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Original poster

How often did your parents go to the pub?

219 replies

Saltnvinegarnsauce · 31/10/2023 22:42

Wondering if it more common in years gone by for parents, especially dad's to go to the pub. I have this image from TV of dad's going to the pub for a couple almost every night.

OP posts:
MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 01/11/2023 07:48

Mum and dad went about 2-3 times a year, we went with them on those occasions

Same here (60s). DF was in the Merchant Navy, so when he was home we 'd have family outings, go to the pub for a drink in the car then be bribed with ten bob to go to the beach so they could have a drink in the bar.

PissOffJeffrey · 01/11/2023 07:51

Not the pub as such, but they would go to a nearby hotel bar for a G&T it two some Wednesdays (not sure why Wednesday).

DM wouldn't have ventured in to a normal 1980s pub. The naice foody pubs you get these days she would have.

TroysMammy · 01/11/2023 07:52

When I was growing up in the 70s and 80s my Dad went to the pub every day, fitted it in with his shift work.

My Mother went three evenings a year with my Dad, her birthday in September, Boxing Day and New Year's Eve, only having one Babycham or a Babycham and a sherry on NYE.

He hardly goes to the pub anymore and as he's in the house more my Mother says "he gets on my tits". She doesn't go out on the regular three occasions anymore as the pub/club doesn't have the "cabaret" they used to have. She detested the Bingo they used to have before the show.

CesareBorgia · 01/11/2023 07:54

Never. Not until my sister and I were grown up and dragged them occasionally to their local.

Lengokengo · 01/11/2023 07:55

I only remember my parents going to the pub once, and it was when we had a holiday on a barge. 3 kids and 2 adults in a cramped space for a week. My parents went every night, leaving the 3 of us on this barge in a different place each night! My sister was young teens, so I guess ‘in charge’. They bought us back crisps every time so we were fine with it.

My dad had a hobby he did once a week and I think he probably went to the pub with the group after, but not regularly. After I left home they joined a social club that had a bar and would occasionally drink there. I definitely went to the pub more frequently than either of them. My granddad was an alcoholic so I think my mum consciously chose a non-pub husband.

GettingSickOfYourNonsense · 01/11/2023 07:55

I'm in my 60s. My parents never went to the pub, no once. My husband and I were the same - never had a babysitter, didn't go out to the pubs until our kids were about 20

Pushkinini · 01/11/2023 07:57

My dad went nearly every night for a couple after work (70s/80s). As a family we'd go fairly often at the weekend. If it was a pub with a children's room then we'd be put in there with a coke and a packet of crisps. If not, we'd have to stay in the car with the coke and crisps instead. I spent A LOT of my formative years in the pub.

GuitarGeorgina · 01/11/2023 07:57

Never for a drink.

very occasionally they’d go to a pub/restaurant for food, but I could count the occasions on one hand.
They were very poor, so drinking was the occasional bottle of wine drunk over several days at Christmas, for example.

Both in their 80s now.

Enderunicorn · 01/11/2023 07:59

My dad spent all Saturday at pub while my mum was at work so I would sit in family section or garden while he was at the bar.

Enderunicorn · 01/11/2023 08:00

My parents never went to pub together.

FrenchandSaunders · 01/11/2023 08:01

My parents went very very rarely. Dad was a printer in Fleet Street and the pubs around there were open from 4/5am for the workers after their shifts. He occasionally went for a pint but it didn’t really interest him.

My FIL was a huge pub goer and would spend whole weekends in there, just popping home to eat.

I love a pub, nice pub garden in the summer , open fire in the winter. It has all got rather expensive though. Big shock ordering a glass of wine after lockdown when we had been used to drinking in our gardens.

AuntieMarys · 01/11/2023 08:06

I'm mid 60s. Mine went together to a working mans club on Friday nights, dad went on his own Saturday night and Sunday lunch.
In his 60s when retired, he went every evening 7 till 9pm

MurielThrockmorton · 01/11/2023 08:07

Actually my DF regularly went to the pub mid to late evening up until his 80s, what seems a bit crap in my childhood feels different in his older age where it was his only real social connection outside DM and I at an age when many men become isolated. Though he did end up with a condition that was possibly alcohol-related he died at a good age of 89.

megletthesecond · 01/11/2023 08:08

Child of the 70's and 80's. I don't think they ever did.

We used to go to their work social club a couple of times a month though. Kid heaven, quizzes, coke and crisps and a field to tear around in.

Loopytiles · 01/11/2023 08:11

parents both came from heavy drinking families and disliked it. We only went to the pub when certain family members visited, we as kids enjoyed it as we’d usually go along and read a book, our uncles would splash cash on us, cola, crisps, scampi in a basket or fish supper on the way home, the high life!

Enderunicorn · 01/11/2023 08:11

It's so weird I can't imagine leaving my 6 year old in a pub garden unsupervised for 6 hours while getting drunk at the bar but it seemed so normal as a child Confused

BigDahliaFan · 01/11/2023 08:15

Child of 80s, never. Had friends whose parents did and we’d sit outside with a bottle of pop and some crisps. My mum thought this was common.

in the late 80s and 90s pubs started todo food and we’d go out to eat sometimes….

AuntieMarys · 01/11/2023 08:15

On holiday I'd be left in the car outside the pub, with a bottle of lemonade, crisps and a book.....I was probably 5.

Thejackrussellsrule · 01/11/2023 08:16

It was an occasional thing, this was 1970's me and my brother would wait in the car with a bottle of vimto and a packet of crisps. The reality was we ran round the car park with the other kids and had a great time!
Social services would have a field day now!

BigDahliaFan · 01/11/2023 08:16

a friends partner goes to the pub every night, as his dad did, for a couple of pints while she cooks dinner. I think that is so old fashioned.

shivawn · 01/11/2023 08:17

Never. My dad has never been a social person at all. I think my mum would have liked to go out more if she had a more outgoing husband.

Alexiao · 01/11/2023 08:21

My dad went often- can’t remember exactly but possibly everyday. Smoked as well. Terrible waste of money looking back - we were hard up as well 😞

RedCoffeeCup · 01/11/2023 08:21

I was born in the 70s. My parents occasionally go to the pub for a meal, but I don't think I've ever known either of them go for drink.

Topup3000 · 01/11/2023 08:22

80's /90's.
Mum went to the pub most evenings. Every night almost.
Weekends, we all went, i. E. Kids too, every Sunday was spent inside the pub. Karaoke day.
Pretty rubbish really. Very little parenting!

We, now as our own family with children, maybe visit a pub 6 times a year for a meal.

I think pub life is a working class thing. I worked in a pub and so many tradesmen would pop in every day and sink a few pints then go home.

starlightcan · 01/11/2023 08:23

As a couple, never – my mum wasn’t into pubs.

My DF would go to a social club several nights a week, and always at least once a week.