by lunch time are off on their way, the office workers at lunchtime who by 2pm are back to work, the afternoon drinkers who may have gone into town and are now on their way home, the businessmen having business meetings in the pub, the tradesmen who finish at 4pm who stop for a pint or two after work, the office workers stopping by after work before their train home who may or may not stay all night, the friends meeting for a catch up, the late shifts stopping for a drink before going home, the off duty police, the army squaddies out for a night. The Jags and Porsches in the car park.

Are you saying none of these people are upmarket?

What I object to is people advocating for the decline of an entire sector because they personally don’t like it or want to use it. It’s selfish and shortsighted. There are plenty of things in society that I don’t enjoy or use but I’m not selfish or self centred enough to think everyone feels the same.

👏👏👏👏👏👏

Well said @HighLadyofTheNightCourt

@localnotail I get it. You don't like pubs, so don't go to them, and let those who enjoy the convivial atmosphere of a nice pub enjoy them without your sour negativity to spoil it for them.

There are lots of things in life that don't appeal to me - all inclusive holidays, horse racing, football, for example but I don't go around saying that no-one else should enjoy them and that these establishments should close down or be banned because I am a grown up and understand that other people have different tastes to me.

Stop being so closed minded and self centered.

YABVVU and you are also being nasty, ageist and smug beyond belief.

The alcohol tax raised from pub drinkers far, far outweighs the possible (nb "possible") costs to the NHS.

What a nasty little mind you have OP.

HTH

I also think that traditional pubs will become ever more popular. There’s growing interest in British traditions. We are seeing a big increase in attendance at CofE churches. www.churchofengland.org/media/press-releases/church-england-attendance-rises-fourth-year I’ve noticed a big increase in interest in my works around British myths and legends and traditional story telling. I’m sure traditional British pubs will see increased interest. The ones round us are packed esp in the summer (tourist destination). If Labour actually wanted to support people in Britain they could start by lowering the burden on the hospitality industry. It would look like they were supporting British traditions and also giving people a bit more of an ability to go out and enjoy themselves whilst propping up jobs.

You are making the mistake that these are the only people who go to the pub. How silly. You should get out more.

I love a quirky pub or a lovely country pub.

So OP when you were 17/18 what sorts of pubs did you go drinking in? Where would you now go out on an evening? Would you still visit pubs or do you just drink in restaurants

Not being frequented by the “wealthy and upmarket” is surely a plus point!

But people like to drink and socialise in a pub, that’s the point being made. That experience can’t be replicated in a cafe or restaurant.

Not true where I live.
I live in a northern village in an area which has become quite affluent. My village and those locally all have a mix of traditional pubs and working men’s clubs (they’re band clubs here but the same thing) as well as wine/cocktail bars.
They all get a mix of customers because they offer slightly different things. In fact, the traditional pubs and band clubs do more business than the cocktail bars.

I also go drinking around the Manchester area and see the same. People do still drink in traditional pubs in many areas.

I live in a small city in south east England now. Huge variety of pubs here, independent mostly, some serving food, others not.

But I’m from the midlands and in my opinion you also can’t beat a proper Black Country boozer. I love those too.

Again I wonder what sort of place you live to have such a negative outlook. I love pubs, especially my local, and rarely find one I don’t like.

You think or you know? Because this thread is full of people telling you how their local, traditional pub has adapted. You’re just choosing to ignore them.

I used to like in the Midlands. The pubs in the very traditional market town I grew up in are still the same pubs as when I started drinking in them over 30 years ago with perhaps more serving food now. All busy and thriving. The area round Birmingham I lived in for a couple of decades has seen a massive decline due to most of the area now housing 1st to 3rd generation immigrants who don’t use the pubs. Maybe that is what you are experiencing?

Pubs are not the only place where you can drink and socialise.

I'm not advocating for anything. I just think pubs are often resistant to change and become bastions of the kind of "traditionalism" that is unhealthy and detrimental even to themselves.