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Original poster

Alcohol at work

19 replies

Hellocatshome · 17/12/2021 18:49

So did people really used to keep bottles of Whiskey and a couple of glasses in their desk drawers for drinking after stressful days at work or is that just a TV thing?

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 17/12/2021 18:52

It wouldn't surprise me.

I left school and started work in the 80s and nearly everyone went to the pub at lunch time.

That was in retail too! No-one seemed to have a problem with beer breath being breathed all over the customers Confused

christmaspombear · 17/12/2021 18:58

Why would you think it didn't happen? Teachers at school had ashtrays and fags in desk drawers and as a Saturday job I worked at a supermarket and the manager and hr all had drinks and glasses as well as an ashtray and cigarettes- this was mid 80s to Early 90s

Quickchangeartiste · 17/12/2021 19:01

Some did, one boss had an entire cocktail cabinet - Oil , 80s , so not allowed now.

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Original poster
Hellocatshome · 17/12/2021 19:01

Why would you think it didn't happen? mostly because then they would have to drive home. Surely you just go home then have a drink. I know about the smoking as I used to have a Saturday job as a teen in an estate agents and you could barely see from one side of the room to the other for the smoke.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 17/12/2021 19:04

People used to regularly drink and drive too during the 70s and early 80s.

Even to the police, it didn't seem like much of a 'big deal' Sad

christmaspombear · 17/12/2021 19:04

I think people were more lax then about drink driving laws...

StColumbofNavron · 17/12/2021 19:04

In a more recent job/s I’ve had people have had bottles of wine, Prosecco and beers in their drawers and the fridge. Central London though so no one really driving.

opinionminion · 17/12/2021 19:05

We used to go to the pub on a Friday lunch time then return to work - 80s Wine

mommybear1 · 17/12/2021 19:06

Drink drive laws toughened up later in most cases. I worked in law firms where it was common for Partners and Associates to be in the pub from 12 or "having a nip" at their desks from that time. Legend was the Partner who every Friday went to the pub for lunch at 12 then called his secretary at 4 to bring the post and cheque requests over to the pub for him to sign Grin. Every ..... single ..... week.

AutumnAlmanack · 17/12/2021 19:07

I had a job in the 80s where my boss (a senior executive) had a huge drinks cabinet in his office with beautiful glasses and ice in a fridge, with all the drinks you could imagine! This was for entertaining clients.

dannydyerismydad · 17/12/2021 19:07

My first proper job we all had corporate branded ashtrays on our desks. And regular whole company pub outings were normal.

LaurieFairyCake · 17/12/2021 19:14

Drink driving was not really seen as a thing

Everyone drove to my towns pubs (no taxis, no public transport) and everyone drove home again

Obviously no accidents as no one on the roads as it was rural

The 'rule' was a maximum of 4 pints - amongst everyone I knew.

Just unbelievable now.

I'm not sure anyone in my family ever drove sober

happytoday73 · 17/12/2021 19:17

Absolutely...
My former workplace has a wine valt for the board members on their manufacturing site..
Prior to that people working in dangerous hot machinery manual jobs would be given tickets to spend in the pub on their break...then return to work

HumourReplacementTherapy · 17/12/2021 19:21

I used to work in a customer facing job and we'd drink wine out of mugs every Saturday afternoon Blush
Next job after that we'd go to the pub every lunch time for a drink, in fact I still work for the same ....ahem gov't ..... dept and there's a hardcore of a few older blokes who still drink at lunch some days.
I can't imagine doing it now!
We'd go out every night after work too & roll into work either half pissed or half dead.

MincePieIceCream · 17/12/2021 19:23

My headteacher at school (London, late 80s) had an ashtray on her desk, you had to walk through a cloud of smoke if you went into her office, and she had a crystal decanter of some sort of dark spirit with fancy glasses displayed on a shelf Grin.

bigbluebus · 17/12/2021 19:28

My history teacher in 1970's definitely had a bottle of scotch in her desk drawer!
When I started work in 1980's for a corporate, it was almost expected that you would go to the pub for lunch on a Friday. Most people would have a couple of alcoholic drinks and return to their desks in the afternoon.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 17/12/2021 20:33

Late 90s, teacher. We had wine at lunch if it was a teachers' birthday.

Would be misconduct now. So we have cake instead.

wendz86 · 17/12/2021 20:38

In my industry it’s a still a big thing to drink at lunch time and we sometimes drink in office . It’s London so most people aren’t driving .

thirddayout · 17/12/2021 20:39

Yes it did happen in the late 80s.

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