End of pub culture

[Puppylucky]

I've just read a City AM article positing that Covid restrictions will kill off pubs as we know them for ever. When I read posts about hospitality on here most people seem totally indifferent about the prospect. Is it just me that's really sad about the prospect of losing a valuable community resource?

I play in a 'pub' band. Our last gig was two weeks before lockdown.

We normally do about 25 gigs a year and already had about dozen confirmed dates before lockdown began. We managed to fit in a couple of practises in the summer and thought we might be able to play live before the end of the year, but sadly not.

God knows when there'll be any live music in pubs again. One of the places we played at a few times has closed and is likely to never re-open.

Sad times.

:(

I forgot to mention music and bands AlecTrev. It is sad.

I'm not sure that even Whetherspoons will be happy about the substantial meal rule. Food helps pub trade, but the bread and butter of pubs is wet sales.

I agree - a lot of local pubs are integral to communities and it is a worry that they will be lost.
I remember an acquaintance a couple of years ago telling me that her dad who lived 150 miles away was really looked after by his local pub - he'd go for lunch every day and if he wasn't there, one of the locals would go round and knock on his door to check he was ok. When he came out of hospital, the landlord took him a hot lunch every day and made sure he was ok. She knew she could phone the pub and ask after her dad if she couldn't get hold of him. It was the pub staff who phone her and told her if they hadn't been able to get hold of him / needed to call an ambulance etc. He didn't drink alcohol, he went for the social aspect and to get a hot meal as he found it difficult to prepare a meal and eat it alone.

I'm sure that wasn't unique and happened all around the country, and I do wonder how those vulnerable people are being supported in lockdown or if they are now just feeling lost and abandoned.

I’m unsure about how I feel. I do enjoy going for drinks with friends don’t get me wrong, but I wonder if they do create too much of a dependence on alcohol.

All too often throughout lockdown (when pubs were open with restrictions), I would see crazy queues, social distancing out of the window, big groups congregating and no masks being worn. It made me think is a pint really worth all of that tbh.

Also during the first proper lockdown, I would be coming home from work and would see groups of people congregating having drinks when it definitely wasn’t allowed and they were there every day!

I appreciate that my view may be clouded as I’m not someone that drinks every day at home, I work in a hospital and the frequent fliers who are alcoholics are frustrating and I worked in a pub for years.

@Iliketeaagain
He didn't drink alcohol, he went for the social aspect and to get a hot meal as he found it difficult to prepare a meal and eat it alone.
Absolutely agree with this.
Social care is hard to get. People are lonely. Life is not cosy with masses of support for so many people.

Pubs can fulfill a useful social & mental health function. It's warm, there's food, there's company, & people notice if you don't turn up- & do something about it.

I know of people who have struggled with lockdown & living in a tier 3 because all their support has gone. They don't meet social services criteria. What are they supposed to do?