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Original poster

I'm happy pubs are dying out

343 replies

Raymondsam · 28/09/2025 18:02

In my town at least.

Maybe decades ago the argument could be made that they're social hubs for people to unwind, meet and have a good time on a weekend.

Nowadays they're just hovels where mostly retired old boys go to binge drink in the daytime and cost the NHS billions in the various cancers strokes and host of other comorbidities that crop up.

The three biggest ones in my town are the typical chain owned leasehold places. Big companies that own hundreds of pubs all over the country. They treat the leaseholders like crap, if they start to turn a decent profit they up the rent.

OP posts:
AutumnCosy2025 · 28/09/2025 20:33

MiniCoopers · 28/09/2025 19:17

God what a miserable lazy written almost deliberately goady thread ….

i don't think there's much 'almost' about it.

abracadabra1980 · 28/09/2025 20:33

They are part of our social heritage and you are being very small minded regarding the 3 chains near you. I happen to live in a semi rural area where old farmers and villagers meet, and mix amongst the younger community. Many a widower will sit with his paper and his pint. It could be the only conversation they have all day. And there are some awesome buildings disguised as pubs. I'd hate to lose them, really hate it.

AutumnCosy2025 · 28/09/2025 20:31

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 28/09/2025 19:13

You don't like them ?
So what ?

This x 1000

AutumnCosy2025 · 28/09/2025 20:30

NuovaPilbeam · 28/09/2025 19:06

My lovely local indie is not like that at all! Think well kept country pub, good local food offering decent selection of drinks. Its definitely a central point of our community, its where you go for literally every sort of meeting, from the allotment committee to the pta to the knitting club, and has a thriving younger patronage too.

Sounds fab!!

Dappy777 · 28/09/2025 20:30

I'm glad people drink less alcohol, but I would be sorry to see the pub die out. The pub really is a British institution. If you read the literature of this island, you see the pub reappear again and again. The first great work of British literature, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, opens in a pub. And one of Shakespeare's most famous characters, Falstaff, virtually lives in the pub. Pubs also appear in Dickens, and even George Orwell wrote an essay on them.

That said, I've always preferred the continental bar. French bars, with their elegant beer glasses, always seemed so much more attractive to me than the British pub with its oafish 'pints'. And there is nothing I hate more than 'laddism,' which also revolves around the pub.

Looking back to the 1990s, the public drunkenness was out of control. An American friend used to find it shocking. She would often remark on how polite the British were all week, but then how vile they were at weekends – all because of alcohol. I remember going for a drink with her on a Saturday night and seeing girls urinating in shop doorways and young men fighting in the middle of the road. God it made me so ashamed.

Mrsgreen100 · 28/09/2025 20:28

completely bonkers Post
When was the last time u went in a pub? pubs are really lovely family friendly social places. Great food great atmosphere. Good place for people to go and have a drink when they’re on their own and chat to the bar staff
maybe you can move house and get out a bit more

AutumnCosy2025 · 28/09/2025 20:28

Jumpingthruhoops · 28/09/2025 18:55

Wow! You have to be a special kind of moron to be 'happy' people are being put out of work and those who enjoy pubs are being left with nowhere to go. You sound like a peach 🤔

Couldn't agree more!!

Woodwalk · 28/09/2025 20:27

The best years of my life were spent running a pub.

One of the worst days of my life was having to tell my entire team they were being made redundant (and losing my job myself). I had worked with some of those people for ten years. We had regulars that had come for longer than that.

I don't even drink.

YABU.

XenoBitch · 28/09/2025 20:27

YABU
The "day" drinkers tend not to be there in the evening. And a lot of pubs don't even open until the early evening anyway.

DramaLlamacchiato · 28/09/2025 20:26

Pollqueen · 28/09/2025 18:09

What about the jobs that are created through the pub trade, does the loss of jobs not bother you? Are you a puritan, because you sound like a joyless misery

This

I dont drink so am not a prolific user of pubs but people work there, so I couldn’t be happy about people losing jobs

Justgorgeous · 28/09/2025 20:25

That’s a shitty thing to want to happen. Why are you bitter ?

AutumnCosy2025 · 28/09/2025 20:25

FaceBothered · 28/09/2025 18:39

Proper little ray of sunshine aren't you OP? 🤣🤣

You're glad something that you don't like and don't use is dying out, so others can no longer enjoy them?

You sound like the spiteful primary school child who's glad it's raining at playtime, because they don't like playing outside.

well said 👏🏻

with a side of absolutely no compassion for job/business loss of the people concerned!

ThisWillAllEndInTears · 28/09/2025 20:24

Raymondsam · 28/09/2025 18:02

In my town at least.

Maybe decades ago the argument could be made that they're social hubs for people to unwind, meet and have a good time on a weekend.

Nowadays they're just hovels where mostly retired old boys go to binge drink in the daytime and cost the NHS billions in the various cancers strokes and host of other comorbidities that crop up.

The three biggest ones in my town are the typical chain owned leasehold places. Big companies that own hundreds of pubs all over the country. They treat the leaseholders like crap, if they start to turn a decent profit they up the rent.

When was the last time you went to the pub? You seem to have based your opinion on your perception of a few boozers in your neck of the woods? Pub culture is a fabulous thing and provides work, opportunities to socialise with people you know and those you dont, entertainment, and er, what's that other thing? Oh yes, FUN!! Its all still happening. Its not something from yester-year. As for closing establishments that cause obesity and disease shall we start shutting down take aways, fast food joints, restaurants generally, vape shops, bakeries, pizzeria, sweet shops, etc... ???

Bambamhoohoo · 28/09/2025 20:24

Arlanymor · 28/09/2025 20:14

People across the UK are clubbing together to do community purchases of pubs because they would tear the heart out of (in particular) rural areas if they weren’t there.

Your example of ‘old men’ is bigoted, unfair and frankly ignorant. And not everyone visiting a pub drinks alcohol.

Pubs are warm hubs, they can also be post offices, pharmacy collection points, warm food spots and so much more.

They raise money for charity, they bring together people in isolation, they care about their community - at least the good ones do. You are only seeing what is on your doorstep and making an assumption about everywhere else. No wonder people have responded in the way they have on here.

Not to be a Debbie downer but as someone who works in finance in these sectors most of those people haven’t got a hope of keeping the business going. The whole problem with pubs is that the financial model just doesn’t work anymore

EasternStandard · 28/09/2025 20:22

AmyDuPlantier · 28/09/2025 20:19

Loneliness kills people at the same rate as smoking 20 a day; those ‘old boys’ find the pub to be a lifeline. Such a thoughtless selfish attitude.

Yep. Plus jobs. I wonder what the op does that she wouldn’t mind if people said the same.

DIYagainstMould · 28/09/2025 20:22

I don't use pubs for regular venues but always have been thankful when was single for a quiet pub corner where I had lunch and a pint, no man bothered me even though I was a catch. LOL

I suppose people who don't have friends or relatives can just go to the pub or for birthdays, the interior makes nice pictures , again people who are home shy to invite others, can have any non alcoholic drink also

then you have family pubs also and gold club houses which are kind of modern looking pubs really

1dayatatime · 28/09/2025 20:22

HRchatter · 28/09/2025 19:25

Alcohol and drugs related incidents take up 90% of the police’s daily work load
Anything that reduces either would be great

As @Bumblebee72said if you really want to reduce the impact of alcohol on crime or cost to the NHS then ban supermarkets from selling alcohol.

85% of alcohol sold in the UK is sold by supermarkets. Pubs and restaurants only make up around 10%.

intrepidpanda · 28/09/2025 20:21

AmyDuPlantier · 28/09/2025 20:19

Loneliness kills people at the same rate as smoking 20 a day; those ‘old boys’ find the pub to be a lifeline. Such a thoughtless selfish attitude.

This too

intrepidpanda · 28/09/2025 20:21

I drink more if i am house drinking and I'm sure I'm not unique.
How does that go with your health argument?

AmyDuPlantier · 28/09/2025 20:19

Loneliness kills people at the same rate as smoking 20 a day; those ‘old boys’ find the pub to be a lifeline. Such a thoughtless selfish attitude.

BoredZelda · 28/09/2025 20:18

Cyclistmumgrandma · 28/09/2025 19:51

Our village has recently lost one of our 3 pubs when the landlord/chef died. It was very much a hub of the village with good beer and good traditional pub food. The Christmas carol singing round the piano was packed. It is sorely missed.

3 pubs in a village seems a lot. The other two presumably can still form part of the hub of the village.

CloudPop · 28/09/2025 20:18

Bambamhoohoo · 28/09/2025 19:56

The point is generally women are more
emotionally intelligent and have been able to adapt with the times. WhatsApp groups, bottomless brunch, etc etc. men are just a bit shit at working it out, and are lonely as a result. As a PP said, loneliness in society costs us all greatly

Show quote history

Quite

MrDobbs · 28/09/2025 20:18

Do you think that if the pubs shut, the old boys will stop drinking, start running 5k a day and eat like an athlete? Or that whoever takes over the premises will run a cooperative non profit business that benefits society?

CabbageWater · 28/09/2025 20:17

BitOutOfPractice · 28/09/2025 18:08

Not my fabulous, independent local thanks.

What a ridiculous generalisation. I have 40+ pubs and bars Within 15 minutes walk of my front door. Maybe 3 fit your description.

I agree! Also, I don't even drink alcohol and I love going to the pub. It's not all about booze.

BoredZelda · 28/09/2025 20:16

Pollqueen · 28/09/2025 18:09

What about the jobs that are created through the pub trade, does the loss of jobs not bother you? Are you a puritan, because you sound like a joyless misery

What about them? If all the pubs closed down, another way for people to meet and socialise would take their place. That’s what we do. It isn’t joyless to suggest having places where people socialise centred around a substance that is known to cause mental and physical health issues is something we shouldn’t celebrate.

Over 50% of pubs are owned by 9 pub companies. They pay minimum wage for maximum profits. These jobs aren’t the ones we should be protecting.