No, it’s a choice.
You posted a thread asking people to critique your business plan (which isn’t a business plan but ok….), and have been resoundingly told it’s a bad idea, insufficient market, etc.
You clearly don’t want to hear it, so why not just go ahead and do it anyway.
You have chosen a sober life and want to support your partner, that’s fine. However, the vast majority of people in the U.K. (which is your demographic…not a heavily Mormon area of America) will include alcohol when socialising.
That doesn’t mean they have a problem with alcohol, it means they are able to moderate their alcohol intake in a healthy way without becoming reliant on it, in a way that your partner was unable to. I’m very sorry for his struggles, but the answer is not to lash out at or judge those who do enjoy a few drinks to let their hair down….it will be the vast majority of the adult population of the U.K., of which those who descend into addiction is a tiny proportion.
And brutally, THAT is the crux of what’s wrong with your business idea. It’s based around one person, and what one person you care about would like to do. There isn’t a mass market and I would argue there isn’t even a niche market because of all non drinkers (which in itself is a minority) you then have sub groups -
Recovering alcoholics for whom a ‘fake pub’ with ‘fake alcohol’ would be a huge trigger
People whose religious beliefs mean they wouldn’t be comfortable in a ‘fake bar’ - as others have said, they go to late night dessert places etc.
People who don’t drink but have no issue with those who do, and socialise with their friends who do enjoy alcohol, so again wouldn’t come. They would go somewhere that caters to all.
You will not get a pub football game atmosphere in a dry bar. You’ll get a very dull atmosphere with a football game in the background.
Your niche is far too niche. It appears to be very specific to what your partner misses.
You are misunderstanding, either intentionally or genuinely, the part that alcohol plays in the atmosphere of a pub, bar, evening entertainment venue. It’s pretty much the backbone of it.
I say this as someone who has a ‘proper’ night out once a year at best and rarely drinks, but I completely understand that what you’re trying to do won’t work.
As others have said, it would be far better to try to set up some kind of community interest company aimed at supporting young revolving addicts by giving them a social setting where they can go, without temptation or triggers. But you need to understand that the market for that will be very small, therefore no profit, hence CIC type set up would be needed. You’d probably find others more inclined to also drop in for a drink here and there to support the cause itself (which is a very noble one…it’s just not going to work as a business).