Is Britain going to have to end happy hour?

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Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/22/2008 10:03:16 PM

MzMia

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I heard this mentioned on the news, and this caught my eye.
Is there a growing problem of rowdy behavior from people
that have had a few too many?
I wonder if banning happy hours will cure the problem?
People can always drink at home and then go outside and raise hell.

BBC NEWS | UK | MPs call for pub happy hours ban

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 1:56:53 AM

colouredin

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Which is what people do anyways, I dont even know of that many places that do happy hours, i do know places that do drink ofers and they have been threatening to stop that for years due to binge drinking. My experiance is though espsecially for girls that they meet up before and drink then and dont drink as much in town, pople get to the pub drunk.

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 3:29:09 AM

meatcleaver

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It's about time. Why should everyone else have to put up with anti-social drinkers. They are expensive to deal with, filling accident and emergency at hospitals at weekends and rquiring police on overtime to deal with their anti-social behaviour.

At least people who smoked didn't go round beating people up and puking on pavements and requiring a whole infrastructure to back up their habit.

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 4:07:04 AM

colouredin

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it wont make a differance Meatcleaver

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 5:11:22 AM

Aneirin

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Happy hour in Britain, I have never seen it, neither that nor twofers, they are things I have seen in other countries, but not here in Britain, so it's demise will mean absolutely nothing to most.

But what does irk, is this idea that it is cheap booze that supermarkets sell often as a loss leader is going to be stopped as they think it is cheap booze that is causing the problem. Personally I think they are once again barking up the wrong tree on this one and the only people that will suffer if cheap supermarket booze is taken out of the equation is the poorer people that can only afford cheap booze.

The problem of excessive drinking is a problem for many reasons, perhaps the boffins need to examine why people want to get legless at the weekend after work and other occaisions which lead to rowdy behaviour instead of edging towards this prohibition type mentality. Perhaps even it is the increased pace and stresses of modern life that could be part of the problem, or even the stress of living in a country that does not give a shit about it's population beyond taxing them to the hilt and denying them freedoms they had in the past, maybe it is just our culture.

But as to the supply of booze, well, I do understand that somewhere in the licensing laws that there is an order that suggests an alcohol seller cannot sell alcohol to someone who is already drunk, something like that, perhaps a publican here might know more, but I have never seen alcohol denied to a person who is drunk. Profits, alcohol sales equals profits, anyone wants it, they get it, virtually no one is stopped, unless that is they are legless.

And with all the profits and demand for alcohol, we all know who is benefitting from the taxation made, perhaps even like the smoking issue, our owners are speaking with a forked tongue.

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 5:19:36 AM

Politesub53

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A few of the pubs in town have had happy hour, not many. It pails into insignificance when you can get so much cheap drink in supermarkets though. Here we have a government who wanted to push for 24 hour drinking, and then shrieked in horror when they got the inevitable result.

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 5:42:59 AM

missturbation

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quote:

Happy hour in Britain, I have never seen it, neither that nor twofers, they are things I have seen in other countries, but not here in Britain, so it's demise will mean absolutely nothing to most.

Plenty of pubs still do happy hour but they are on the decline. The reason for this is cheap beer available from chains such as wetherspoons and supermarket loss leaders. Mot pubs have had to drop their regular prices to happy hour prices to even stand a chance of competing.

quote:

But what does irk, is this idea that it is cheap booze that supermarkets sell often as a loss leader is going to be stopped as they think it is cheap booze that is causing the problem. Personally I think they are once again barking up the wrong tree on this one and the only people that will suffer if cheap supermarket booze is taken out of the equation is the poorer people that can only afford cheap booze.

What about those who are suffering because cheap booze is sold often at a loss by supermearkets etc? In actual fact the main reason for the government petition for supermarkets to raise their prices is NOT to stop binge drinking. It is in fact the intention to bring supermarkets, big pub chains and smaller pubs more into line with each other price wise. Small pub chains like mine are really suffering because of supemarket prices and big chains offering beer at below or just over cost of purchase.
My pub is a small village pub where my customers come out to socialise and have a quiet pint. Supermarkets etc are killing the tradition of social drinking. Instead we have people coming out to get absolutely blasted on cheap alco pops and such and they ruin it for everyone who just wants to enjoy a pint and a chat with others.
I am 100% behind making supermarkets and larger pub chains come into line with the smaller pubs and then there will be fair trade and maybe some of the lovely smaller traditional pubs like mine will stand a chance of survival.

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 5:56:55 AM

Aneirin

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I also use a quiet local pub, where the clientele are locals, so no big takings there. The price of beer is a killer, so I limit myself to going there once or twice a week and have no more than two pints. A price of £2.70 is rather a lot for a pint of liquid, which I might add I drink the lowest alcohol content stuff, some 4%. I don't get drunk, can't, I can't afford it, nor want it.

The pub is suffering declining sales, weekdays total pints sold can often be counted on one hand per day, I constantly ask how business is doing, the reply, well, I retire soon.

One thing has been highlighted as a nail in the coffin of pub drinking, is the ban on smoking, as many I once saw in the pub after a day's work still in their business clothes with a pint, a paper and a cigar have not been seen since. Perhaps a culture that has been killed off and pubs will die, sad, but it will happen if they comply with any sense of decency.

Since the smoking ban the pub I use says he has dropped forty percent in takings, the smokers not coming out anymore.

Cheap supermarket booze is a life saver for poor people, we at least can have a cheap drink instead of saving up for it, a bottle of Hobgoblin at £1.56 is a fair satisfier, and we can have a smoke in comfort whilst drinking it instead of braving wind and rain outside on the pavement.

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:05:09 AM

Politesub53

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People who want to go out wont use supermarkets, whatever the cost, they will still go out. I agree with Aneirin people on tight budgets, or those who dislike pubs, will buy from a supermarket and stay at home. I think large brewery chains are part of the reason for the demise of traditional pubs. My local landord struggles to pay the brewery their rent each month, and doesnt have the option of getting his beer, or food come to that, from other sources.

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:11:08 AM

LadyEllen

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The biggest shame is the death of the traditional pub where one can go and have a drink and a chat.

I went out for a school reunion last night - first pub (one of those which I do infrequently visit) was great; low music, good crowd of people but not overcrowded, a variety of real beer on tap, only one person on the door and his job was to count how many people had gone in for fire regs and such. People were drinking and talking, no one was rolling drunk.

The second pub we went to was the exact opposite. To talk, one had to either be a competent lip reader or shout in peoples' ears. The beverages on offer were the usual range of chilled fizzy pisswaters that pass for lager. The place was heaving, wall to wall, even in the backyard where we smokers huddled in the freezing cold. Three people on the door, each one a bruiser of obvious combat experience. Inside it was strictly about drinking, dancing (sort of, given the space available) and groping. Around half of those there had drunk too much.

Is it really the case that this latter is what people want?

E

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:13:12 AM

missturbation

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quote:

But as to the supply of booze, well, I do understand that somewhere in the licensing laws that there is an order that suggests an alcohol seller cannot sell alcohol to someone who is already drunk, something like that, perhaps a publican here might know more, but I have never seen alcohol denied to a person who is drunk. Profits, alcohol sales equals profits, anyone wants it, they get it, virtually no one is stopped, unless that is they are legless.

I missed this before. It is indeed against licensing law to sell alcohol to an intoxicated person. Most people have never seen alcohol denied to a drunk person, its just something whilst you are out for a good night you dont particularly notice. I see everything in pubs, being in the trade you tend to. I can see trouble brewing, see people refused for intoxication, no id etc.
The problem here is that some pub landlords may be willing to break this law because of the state of the trade. Anything to pick up some extra pennies. Another good reason to pass this law bringing us all into line price wise.

quote:

Cheap supermarket booze is a life saver for poor people, we at least can have a cheap drink instead of saving up for it, a bottle of Hobgoblin at £1.56 is a fair satisfier, and we can have a smoke in comfort whilst drinking it instead of braving wind and rain outside on the pavement.

It's also a killer for poor people who have nothing better to do than drown their sorrows. Alcoholism is on the rise and i can only put it down to the rise in availibility of cheap booze. Yet another good reason to bring us more in line.

I think the point you may be missing here is that if we are all brought into line it doesn't mean we will all be paying top dollar for a pint. Where i live a pint of lager in the cheapest place is £1.80 and mine is £2.50. Noone is suggesting everyone charges £2.50, the idea is to go somewhere in the middle.

Pubs are a tradition and i think we need to do something before we lose all the traditional ones to modern bars and supermarkets. This is a big fight for me, i've been in the trade for 18 years and it pisses me off that we may lose the tradition of social drinking. Every week around 1 in 5 pubs are closing and its all the more traditional ones that are going. The company i work for is expecting 1/3 to 1/2 of their pubs being handed back to them by struggling landlords in 2009.

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What you don't witness with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth. Proverb.

If it fit's in a toaster, i can cook it.

Buying 10 item's or less is not shopping !!

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:16:57 AM

missturbation

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quote:

People who want to go out wont use supermarkets, whatever the cost,

Sorry but this just isn't true. I have several customers who used to come in several times a week but just can't afford to now even though they want to.

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What you don't witness with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth. Proverb.

If it fit's in a toaster, i can cook it.

Buying 10 item's or less is not shopping !!

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:17:11 AM

pahunkboy

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easy fix.

reduce the hour to 55 mins

rename it. "thirsty hour". problem solved.

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:19:01 AM

missturbation

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quote:

The place was heaving, wall to wall, even in the backyard where we smokers huddled in the freezing cold.

You need to come to mine Lady E, i allow smoking as long as their are no stangers in my pub. And you just dont get strangers round here lol.

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What you don't witness with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth. Proverb.

If it fit's in a toaster, i can cook it.

Buying 10 item's or less is not shopping !!

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:20:16 AM

Aneirin

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Further to Politesub53's post, is it relly alcohol that is to blame, I mean if people go out with the express wish to get drunk, and whatever the price they go out,what are they seeking ? Could it be what they are after is the ambience of the venue, the loud music, the meat, the electric in the air even, that air of expectancy. Perhaps it is these situations appeal to the primitive in us, the feeling of living on the edge a place where man is man and women are what man is after, a more heightened scenario, a lawless scenario, a role play even. Perhaps what it is that the public do is the only vestige of life left in our cotton wool society. Raise the prices, cut the drinking time, it will still happen, it seems some people need it like a drug for their soul.

But there are other drinkers, drinkers who don't give a flying fuck for these senses of imposed responsibility, it is just they take what they want and go about their business in a peaceful manner, perhaps a pint last thing at night, then home to bed.

There are also people who buy from off licenses and super markets and don't even venture near a pub or other drinking establishment and why not, why should pubs be the only place to buy drink, why go to a public house when your private house is more comfortable.

The government in it's sledge hammer approach has got to be careful, in trying to stop one crowd, they may very well annoy another crowd who offer no problem.

Isn't the term, '''Responsible drinking'', yet another buzz word for political correctness? If so, political correctness is killing our country.

< Message edited by Aneirin -- 11/23/2008 6:27:43 AM >

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:20:24 AM

missturbation

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quote:

ORIGINAL: pahunkboy

easy fix.

reduce the hour to 55 mins

rename it. "thirsty hour". problem solved.

Wtf?

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If it fit's in a toaster, i can cook it.

Buying 10 item's or less is not shopping !!

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:24:00 AM

missturbation

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quote:

The government in it's sledge hammer approach has got to be careful, in trying to stop one crowd, they may very well annoy another crowd who offer no problem.

Sledge hammer approach? Are you taking the piss?
Do you know how long it has taken us landlords / landladies to get them to listen to us regarding the ruination of our trade. All they have been able to see until recently is how much taxes etc they gain of these cheap beer sales, they havent given a flying fuck about the trade and its decline.
This petition is no way sledge hammer it is because they have had to admit that there are far too many problems caused by cheap alcohol sales.

_____________________________

What you don't witness with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth. Proverb.

If it fit's in a toaster, i can cook it.

Buying 10 item's or less is not shopping !!

(in reply to Aneirin)

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:34:05 AM

LadyEllen

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You know, I get the impression that public houses (pubs) are going to go back to their roots. Example, my friends have open house at their place of a weekend - well open in the sense of people they know and friends of friends. Everyone brings their own drink, smoking is allowed in a couple of rooms - one of which is the room with the drum kit and guitars etc. Those preferring a chat can get one, those who want to watch a video with friends can watch it, those who want to get noisy can do so without causing problems and those who want to smoke can.

To my mind, this is an ideal model for a pub and the model more or less whereby they originated - someone's house. Originally that person was the one who was best at making beer, nowadays its that person who has a big enough house and a sociable nature.

E

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:34:51 AM

Aneirin

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As a poor person who likes a drink now and again, I obviously have a different view.

I prefer to go to a pub, I like the conversation, but often it is, I plain can't afford it, so it is a crate of pissy bier d'or from lidls and around a pals place where we can talk rubarb and get fed up with the beer before any hint of drunkeness.

Whatever, whoever has created the extortionate price in beer has created the end of the institution that is the British public house.

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Everything we are is the result of what we have thought, the mind is everything, what we think, we become - Guatama Buddha

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RE: Is Britain going to have to end happy hour? - 11/23/2008 6:40:45 AM

Politesub53

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quote:

ORIGINAL: missturbation

quote:

People who want to go out wont use supermarkets, whatever the cost,

Sorry but this just isn't true. I have several customers who used to come in several times a week but just can't afford to now even though they want to.

I agree with you, but that wasnt my point. My nephews and their friends will go out of a weekend regardless of costs. Supermarket beer could be free but they would still go clubbing. I am the same in the week, if I want to use a pub then I do. More often than not it is the loud music act that keeps me at home, although I concede I dont go out as much as I used to.

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