So, is it time for us to call last orders on the pubs?

[marshbrewer]

Reading a few of the posts above, I genuinely feel sorry for some of you guys - my local is a linchpin of my community, a proper boozer. The very suggestion that I should stay away is so alien to me that I'm assuming that the pubs some of you guys have are more of a run of the mill business than a traditional community asset. Hard to explain what I mean, really. When I was younger (I'm 48) most communities had a boozer like this, several in most cases. I won't rant on how governments of both flavours have managed to kill them off, but I think it's very sad.

You will have to pry my local out of my cold, dead, hands.

 

[An Ankoù]

Reading a few of the posts above, I genuinely feel sorry for some of you guys - my local is a linchpin of my community, a proper boozer. The very suggestion that I should stay away is so alien to me that I'm assuming that the pubs some of you guys have are more of a run of the mill business than a traditional community asset. Hard to explain what I mean, really. When I was younger (I'm 48) most communities had a boozer like this, several in most cases. I won't rant on how governments of both flavours have managed to kill them off, but I think it's very sad.

You will have to pry my local out of my cold, dead, hands.

We, at least I, know exactly what you're talking about and you're lucky to have such a boozer. Am I right in suggesting they did their best to facilitate deliveries to the thirsty during the lockdown as well? That's a community pub. I don't think you get the same feeling of community in the metropolis, though.

 

[terrym]

I live in a large village which would support a pub. Unfortunately the only pub here closed down about five years ago, after being run down by a greedy brewery and then a property developer who bought it hoping to convert it to a supermarket with accommodation. There is currently an ACV (Asset of Community Value) order on the property which the Local Authority seem to want to support, and have refused several applications by the owner to go for a change of use in different guises. Meanwhile the building itself is in steady decline. That said it was not a very nice pub in the first place, and I never used it, although investment and the right owners could change that. Two miles up the road either way there are three pubs, one of which is the ideal old school local and would suit me well. But I don't mix drinking and driving at all. So I have rarely visited any of them, more's the pity.
Anyway, if you have a local that you used to visit from time to time before the first part of this year, think twice before deliberately boycotting it, because if everyone adopts a similar attitude, it might be gone when you want it.

 

[Stephen Cook]

So, ok, given we have been dealing with Covid-19, then lockdown and then the reopening of pubs where people just don't behave any more. Then you can add the fact that beer is worse than its usual standard along with they are selling less varieties of it due to less applicable custom.

Is it time we as homebrewers called time on the pubs at least temporarily until perhaps next year say march when we get over another wave of this virus? I for one am thinking, well the suggestion is that the over 50's may have to shield anyway - I am 50 btw. My beer of late has been - sorry to be immodest - fantastic and way better than what I can buy in a pub. So I am at this juncture, is it time to call time on them for a while? I don't like to see people lose their jobs etc but if I am paying way over the odds of my own brew and still not getting a decent pint I might as well.

I am interested in your thoughts on this matter. 3-2-1 go....

1. This lock-down has not been to "protect" people

2. No one has been "misbehaving"

The mountain of public debt and biggest economic crash that is now underway has not, despite the bollocks we are being told, been to counter the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

It has not even been to counter the fallout from the entirely unnecessary lock-downs and other restrictions on civil liberties.

It has been to enable the controlled demolition and subsequent restructuring of a western capitalist system that was going to go **** up around about now anyway. Only, this way, our dear leaders get to decide who mans the lifeboats, who stays below deck, who gets to issue the orders and who gets to shut the f*ck up and do as they are told.

It's what the end of empire looks like.

 

[terrym]

1. This lock-down has not been to "protect" people

2. No one has been "misbehaving"

The mountain of public debt and biggest economic crash that is now underway has not, despite the bollocks we are being told, been to counter the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

It has not even been to counter the fallout from the entirely unnecessary lock-downs and other restrictions on civil liberties.

It has been to enable the controlled demolition and subsequent restructuring of a western capitalist system that was going to go t**s up around about now anyway. Only, this way, our dear leaders get to decide who mans the lifeboats, who stays below deck, who gets to issue the orders and who gets to shut the f*ck up and do as they are told.

It's what the end of empire looks like.

In your opinion, for what it's worth.

 

[foxy]

As a single man I used to have a counter meal at the pub, generally curried sausages, used to cost around $4.00, just stand at the bar and eat. Funny story, I was playing darts one afternoon and had the curried sausages, my opponent slipped out to the butchers and bought a rabbit. He opened up the paper it was wrapped in, said to me look at them kidneys, and ripped them out with is teeth and ate them. Needless to say the game of darts was aborted as he was very unwell afterwards. Went by the name of Mad Dog, I have lots of stories about him. Not one to cross mind.

 

[Druncan]

I feel that our local hotels have been crippled by the covid re-opening rules up here. It may be necessary, but no music, laughter or loud talking in a highland pub,,, it just does not make for a pleasurable welcoming experience. My one trip out there may be my last for the foreseeable. If I ever get my brewery conversion finished I will at least be able to get my brews in there.

 

[Rodcx500z]

I have been to the pub once since the start of lockdown spoons in southport last week we sat outside and ordered using the app a totally weird expeirence no one asked for or details, ok they may be able to trace your phone which i doubt but there were 2 of us, and all the atmosphear was gone totally devoid of human interaction so may be awhile before i visit a pub again

 

[trueblue]

all the atmosphear was gone totally devoid of human interaction so may be awhile before i visit a pub again

Sounds quite normal for most spoons pubs I have been in.

 

[Richie_asg1]

I think that for a lot of us the traditional village pub disappeared a long time ago. I do like an old pub though, even if modern bars on the high street try to mimic them with fake plastic beams and the odd antique on a shelf. I do hope that such places will have ACV protection so that one day they can be opened again. In the meantime they may become bed & breakfast type places - much like the original coaching inns they replaced.
The rest can go to the wall as quickly as they sprung up. We no longer have our bakery which devolved into a Chinese, our butchers became a pharmacy and our greengrocer became a CoOp.
While we all like a good pub, there are far too many bad ones out there to keep them all.
My best pub was a coaching inn built 900 years ago which I happily walked 2 miles to. Now I have one at the end of my road about 500 yards away I've only been in it twice - once to return a glass.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The pubs were in a downward spiral long before Covid, i have posted before in threads like this that my Son and friends have little interest in pubs and when i asked he said he doesn't know many people in their twenties (his age group) that regularly go round town like we used to.

 

[Mavroz]

It must be January that I last went In a pub, that was for our wedding anniversary as we had been given a food and drink voucher by relatives.
Maybe once or twice a year we have a lads Saturday afternoon out around the town, that usually runs into late evening.
This year for obvious reasons, this hasn't happened.
Do I or the Mrs miss going to the pub? Not whatsoever! We go around to friends and families houses, they come to ours. We drink good beer and wine that we like at a much better price and better atmosphere than you get in most pubs...
Maybe it is sad to say but we certainly wouldn't miss our local or other pubs if they did have to close and we live in a village.

 

[dad_of_jon]

If we do....they're gone. If they return they will be filled with bland piss from the mega breweries..
I'm 52,if there's a "second wave" I WILL NOT be sitting in the house...
Interesting theories about viruses and waves and stuff...look up the statistics on swine flu,Saar's etc in UK...
There will be no second furlough..if we don't get on we're screwed...another point...all these "spikes" rises in "infection"....no rises in hospital admission or deaths.
Wrong reply to the post I know...but I've had enough of it all now...
If the BBC told us enough times that bananas came from the moon we'd all believe it...
I'm off for another beer ..

There is a theory that most of those likely to be serious effected by covid-19 have already succumbed. Also the average age of those has infected has dropped and as younger people have less co-morbitites in general then we could see an increase in infection without a corresponding rise in the death rate.

So how does this plays out in pubs? - The young are generally much less wary than older people, I went to Brewdog Swansea yesterday and the major issue was the bacon on the burger was more like gammon - also you need to take a photo of the drinks board because no menus are on the tables or cutlery or condiments,. Given that brewdog is always going to be the quietest of the pubs on the wind street pub strip because of its prices then you have a reasonably good chance of keeping a safe distance. My problem is getting to the pub. it's one stop on the train - I can go at a quiet time, but if I want to leave before the pub gets to busy then I'd need to leave by 4. At which time the trains would be busy. So once the £10 discount on meals ends I think it will be reasonably risk free to visit mon-wed 12-4.

As for the locals in walking distance I'd not p155 on them if they were on fire.

 

[Arcs]

2. No one has been "misbehaving"

They have been in pubs around me sad to say, won't go into details save that violence has been the prevalent misdemeanour.

 

[Oneflewover]

Sounds quite normal for most spoons pubs I have been in.

Yep, sounds about right. Overall I couldn't give a hoot if spoons were to go to the wall. However, sadly, it will be the proper boozers that suffer most. And I fear we won't get them back when they have gone.

 

[kelper]

I like Witherspoon's. At least they serve a decent choice of real ales and serve some bonza curries.

 

[Buffers brewery]

As for pubs, my local, which is at the end of my road is rubbish. Fullers pub. Very cliquey. We do have some nice pubs though and I would love to visit for the social experience but at +70, with a few health issues, I’m not prepared to take the risk. Haven’t even been able to see my grandkids since the beginning of the year and they’re more precious to me than a visit to my local.

 

[An Ankoù]

Yep, sounds about right. Overall I couldn't give a hoot if spoons were to go to the wall. However, sadly, it will be the proper boozers that suffer most. And I fear we won't get them back when they have gone.

I've always been ridiculously optimistic. So, on the other hand, it might be the saving of the proper boozers. Wetherspoons and the other big chains must have massive overheads on their premises, which need to be serviced by a high turnover. They must be really feeling the pinch. On the other (now the third) hand the "proper boozers" have been plodding along and will possibly weather the storm better. The smaller you are, the more flexible you can be, especially free houses. Moreover, the little microbrewers who probably had to give massive discounts to get into the likes of Spoons are likely to get a decent price from the smaller outlets. Just a pipe dream, perhaps, but all is not lost yet.

 

[trueblue]

I've always been ridiculously optimistic. So, on the other hand, it might be the saving of the proper boozers. Wetherspoons and the other big chains must have massive overheads on their premises, which need to be serviced by a high turnover. They must be really feeling the pinch. On the other (now the third) hand the "proper boozers" have been plodding along and will possibly weather the storm better. The smaller you are, the more flexible you can be, especially free houses. Moreover, the little microbrewers who probably had to give massive discounts to get into the likes of Spoons are likely to get a decent price from the smaller outlets. Just a pipe dream, perhaps, but all is not lost yet.

I know a few small micro brewers who all say wetherspoons really try to stitch them up on prices to the extent they are luck just to break even.

 

[Oneflewover]

I like Witherspoon's. At least they serve a decent choice of real ales and serve some bonza curries.

Each to their own. Food is average at best (at least I suppose you know what you are going to get), no atmosphere at all. The beer is ok I'll agree, but it's not a proper pub to me