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Taggy · 29-10-2009, 09:07

I dont feel the Smoking Ban on its own has done the greatest damage, its just the latest in a long line of negative influences on the Pub trade. The monopoly of the Breweries/Pub Companies and their restraint of trade and high rents are certainly also a major factor. As too is the more relaxed licensing laws. You now have a situation where a lot of pubs dont get as many young people in as they used to because they prefer to frequent the town centre type establishments which open later in the evening, till early morning. Quite often these places only open towards weekends, and not during the day either.

Because younger drinkers are using these places rather than the more traditional pubs, not only are you decreasing the footfall across the pubs, you also see a less diverse cross section of the community drinking together. This in tern brings other problems such as anti-social behaviour through youngsters drinking amongst their own age group, rather than be "chaperoned" so to speak, by older...hopefully wiser...adults, and encouraged to drink more sensibly and be more respectful!

The Price of Alcohol is obviously a major issue too! I can honestly say ive never known such a huge discrepancy in the price of drink in Pubs as compared to Supermarkets!! But is it the Pubs that are to expensive or are the Supermarkets selling far to cheap?? Obviously we all want to pay as little as we can for a given product, but i would be interested to see how the price of Alcohol in Pubs today, compares to the price it was in Pubs say 25 years ago, and see how the figures compare expressed as a percentage of the average working wage! I would guess the prices would not show up to be so much more expensive now, which would then mean that the Supermarkets are causing a great problem for Pubs by holding prices down too low!!

I know i think long and hard before i go out of an evening now, and only really go out to a Pub or Club if theres live entertainment on. Otherwise may as well stay in, as sit in an empty pub/club.

Best Regards - Taggy

29-10-2009, 09:07	#25
Taggy Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,577 Liked: 4 times Rep Power: 1330	Re: Two More Pubs Close I dont feel the Smoking Ban on its own has done the greatest damage, its just the latest in a long line of negative influences on the Pub trade. The monopoly of the Breweries/Pub Companies and their restraint of trade and high rents are certainly also a major factor. As too is the more relaxed licensing laws. You now have a situation where a lot of pubs dont get as many young people in as they used to because they prefer to frequent the town centre type establishments which open later in the evening, till early morning. Quite often these places only open towards weekends, and not during the day either. Because younger drinkers are using these places rather than the more traditional pubs, not only are you decreasing the footfall across the pubs, you also see a less diverse cross section of the community drinking together. This in tern brings other problems such as anti-social behaviour through youngsters drinking amongst their own age group, rather than be "chaperoned" so to speak, by older...hopefully wiser...adults, and encouraged to drink more sensibly and be more respectful! The Price of Alcohol is obviously a major issue too! I can honestly say ive never known such a huge discrepancy in the price of drink in Pubs as compared to Supermarkets!! But is it the Pubs that are to expensive or are the Supermarkets selling far to cheap?? Obviously we all want to pay as little as we can for a given product, but i would be interested to see how the price of Alcohol in Pubs today, compares to the price it was in Pubs say 25 years ago, and see how the figures compare expressed as a percentage of the average working wage! I would guess the prices would not show up to be so much more expensive now, which would then mean that the Supermarkets are causing a great problem for Pubs by holding prices down too low!! I know i think long and hard before i go out of an evening now, and only really go out to a Pub or Club if theres live entertainment on. Otherwise may as well stay in, as sit in an empty pub/club. Best Regards - Taggy