Pub closures: What is the social cost to young people?

[Chippy_Tea]

Interesting video (follow link)

Pubs are closing at a rate of one every twelve hours as teens don't seem to be interested in socialising in them (they would rather socialise in other ways instead) will town centre pubs be a thing of the past 20 years?


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-en...sures-what-is-the-social-cost-to-young-people

Boomers versus millennials, the housing crisis, Brexit rows; could it all be settled over a drink?

Young people don't go to the pub as much as previous generations and it could be damaging society, some academics think.

Boozers are traditionally where young and old, rich and poor mixed with each other, engaging in meaningful chat and light-hearted banter.

Now, some psychologists say we're losing out as more than 11,000 pubs have closed in the last 20 years.

Reporter Ben Moore takes a look at whether this trend means time is being called on different generations bonding over a pint.

• 23 Jul 2019

 

[Rodcx500z]

Hi Chippy, my 2 lad 29 girl 21 very rarely go to the pub, both of them don't drink a lot they have fun in different ways even my grand daughter who is 5 frowns on drinking, I blame it all on the left lovey dovey snowflakes but what do I know being a gammon

 

[Arcs]

Drinking is totally Jenk ;o

 

[Cwrw666]

Most pubs round here only survive because they've turned themselves into restaurants. Without the food side of the business very few of them would survive. And a lot only keep going because of a handful of aged alcoholics who each spend a couple of hundred quid a week propping up the bar.

 

[Arcs]

The triple tax whammy will kill pubs off eventually unless something is done - that will only happen when the future chancellor is not getting any more cash for the treasury due to them all or nearly all being closed. Then he/she will hit us for it >< But at least the British Medical Association will be pleased.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Medical association, I once read somewere there are more alcholics than any other industry apart from the church

 

[Graz]

I had heard that the youth of today really weren't into their booze. I don't understand it, no White Lightening in the park, trying to pass for 18 in the pub, drinking until the world spins

Whilst this might not be a good time for the pub business I guess just like everything else that we have to move with the times and things will evolve. Personally I'd rather sit at home drinking me own brew and watching something on the telly. Haven't been to the pub in ages and I've got one about 150 yards from my house (which seems to do okay).

 

[Dutto]

Just this minute had a natter with my cousin who's son runs (actually "ran") a pub!

Apparently the brewery:

1. Refurbished the pub he was managing.
2. Cut his sales commission (i.e. his wages) from 23% to 17%!
3. Refused his offer of a reduction to 20%.
4. Refused to assist him with Staff Wages etc.

It was at this point that he handed in his resignation and now has a job on a local building site!

If successful pub managers (cousin's son had increased sales by over 10% before the refurbishment) are leaving is it any wonder that pub patrons also leave?

 

[Hopperty]

too many people brewing at home instead of supporting the local boozer

 

[GerritT]

Medical association, I once read somewere there are more alcholics than any other industry apart from the church

Don't underestimate Education.

 

[GerritT]

No bar, disco, café, dancing or pub in the neighbourhood.

 

[BarnBrian]

If all the pubs had free wifi the youngsters could text each other across the bar tables!!!!! Much better than sitting at the bar talking about politics or even the B word. Hmmmmm.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

too many people brewing at home instead of supporting the local boozer

If I stopped making my own and drinking at home I wouldn't start visiting my local and even if I did definitelyi not often enough to make a difference to its future.

 

[PhilBrew]

Hi Chippy

Pubs are closing at a rate of one every twelve hours ...

... I'm certainly not saying pubs aren't closing ... but I do find myself wondering whether examples (in my area) like ...

• the specialist bottle shop off-licence, that put in some café tables and got themselves an "on-licence" (for people to drink the beers they bought there, rather than take them home first)
• the craft beer bar that opened in the shut down toy and model shop
• the micro-pub that opened in the ex-vacuum cleaner and small appliance repair shop
• the "trendy wine bar" that opened in the shut-down branch of the NatWest bank
• the sandwich bar/café that converts itself into a bar in the evenings

... are just not being counted amongst the (net) figures for numbers of drinking establishments around ... and, in my experiences, most of those places seem to have had a much broader mix of "young and old, rich and poor ... engaging in meaningful chat and light-hearted banter" in them, than some of the sad old boozers that have since gone to the wall used to

Cheers, PhilB

 

[simon12]

Everywhere is different ie. in Rehill a pub has closed roughly every year since the smoking ban came in and the night club closed at almost the same time and the two pubs remaining in the town centre are rarely that full but just over a mile away in Reigate all the pubs are packed most of the time and in the last few years 2 micro pubs have opened and pilgrim brewery opened a tap room. As for the social costs for the younger generation only time will tell.

 

[jceg316]

I see these stats saying how rapidly pubs are closing, but no statistic should be taken in a vacuum. How many are opening? How many "close" but are actually being refurbished and opened as a gastropub or craft beer/wine bar? How many failed to modernise and like any business went under? When they say "pub" does that mean a traditional British boozer type place or modern style bars as well? Do they take into account other premises which sell alcohol (like tap rooms)? These are genuine questions I always have as I keep getting adverts on Facebook for the Save the Local campaign.

I'm sure taxes are bad, and it is probably area dependent, in Central London you don't really see pub blight. Most places are heaving after work and on weekends.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

How many failed to modernise and like any business went under? When they say "pub" does that mean a traditional British boozer type place or modern style bars as well?

I think they mean traditional pubs, when i was in my 20's we drunk heavily on a Friday night after a darts comp either in the local or away pub, Saturday night was the big one a pub crawl and to the night club after the pubs closed and on Sunday we used to sink a few usually at a pub quiz, our football team was sponsored by one pub so we went there for a couple on a week night so we basically lived in the pubs i think the youth of today have lots of other things to do so have no need to meet friends in pubs and that is why they are on the decline in many places.

 

[GerritT]

I think they mean traditional pubs, when i was in my 20's we drunk heavily on a Friday night after a darts comp either in the local or away pub, Saturday night was the big one a pub crawl and to the night club after the pubs closed and on Sunday we used to sink a few usually at a pub quiz, our football team was sponsored by one pub so we went there for a couple on a week night so we basically lived in the pubs i think the youth of today have lots of other things to do so have no need to meet friends in pubs and that is why they are on the decline in many places.

About the sam where I grew up, they were mostly snackbars/pub combo's but many an evening were spent there. The second home for us youngsters. And our parents were alright with it, they knew where we were, that we would get home at about what time, and in what condition

 

[Hoppyland]

I think they mean traditional pubs,

Yep, and having grown up drinking in the 60s and 70s, there's a hell of lot I miss about traditional pubs. But then, there's a lot I don't. How many were just "drinking dens", and a refuge for semi-alcoholics when off-sales weren't the cheapest and obvious way to go.
I know for sure that I'm supremely lucky where I live. There's a "local" that really is that - a community hub in the village. At lunchtime, to a degree, but moreso in the evening, it transforms itself into a restaurant. But still with the bar area for the locals or non-diners.
The food is genuinely superb, the beer (a changing feast of real ales) is as good as I could imagine, and the atmosphere is wonderful.
I suppose the only problem - relating to the OP - is that there aren't many youngsters. I'm tempted to suggest that there aren't that many youngsters round here. But I fail to convince myself. There clearly are younger people - even though the village is relatively small - but the lovely pub seems to be mainly frequented by old gits like myself

 

[Gerryjo]

The majority of pub's in my town all serve food and the quality is superb as they are competing with one another on a daily bases.
In the eighties you were lucky to get a restaurant that served beer unless it was a Chinese restaurant which was good for food and a drink after the pub's closed especially on a Sunday as drinking laws differed in Northern Ireland.
Now you need to have a working kitchen to get a late license and there's always somewhere open late though there are quite a few that have had to close their doors due too lack of demand as supermarket and off license price's are more affordable for people to have a drink at home before going out or not going out at all.