Pubs why are they so quiet?

[Uptowngirl]

Actually very few pubs shut. They get boarded up for a few weeks and usually reopen with a new landlord.

The few that do close are replaced by a far larger number wine bars and cafe bars. There are now hundreds of them around town and we young folk prefer them.

Incidentally I went to the pub last night with some student friends and we could barely get through the door because the place was packed.

[GUZZIOWL]

Went in t' Penny Black yesterday at 5pm ... it was pretty busy .....i normally drink Cider (around £3 a pint ) but they'd got Carlsberg on at £1:79 ....i had 3 pints of that during my time there..

[Bassman62]

Perhaps that's because publicans try to make £x per customer, rather than charging a fixed percentage mark-up on everything?

 

After all, the wear and tear causd by a customer's bum to a bar stool is the same, irrespective of the cost of whatever the customer drinks.

 

Do you think that customers who drink standing up should be charged less than those who sit down?

 

Do bus/train passengers who have to stand pay less than those who get a seat?

That doesn't answer the question at all, from your reply you'd think that pubs had only just been invented, Lemonade more expensive than Lager is ridiculous a shandy drinker doesn't cause more wear and tear than a whisky/beer drinker, lemonade is a fraction the cost of alcoholic drinks.

[Bassman62]

Actually very few pubs shut. They get boarded up for a few weeks and usually reopen with a new landlord.

And close again soon afterwards. Some convert to Thai/Indian eating places but regardless of your arguments there are less pubs in this country each week all down to high prices not smoking.

[Bassman62]

The Whetherspoons pubs seem to do ok but and other places which charge reasonable prices but the ones that are now charging £3 + a pint deserve to be empty. However beer's a bit like petrol, the actual price before tax is considered is a fraction of what we pay.

How very true and that is the point I'm making about mixers, they are even cheaper than the alcoholic drink but are more expensive in real terms.

[chem1st]

The smoking ban came in 2 and a half years ago, how long are people going to keep blaming it for the apparent demise of pubs?

It would be interesting to see actual attendance figures or takings over time before and after the smoking to see how much of an influence it actually had.

I remember my boss worrying that the smoking ban would have a detrimental effect on his pub business that Summer (2007), but attendance just seemed to keep increasing.

 

3 and a half years ago.

 

Since the smoking ban came in the rate of pub closures increased a hell of a lot.

 

They are still closing at an increased rate.

 

Figures can be seen here:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/apr/12/general-election-labour-manifesto-pub-closures

[Vague_Boy]

Greedy landlords. I'm having January on the wagon and a pint of diet coke in my local costs £2.45.

 

Yep, in fact they're so greedy that they're going out of business rather than reduce their prices.

 

Bar and pub closures accelerate

[Bassman62]

Reasons?

 

Greedy property agents in the guise of pubcos, who don't want pubs to succeed and throw everything in the licensee's way to make them fail, so they can justify closing them and make a killing on selling them. No incentives for licensees to do well, as if they do, the pubcos put the rent up.

 

Overpricing of goods.

 

Poor hygiene/standard of cleanliness in many - and now there's no smell of smoke to mask the pee from the gents...yuk.

 

Poor decoration and standard of fittings in many, especially the toilets.

 

Poor standard of landlords/landladies, as there's little return anymore.

 

Lack of entertainment - used to be acts and discos. karaokes, all over the place, now it's more entertaining to stay at home.

 

Unsociable yobs.

 

Increase of drug-taking in pubs.

 

Poor choice of pubs, especially compared to what we had a few years ago.

Some very good points there especialy entertainment, we went to one of our local pubs to get a gig for our band, the landlord said he wouldn't be able afford us as we were a four piece, the reason behind his thinking was that a girl solo singer (with backing tracks) had asked for £200 for a saturday night he was gobsmacked when we offered to do the gig for £160, too many backing track singers still think of the heyday on the WMC circuit when agents pushed prices and commission up to silly levels.

Look how mant WMCs have gone to the wall.

[espadrille]

All of the above - plus, pubs are always fairly quiet in january...

 

Yes ,its far too cold aswell.I only go to a pub when I can sit outside when its warm

[chem1st]

I have just been to the shop.

 

10 cans for £6. But I got 50p back as a bonus.

 

I'm now supping a beer and smoking a spliff. No anti-smoking nazis are ordering me outside.

 

Can even bet money on the card games.