Is drinking culture changing?

[KittenCatt]

I think that the drinking culture for among young people in their 20s is changing. I’m 28 and no-one around my age group seem to go to pubs anymore, it’s all about having one or two drinks at a nice cocktail bar. Or having a drink at a themed bars, such as crazy golf or video game bars.

Has anyone else noticed this? I’m 28, and I don’t know anyone around my age who drinks at pubs, and certainly not regularly!

Thoughts?

There seem to be plenty of younger people drinking in the pub whenever I go. I imagine it spends entirely on what your friendship group chooses to do and a range of factors such as income level and urban or rural location. It wouldn’t surprise me if younger people are generally drinking out less though - few people in their twenties have very high incomes and drink prices have increased hugely over the past few years.

Go near a sports ground before a game... you will find plenty of people drinking in pubs your age and younger.

My dds are mid twenties and they rarely go out drinking. Socialising is often A coffee or lunch. Sometimes a few cocktails.

When I was their age we went out two or three nights a week on a pub crawl plus nightclub.

When my parents were their age they went to the local several nights a week. And Sunday afternoon.

I think it lhas decreased

I'm mid 40s and have always preferred nice cocktail bars or theme bars than an old pub. I'm glad the youth are catching on to my way of thinking!

I think it is definitely changing. I've not noticed what you've described but when I was 14 years old my friends and I would get very drunk on the street. Verry dangerous and common in our year group.

I think that is less common now due to it being more difficult for young teeangers to buy alcohol.

I watched Googlebox the other night (which is what happens when you don't go out any more) and they had a news segment where pottery classes were apparently the new "thing" to go. I've been to the sip and paint nights locally and really enjoyed those. I think young people don't want to go and get steaming, waste £££ and end up recovering for days. They're more health conscious and aware of the increase in assaults when drunk too. I guess it comes with the camera phone being a constant witness?

Not regularly, but as someone in your age group, can't relate. I don't know many people who go for cocktails. I find them very poor value for money myself.

My observation is that drinking has somewhat reduced over the last 10 years amongst those in their 20's and drugs seem to have increased.

I don't think young people can afford it as much. They've not got much disposable income these days.

I've been in my city centre today though (Bank holiday) and it's booming with young people out drinking.

My DCs, 25 and 24, rarely drink. Both worked in pubs through University, one on the notorious Otley Road, Leeds. The other is opting for a posh place in Richmond, SW London. The DC in Leeds watched Uni students do the Otley Run and get legless every week, but its a right of passage rather than a regular thing. The other watched middle-aged patrons and many tourists enjoying a cocktail/expensive beer and then leaving. So yes, some people are still embroiled in the drinking culture, from the two age groups noted but it is certainly dying out. There are other ways to socialise now, and alcohol is expensive, camera phones are everywhere, and the hangover isn't worth it.

Beyond the fact that it’s harder to get served under age than “when I was a lass”, I’m not so convinced about this idea that younger people are drinking less.

Even our suburban pubs are packed each night with young people in their early twenties, the breweries and hipster players are rammed with those in late twenties/early thirties with their babies and toddlers. The local student area has queues outside bars and clubs at the most random times, and our local park has a bar so you can have a pint while your kid plays football, ping pong, or just goes on the swing.

So people younger than me seem to be drinking just as much as I ever did. DD isn’t quite old enough to be pushing the drinking boundaries yet but she is showing every sign that she will.

DD is 19, doesn't drink or like the idea of it, she sees it as a waste of money!

Her brother, aged 16, thinks the same.

Both of them have friends who like to drink and take drugs. Neither can see the point tbh.

What seems to be happening here is that two types of pub are full of them - Wetherspoons because it's cheap and newer independent cocktail or craft beer places. The traditional pubs are either full of 40+ age group people eating out or a handful of similar age locals having a quiet pint or glass of wine.

My son and his GF both 23 recently graduated, working and living in a v posh area(high rent) don’t go out drinking or drink at home very often - they do however, do crafting (odd but true) are learning the piano, learning Chinese and like to cook!

I live in the suburbs of a student city and there's definitely young people out at the pubs there. I feel old going into the city centre nowadays!

In my town it's more a mix of ages at the pubs, more local residents going to them. I think it's area dependent.