To say most places are too cold to be enjoyable?

[Mushroo]

The cold snap has really emphasised this, but AIBU to say most places are freezing and it really puts me off going?

I love the idea of a cozy coffee shop, warm pub with a fire, warm restaurant and red wine.

in reality, most places are draughty, barely heated and you have to keep your coat on.

It's not the weather, as I've travelled in Europe to much colder places and everywhere is so toasty and lovely in comparison, even places that are warm in the summer seem to do winter heating well.

Is it just me, or are others often disappointed? I don't even think I'm a particularly 'cold' person.

Went out for lunch on Christmas Eve and they had inside and outside marquee type setting. We were seated outside which I was worried about. However they had patio heaters in the ceiling on full blast so much so I started to feel a bit sick with the heat, it was quite oppressive. It was lovely to go out and feel the cold on my face. But then they were also charging £8 for a beer, £14 for a double g&t so maybe that’s where they got their heating money from!

I’d rather stay home or in my coat than give my money to Spoons.

No Spoons is warm enough to warrant actually being in one.

Yes this. Draughty doors, no lobbies, large windows, no proper ventilation so windows have to be open eg in the toilets (oh god womens pub loos in unheated little concrete bick extensions - ugh!). We are absolutely pathetic at making buildings efficient and comfortable in this country, and are used to just chucking heat at it instead, but when costs soar - and businesses don't even have a price cap - we are left shivering. It's not a nice way to spend an evening and certainly incompatible with "dressing up" IMO

I get hot when I move and cold when I stop so winter is already annoying for changing layers like a pass the parcel. I can still strip to a vest top when running over the winter. The worst is moving up a sweat then being cold and damp 10 minutes after stopping.

There is zero pleasure in sitting in a venue with your nose drippingly cold. Especially is service is slow and the food isn't arriving to warm you up. Plus the food goes cold much quicker. It's not an invitation to return in a hurry.

Add in draughts and ventilation that make you wish you'd worn a wind stopper instead of normal jumpers.

Shops when you're moving around and don't really want to be carrying a coat aren't so bad.

I think most places are too warm. 25 Degrees is far too hot inside. Because you dress for the weather.

We sat outside on picnic benches for a tea room yesterday as it was oppressively hot inside.

Completely agree. Also in a large, draughty difficult to heat house and as a result have a good wardrobe of woolen layers. Nothing else (except maybe fur or down) keeps you as warm. Due to clothing and acclimatisation I find nearly all public places unbearably hot. Hotels are the worst. Energy is expensive - as it absolutely should be as a mostly non-renewable resource - forget synthetic fashionable clothes; layer up and dress for the weather!

the last couple of times I’ve been in pizza express it’s been so cold. Same with a few chain restaurants actually
Having said that, we recently started at a premier inn type hotel and it was stifling- the windows didn’t open and I felt really stuffy and uncomfortable

Businesses are under so much pressure with the woeful state of the economy and financial burdens on them, that basics like heating, air conditioning in the summer and cleanliness has been cut back.

Patio heaters are an environmental crime imho

It is actually against the law in some places; New York is one. I hated when I worked as a Christmas temp in retail a few years ago. I often got the job of ‘meet and greet’ and it was horribly cold stood by the open door for hours and hours. I have no idea why shops do this, there are often heaters blasting away over the doorway too, but having no effect because of the doors being open.

The difference when we put the heating on at night to do deliveries was amazing!

I'm perfectly capable of dressing for the inclement British weather but don't wish to do so when indoors.

Omg yes fully agree. I’m always baffled that as soon as it gets cold we decide our “festive” traditions should all be outdoors… christmas markets, street/park light displays, meeting santa in a freezing tent/marquee. Why are we like this 😂

I’ve not noticed this at all.

Recently I’ve been out to dinner and lunch several times, visited the hair dresser, beautician’s, been to the office, the theatre and all venues seemed warm enough. No issues with coats on indoors, I’ve been fine in a jumper. No one else seemed to have coats on except one woman at a smart restaurant who also kept her woolly hat on (in a large and busy restaurant it was just her so I don’t think anyone felt as cold)

Our house is old and difficult to heat, so it’s on the colder side, 18 degrees is a normal max for us with the heating on for a few hours, so perhaps I’m used to it being colder and don’t notice as much.

I like being outdoors, it’s good for you. As long as you are dressed properly it isn’t miserable.

I agree with this, I expect a roaring fire in pubs and they're often not on or if they are, piffling tiny little things

Oh trust me I am very, very miserable unless I’m toasty

The average temperature in England yesterday was 6 degrees. Where do you live??

Yesterday I was in the Yorkshire Dales, near Austwick. That’s where the tea room was. We also camped last night (in a campervan) and woke up in snow. There were people camping in tents where we were.

Gosh - I agree. Same with shops, I often wonder how people manage to work in such chilly environments

This thread is like all others on MN.

OP makes a perfectly reasonable observation about the need for heating indoor public spaces in the winter, that too in an island in northwest Europe. We’re not talking about Mediterranean winter.

In no time the competitive survivalism starts with posters proclaiming that they find it oppressive indoors anytime the temperature is above -25c. And they prefer to sit outside for meals and entertainment in nothing but a bikini or swimming trunks.

What the hell is OP even talking about.

People are different thats why. I used to be one of these, hot all the time, boiling, would sit outside in all weathers.

Now I need the heating on 25 degrees and Im still cold with various layers on.

Its horrible and I wish I was the same as before.

I recently visited London in a cold wet spell and found that all the cafes and most the pubs were freezing cold, and it was impossible to use them to warm up and let your coat dry a bit. Partly because of people coming in and out all the time. Where I live is more rural and all the pubs and some of the coffee shops are toasty warm with real fires or really good radiators.

@cardibach
@SunC10ud

if some people don’t go to Spoons then they might not be able to afford to go out full stop for a drink or meal or whatever. People should be able to go out and eat and drink whatever their budget. Spoons has a time and a place.

Totally agree.