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.

Ours are fab. Good fun, lovely food and the kids consider working behind the bar as kudos despite Tesco paying more.
It’s a great mix of clubs coming for a pint after cricket/ badminton/ cycling or rugby, the local scaffolders/ builders, chi chi families in for early supper ( kids can climb the trees) plus anyone else.
We also have amazing Halloween,Christmas, Apres Ski and Midsummer events. Very inclusive bringing the village together.

Sorry you live in a crap location Op.

Eh? The pubs in my village and the next one have been there for centuries! They really are doing well.

Lived in a village for several years up until just past Covid - it was the most packed I’d seen pubs on the regular since around 2003.

As I said, I love pubs. But it is false to say they are thriving. They are in huge trouble. Seeing loads of people in them doesn’t even indicate profitability. I thought everyone knew what a car crash the pub industry is in, and has been for years. It’s widely reported.

And prior to the smoking ban, it was the drink driving law. I'm old enough to remember people saying pubs would be fucked by that. Especially rural pubs.

I know.

The only place I’ve seen them thriving is in villages.

I left yhe country in 2004 (mid) - things Stoll looked pretty good. I came back in 2010 (Xmas), having ignored the reports from friends over 2-3 years that town was ‘dead’ - walked into my old local and it was all gone. The whole town was, indeed, dead.

Pubs dying out wont mean less people use the NHS for alcohol issues.
The people I knew who have died due to alcohol did most of their drinking at home, often alone. No one stopped drinking because their local shut.

I left the country in 2003 - my town pubs were thriving. Smoking ban happened in 2007. I came back late 2010 after being told for 2-3 years that my town’s night life was ‘dead’ - walked into my local pub - ig was dead. As was the rest of town.

It was shocking.

The only place I’ve seen them thriving is in villages

Yes the ones in villages usually are (not all)

This is very true. Whats also try’s is that yhd revenue tested by alcohol outsrmyrips yhd cost to the nhs of alcohol related illness.

I like a good old traditional pub. Even a 'Spoons, I also like day time drinking. I'm not old, an alcoholic or retired. I just prefer not going home late at night and tend to meet my friends on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

I'm lucky that where I live has lots of traditional pubs still. They're the life and soul of the community.

Why do you resent the fact that "old boys" have somewhere to go and enjoy themselves? Ageist bollocks

Just came back from a pub today actually. It was lovely, we had a walk, followed by a pub lunch and a children's play area outside.
Each pub has its own demographic, ones in town usually have young people in, then we have the family ones on the outskirts.
I think it can be great social places, admittedly you might have to be selective with a few!

Sorry you live in a crap location Op

I think this is the crux of it....

Even where someone is a "problem drinker"... It's still better they drink in the pub than alone at home. And better they drink in a pub then on a windswept park bench.

Plus, they are socially important for lots of different people as others have said.

I'm no happy but I would be if they kept going with non alcoholic drinks. The UK drinking culture has always been bad for our health, especially men

We've just lost our village pub this week. A small 5 pub chain took it over last year, but they cannot make it work so they've pulled out. Gutted. We lost the post office pre covid and the village shop last year. Pub was the last community 'thing'.

My ex father in law was an alcoholic, he drank at home and drank himself to death. The amount they drink, they can't afford to drink it all down the pub.

When I worked in pubs when I was younger most people who went weren't alcoholics, most would stop by after work for a couple (occasionally it would end up being a late one). The day time drinkers would be gone by the time the after work drinkers arrived. The alcoholics were few and far between in the pub.

Sadly if people don't use it... but yeah, real shame when a community style pub.

It's more or less like my dad's case.

OP, you're being completely unreasonable. You're actually hoping for the economy to collapse, causing people to lose their jobs and incomes. I refuse to overlook the blatant ageism in your post, unlike many others. Consider yourself fortunate that Mumsnet enforces rules against racism but not against ageism.

Mn is one of the most ageist areas of the internet unfortunately

I know. I've noticed that the Mumsnet population, in general, tends to be very ageist.

I’ve read some nonsense on here but this is up there.

First, those “old boys” who you seem to consider don’t deserve or need a social outlet, aren’t going to stop drinking because the pub is closed.

Second, pubs aren’t going to die out. The ones in this area are packed. Most of the bars and pubs that close cite increased costs like utilities and national insurance, not lack of demand.

Third, people drink at home.

My grandfather was found dead eith a bottle of methylated spirits next to him.

A lot of people seem to misunderstand why pubs exist. They are essential community hubs for the exchange of local information, for support, for meeting your neighbours, for warmth and comfort in the cold British weather, for celebrations and wakes, a place for when you just want to get away from your four walls. If pubs are removed it weakens communities and damages British culture.