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Original poster

I'm happy pubs are dying out

343 replies

Raymondsam · 28/09/2025 18:02

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.

OP posts:
Hobnobswantshernameback · 28/09/2025 19:20

Goady bitchplopping twattery
sooo edgy op
🙄

Donttellempike · 28/09/2025 19:22

Raymondsam · 28/09/2025 18:02

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.

so what are the “Old boys” meant to do now ? You sound like an insufferable fun sponge

Nodecaffallowed · 28/09/2025 19:22

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

HRchatter · 28/09/2025 19:25

Alcohol and drugs related incidents take up 90% of the police’s daily work load
Anything that reduces either would be great

feellikeanalien · 28/09/2025 19:25

MyDeftDuck · 28/09/2025 19:14

What the OP has failed to acknowledge is that the pub, for some who live alone, is often their only social outlet. It might be that elderly man who’s lost his wife, kids live some distance away, having a pint in the evening, often sitting alone and maybe having a chat with the bar staff but quite often not……take that away OP and what has he got? …….bugger all!

That was my next door neighbour. He was 87 when he died last year but still went to the pub regularly.

Our local pub has quiz nights, darts nights and other events. It also has accommodation and does a very popular Sunday lunch. It it the heart of the village really.

Lonelycrab · 28/09/2025 19:26

Yabu

HighLadyofTheNightCourt · 28/09/2025 19:29

Where I live the local pubs absolutely are the hub of the community. We’ll continue to support them as much as we can.

KickHimInTheCrotch · 28/09/2025 19:29

Sounds like your town is a shit hole.

My village has 3 independent pubs that are busy throughout the year with families, couples, groups of friends, darts and skittles teams, people playing cards and chess, walkers, cyclists people on their own who are passing through or just want to sit somewhere with a bit of life. All serve food and a range of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, much of what they serve is produced or manufactured locally (local ales for example). They employ chefs, waitresses, bar staff, glass collectors, cleaners.

What's wrong with any of that.

LancashireButterPie · 28/09/2025 19:32

I see the effects of loneliness every day and I bet it costs the NHS a lot more than even alcohol does.
Most pubs rely on food sales these days. I don't drink alcohol at all but I love to go to our local pub to meet friends and have a catch up. I also like to play pool with DH when I get the chance.
DS often works from his local pub in a very isolated village, he would see no one on his home working days otherwise.
If you don't like pubs, don't go. You really won't be missed.

Sunbeam01 · 28/09/2025 19:32

MissPobjoysPonies · 28/09/2025 18:28

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 couldn't agree more.

OP perhaps they would still be social hubs if people could actually afford to drink in them. Society is so divided these days. I'm sick of it.

AbbeyGrange · 28/09/2025 19:32

You're being very naive if you think if a pub goes out of business then everyone will stop drinking! Tesco sometimes have the offer of buy 6 bottles of wine get 25% off, if pubs close they can still get booze.
Honestly the pub has been part and parcel of Britain for centuries. I don't know where you live but it sounds grim werever it is, the pub in the next village to me is steeped in history, King Charles II stopped there after his defeat at the battle of Worcester, I love history like this and it's a beautiful pub, it's not just about booze it's so much more than that, you do know you can get Tea, Coffee and soft drinks in pubs?

Marylou2 · 28/09/2025 19:33

How miserable. I don't drink but I love my local pubs. Place to meet friends, pub quiz, band on a Saturday night, just booked a wreath making class at Christmas. You're going to the wrong pubs.

Wiltingasparagusfern · 28/09/2025 19:33

Raymondsam · 28/09/2025 18:02

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.

Think your town is the issue. Not the whole concept of pubs.

I’m in my local all the time, it’s a real community hub. Lots of families, decent wine and beers on tap, fancy food but also a cheap lunch menu, huge garden and terrace, lovely staff. I can’t imagine life without it

Bambamhoohoo · 28/09/2025 19:33

Look I’m not one to worry about men much but the men’s mental health crisis is real and we’re all suffering for it. Back in the day men would pop down to the pub, socialise, come home. So many men haven’t managed to replace or develope this contact in any other way. I was talking to a group the other day actually about how our male partners, brothers and dads are all suffering to varying degrees from lack of social life.

Nodecaffallowed · 28/09/2025 19:33

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

Bambamhoohoo · 28/09/2025 19:34

Btw I’m sober and absolutely love pubs. Where else can you sit down, breathe, start a conversation afresh without distraction, maybe stay for hours? Not forgetting the interesting buildings, history, gardens etc many pubs offer

BauhausOfEliott · 28/09/2025 19:36

Christ, you sound like worst kind of bitter, gloating fun sponge.

LillyPJ · 28/09/2025 19:37

Pubs are great hubs for people to meet, relax and socialize. Nowadays, there are plenty of non-alcoholic drinks available and the Wetherspoons pubs I know are full of groups of men and women, families out for a meal, people of all ages... It will be a sad day if all pubs close.

Crunchienuts · 28/09/2025 19:37

Maybe you live in a shit area, the ones I go to are nice enough.

BooneyBeautiful · 28/09/2025 19:39

FrivolousKitchenRollUse · 28/09/2025 18:12

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.

Good point. Some years ago, a man I knew who would have been in his fifties at the time (we grew up together in a small village) used to go to his local for a couple of beers every lunchtime. His drinking acquaintances suddenly realised they hadn't seen him for a few days, so they went round to his home to check up on him and found him dead. Goodness knows how long he would have been there if it hadn't been for his daily routine.

Before anyone asks, he had been unable to work for a long time due to a health condition, but as far as I know, he was actually looking for work by then. Going to the pub made him feel less isolated.

CloudPop · 28/09/2025 19:48

Bambamhoohoo · 28/09/2025 19:33

Look I’m not one to worry about men much but the men’s mental health crisis is real and we’re all suffering for it. Back in the day men would pop down to the pub, socialise, come home. So many men haven’t managed to replace or develope this contact in any other way. I was talking to a group the other day actually about how our male partners, brothers and dads are all suffering to varying degrees from lack of social life.

Very good point

ChubbyPuffling · 28/09/2025 19:48

Our local is thriving.

Runs a Knit and natter a couple of times a week - one morning, one afternoon, tea and cake every morning, there's a group of young mums, a group of older mums, a book club meet. Dominoes, darts and cribbage as well as the usual quiz night and karaoke night.
Seeing the old blokes totting up a crib score is like viewing an artform.

They serve booze too...

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 28/09/2025 19:49

Raymondsam · 28/09/2025 18:02

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.

“Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?”
(Twelfth Night Act 2, Scene 3)

Bumblebee72 · 28/09/2025 19:51

HRchatter · 28/09/2025 19:25

Alcohol and drugs related incidents take up 90% of the police’s daily work load
Anything that reduces either would be great

I'm not sure closing pubs will have any impact there. Stopping supermarkets selling alcohol would have a big impact. For drugs if there actually arrested users it might help - if casual users knew they would get a proper conviction and then be unable to get visa for the US etc it might help nip it in the bud.

EmeraldRoulette · 28/09/2025 19:51

@BooneyBeautiful those are the kind of people who I hope will raise the alarm when I die. If it's at home. Which I hope it is, lol.