Cost of living rise? Pubs and restaurants packed.

[MakeMineALarge1]

Ok. I'll be honest, this post is only a reflection of this weekend.
Peter Kay tickets flying out at over £50 a ticket and pubs in Manchester absolutely packed to the rafter's, with standing room only

I took two of my three DC out for dinner today in a northern city (third DC was at a friends house). We don’t usually do this very often at all, but I’ve been working a hell of a lot, my eldest DC is suffering terribly with mental health problems and I just wanted to spend some nice time with them. It was busy out and about today, I don’t know how busy it usually is but there’s also been Remembrance Sunday happening today too.

You seem to assume everyone who is out can afford to be out. Taking the DC out and then to a bookshop to buy some books wasn’t particularly affordable, but in a way it was what was needed given the current situation with everything going on at home. However it’s going to be two weeks until payday, things are going to be a bit/a lot of a stretch. If I go into my overdraft then that’s what’s going to happen this month. No, it’s not the best thing to be happening, but sometimes life is shit and you need a break.

I always remember my BiL when people go on about being able to afford things. Him and his wife have DC, both really well paying jobs and outwardly they have good lives and don’t seem to struggle. However, they are mortgaged to the hilt and have various credit cards and loans. Many people live on credit these days. When times are bad there will be the few who do this, but there are also many people living in each place. For every one person out spending money you can bet that there’s more at home not.

It just shows that not everyone is being affected evenly, you won’t see those hidden and poor. My mortgage has gone up, costs of quite a few things, but it’s not bad for me yet or many of my friends. It’s bad for my mum as she only has a small pension and she is basically living in one room to keep it warmer.

My sister is eating her freezer down with some strange concoctions this last week to afford the PK tickets. Just annoying she has to wait until 2025 to see the benefit.

As pp say you don't see what people don't spend or the choices they make.

The research shows spending is down.

Think the caution to the wind thing is an effect of COVID lockdowns. People were still nervous going out last Xmas and making up for it now.

When I got my nails done yesterday the manicurist said she thinks lots of people are having fun now and in the run up to Christmas as they think it’ll be the last one for a while with fuel bill increases and recession looming or are we in it?

For me, bills are higher but I did sort of factor this in and saved a lot during lockdown.

Flipping heck so one of the largest cities in the UK has busy pubs on a weekend? Best everyone just stays home with their parents watching telly or....?

Hardly taking the pulse of the nation is it OP? Maybe go check out the vastly decreasing pubs in less 'vibrant' areas and see how busy they are - if you're lucky enough to still find one open.

Saying that, all those people that might have gone to the now-closed pub, haven't stopped drinking, they just add it to their supermarket shop along with all the other supplies they might have bought in the now closed local shops.

Probably the worst problem now is there's no Publican nor other pub clientele to send you safely back home if you've had too much or to keep anyone in line or to forgive being out of order.

I thought under 35s normally have less responsibility/ more disposable income so would be least likely to suffer (obviously the ones without super high mortgages or kids)

admittedly I don’t follow this new “crisis” as I find it depressing. But me and my husband are around 30 and are fine, although I did go to nandos at lunch and noticed the prices have gone up.

The struggling people aren't visible. Struggled to get a reservation today!

Cheaper to buy a pint in a warm pub than put the heating on sat at home 🤷‍♀️

So you were out in town but expected everyone else to be at home huddled around their stone cold radiators 🙄

Exactly

So the government etc want us to believe its a non issue and flood the boards and social media with posts like this like covid loads of scared posts whipping up a frenzy then lockdown then cuts to benefits after loads of benefits Britain shows

My hairdresser who can’t go out loads due to a health issue recently (and has had her medication changed recently) told me she’s been to a popular tribute night at a popular and reasonable pub near where she lives. She really enjoyed herself and I think is thinking life is for living rather than being at home with her kids and DH every weekend.

Husbands of friends are WFH and much more relaxed, 2 friends have caring responsibilities for parents so deserve nights out, one NDN doesn’t go out much now she has a toddler, etc…

and covid last year means people were still nervous about going out then, that’s gone now!

So you were out.... and you are wondering....why other people were out?

Ill bite. As i did for your other peter kay thread.

Lipstick effect.

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/business/2022/oct/14/lipstick-effect-britons--luxuries-cost-of-living-crisis

How much are your local pints😳

Or have a nice warm meal out in a nice warm pub/restaurant!

The only way it doesn’t work is if you try to be clever like me, go to a pretty but not that near area but don’t drive (hate drinking and driving!) and don’t research trains/buses… not many Ubers there either! Thank god I had a date with me which went well!

🙄

£4.40

I've always been very frugal and saved a lot, but recently I've thought "fuck it".

If I'm spending hundreds extra a month on bills and rent and food and other essentials, then I'm going to spend some on myself too.

The COL crisis doesn't suddenly mean everyone is destitute. Things cost more but most can afford it.

Yeah that wouldn't be cheaper than my heating for the day 😳
I genuinely did wonder if there is a place with cheap pints somewhere

£2.30 on special offer in local pub

Ok so you must think op the majority of people are struggling. You’ve no concept of the economical variances of salaries in the uk, how folks save and spend? You’re totally confused? How come?

We are nowhere near into the COL crisis yet. Still a long way to go. Many have mortgages / gas / electric contract fixed for terms. When these end people will start feeling the pinch and less spending in pubs/restaurants. Pubs, restaurants still ticking over when these start struggling to pay their mortgages, electric bills jobs will be laid off, less people out spending and the cycle starts. I think we will see out 2022 and most people will come out unscathed. Come back and ask this same question at the end of 2023.