I'm happy pubs are dying out

[Raymondsam]

In my town at least.

Maybe decades ago the argument could be made that they're social hubs for people to unwind, meet and have a good time on a weekend.

Nowadays they're just hovels where mostly retired old boys go to binge drink in the daytime and cost the NHS billions in the various cancers strokes and host of other comorbidities that crop up.

The three biggest ones in my town are the typical chain owned leasehold places. Big companies that own hundreds of pubs all over the country. They treat the leaseholders like crap, if they start to turn a decent profit they up the rent.

What age group are you clssjng as old? Most daily, day drinkers I've known die in their early 60's. What is happening to the empty buildings and are the jobs lost being replaced?

You're fun!

Not my fabulous, independent local thanks.

What a ridiculous generalisation. I have 40+ pubs and bars Within 15 minutes walk of my front door. Maybe 3 fit your description.

What about the jobs that are created through the pub trade, does the loss of jobs not bother you? Are you a puritan, because you sound like a joyless misery

Not all pubs are hovels and even if they are so fucking what?

Yabu and I say that as someone who dislikes pubs and doesn't drink.

It creates jobs and opportunities for socialising. And it's not like an equivalent is replacing them.

'Old boys' like public school alumni? Or well-behaved aging Labradors? Or traditional gentlemen from the US South?

I'd guess the clientele depends on the type of pub and the area. I do agree with you, though, that I'm not impressed with any of the big pub chains - problem is, as prices rise out of control for many people, it's the most horrible lowest common denominator chains that appear the most accessible for people who genuinely can't just forgo the pub.

What a misery.

Also - in your not enjoying pubs, entirely failing to understand pub culture.

Ridiculous nonsense, OP. Stop it.

Your short post is a bit of a contradiction as surely you'd want them to revert back to your image of them decades ago rather than just die out?

Me (mid 40;s), I've never been a pub goer in general and never had a local, but when you talk to the people you mention in your second paragraph, they point out how important they used to be in a community, even in terms of being able to keep an eye on vulnerable people and certain situations. The more people live their lives behind closed doors can be a bad thing.

Loneliness, isolation and loss of community costs a hell of a lot more in lack of productivity, MH issues and social and physical health issues.

Nowadays they're just hovels where mostly retired old boys go to binge drink in the daytime

You don't see much binge drinking in retired people - slow sipping of a pint, in my experience.

I think it's a shame if a British tradition is dying out.

"Nowadays they're just hovels where mostly retired old boys go to binge drink in the daytime and cost the NHS billions in the various cancers strokes and host of other comorbidities that crop up".

That's rather a sweeping generalisation OP. I don't drink and have rarely ventured into a pub but I was pleasantly surprised by how my local is used more as a community hub. On most days they open from late morning to host various community groups. This includes a mother and baby group, knitting and natter group and a church outreach group for men. For many people who are socially isolated it is a lifeline.

I would be looking to move towns if that’s what the pubs in your town are like. Ours are nothing like that! I have also been in pubs in different areas when meeting family etc and haven’t come across any like you describe.

My dad's an elderly retired old boy. Once a week he manages to stagger to the only local ish pub for 1 pint and 1 Apple juice to meet his friend. He used to go to the local pubs (3, all of which have closed down in the last 10 years) several times a week to meet his friends. Again, 1 pint and then an Apple juice. His friends have mostly died and the pubs have all closed down.

You sound bloody horrible, OP. Of course it's not great that pubs are closing down so fast.

Yikes. YABU. Pubs are social hubs. Public houses that have a licence to sell alcohol. You are blaming a cultural livelihood on a bunch of miscreants with a drinking problem. If pubs go, so do the landlord's homes. Do you want that, OP?

Nowadays they're just hovels where mostly retired old boys go to binge drink in the daytime and cost the NHS billions in the various cancers strokes and host of other comorbidities that crop up.

Doing a quick google alcohol related illness cost the NHS £27.44 billion per year with £4.9 billion attributed to retired men.

YABU and ageist with it.

Aren't you a miserable old git.

I love my local pubs! I’d really miss them if they went. It’s nice to have a buzzing busy town centre. And lots of jobs.

Our local pub is lovely! And there were lots of lovely bars in the town I used to live in. They are a place to meet, have fun, and provide jobs.
OP - pubs are easy to avoid!

God forbid people might actually want to socialise or relieve their loneliness. I suppose you'd prefer people to remain indoors on their own eating lettuce leaves 🙄

You are the first OP I genuinely want to fuck off.

you simply know nothing about how much pubs contribute to the economy or employment. Lose pubs and multiple other companies will also slip away.

not a single pub I know fits your description, it is not something I recognise at all and I regularly visit and deal with publicans for work.

I'm in a local pub right now, we popped in for a pint after a long autumn walk. . They've just finised serving Sunday lunch which was full of young familes and couples. Now it is calmer and is mainly groups of friends, solo dog walkers and couples drinking and socialising.

They also hold social events such as life draweing, music nighta, comedy gigs etc.. it is a pleasant and buzzing social space. Maybe it's just where you live is a bit shit?

Ours are still great social hubs supporting the local communities - subsidising teas and coffees for the welfare groups , rooms or quiet corners for clubs to meet, live music. Save the NHS a fortune by enabling and supporting all these groups. The drunks are usually associated with the wakes for which I can cut them lots of slack. I think ours are independent of the big brewers.

guess it’s where you live not pubs in general. It would be devastating if we lost ours.

Also I Imagine a lot of problem drinkers are doing it in their own homes, not in pubs.