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.

I’ve put as unreasonable.
some of these ‘retired old boys’ have no family or friends and their only contact outside their house is the local pub otherwise it will be likely they don’t leave their house in some cases

piss beer = ale is boring, where is IPA or prosecco??

IPA is ale, and prosecco is the most boring drink known to humankind.

I feel a fish and chip challenge
I'll raise you with our local pub's fish and chips made with the lightest, crispiest beer batter. They only do fish and chips on Thursdays and Fridays with fresh fish delivered from Grimsby.

I have never tasted better fish and chips anywhere else.

I love pubs. Nothing nicer than sitting in a snug and having a glass of wine...even on my own when I'm in the city centre and need a break (only do it now and then). Pubs are underrated and I'm sad to see them go.

What a weird and sad post ?

Maybe you just live in a shit hole? None of my locals are anything like this.

Most definitely not in our village pub 😁 Our landlord knows better

IPA is a different kind of ale. Not your flat boring Marstons Pedigree

of course prosecco is boring... )))

Same here - we lost one pub, the others are really important for our community and would make our village a sadder more isolating place.

I get you are pro-traditional pubs, maybe even an owner.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I think pubs are boring, smelly and they had their day. You think they are super amazing and I should stay away, which I do - but so as hundreds of others - that's why pubs are failing and closing. So maybe get off your high defensive horse and think why that is?

Unfortunately the 'spoons' reputation for encouraging down and out pissheads spreads to other pubs. Traditional pubs struggle to keep going without becoming 'foodie' and good landlords are hard to find. Our local shut after issues over the lease renewal, the cost was unrealistic. It was a cosy, traditional pub that did some nice food but wasn't a restaurant.

The cost of living crisis. HTH.

I agree you must live in a really rough area. Because I absolutely do not recognise your description at all.

Are you always this negative? Pubs have their place, especially in our village where it is a real community hub, but you don't get it do you?

There are several very modern pubs near me that are full and thriving. But they serve a variety of drinks, often great food as well, they have a large number of local craft beers, they are very pretty, and always full of people from all walks of life - mainly young people and families. And there is one pub that is very "traditional" - no kids allowed, no "fancy" drinks, no food, no "outsiders" are made to feel welcome, its grim inside, very low effort. It has its regulars and still has custom, but I cant see it surviving long. Sad but true.

I do get it, don't I. No one is taking your pub away, just make sure its not only old biddies and middle aged men who are interested in going there regularly. It wont survive if its only has custom at weekends and is empty the rest of the week.

I’m interested in the purpose of this thread. Pubs (and the associated drinking) are an integral part of British culture. I’m not sure why anyone would be championing the decline of a British cultural institution

I don’t own a pub, I worked in a few when I was a student but now I’m just a customer. I see the important role they can play in a community and understand the contribution they make to the labour market.

What I object to is people advocating for the decline of an entire sector because they personally don’t like it or want to use it. It’s selfish and shortsighted. There are plenty of things in society that I don’t enjoy or use but I’m not selfish or self centred enough to think everyone feels the same.

If you don’t want drink in a pub or just a certain type of pub then don’t. But look further than the end of your own nose and realise that not all pubs are as you describe.

The reason the hospitality sector is struggling is multi faceted and it’s not because people dislike pubs all of a sudden. Speak to any landlord and they’ll tell you that it’s unfavourable government policy (NI rises, taxes etc) and the increase in the cost of living (utilities, food etc) that’s having the biggest impact. Any decline in custom is generally due to cost not because people no longer want to go to the pub.
Pubs have never had more appeal to wider groups of people. They’re no longer the domain of men, they’re community hubs, local eateries, entertainment venues…but the CoL crisis is the biggest issue.

I think the problem is no matter now nice the area is, "traditional" pubs and working men's clubs are the kind of places that are not frequented by the wealthy and upmarket people.

I get there are nice pubs in some villages, but I'm not talking about Cotswolds here. I lived in the Midlands so a bit more realistic ))

I'm not advocating for anything. I just think pubs are often resistant to change and become bastions of the kind of "traditionalism" that is unhealthy and detrimental even to themselves.

Pubs are not the only place where you can drink and socialise.

I used to like in the Midlands. The pubs in the very traditional market town I grew up in are still the same pubs as when I started drinking in them over 30 years ago with perhaps more serving food now. All busy and thriving. The area round Birmingham I lived in for a couple of decades has seen a massive decline due to most of the area now housing 1st to 3rd generation immigrants who don’t use the pubs. Maybe that is what you are experiencing?

You think or you know? Because this thread is full of people telling you how their local, traditional pub has adapted. You’re just choosing to ignore them.

I live in a small city in south east England now. Huge variety of pubs here, independent mostly, some serving food, others not.

But I’m from the midlands and in my opinion you also can’t beat a proper Black Country boozer. I love those too.

Again I wonder what sort of place you live to have such a negative outlook. I love pubs, especially my local, and rarely find one I don’t like.

Not true where I live.
I live in a northern village in an area which has become quite affluent. My village and those locally all have a mix of traditional pubs and working men’s clubs (they’re band clubs here but the same thing) as well as wine/cocktail bars.
They all get a mix of customers because they offer slightly different things. In fact, the traditional pubs and band clubs do more business than the cocktail bars.

I also go drinking around the Manchester area and see the same. People do still drink in traditional pubs in many areas.

But people like to drink and socialise in a pub, that’s the point being made. That experience can’t be replicated in a cafe or restaurant.