Will they make this sort of drinks offer illegal one day?

[FMR Presents]

Please note SOYO use all premium branded spirits throughout the bar even inc offer drinks.

 

The listing is pretty short and sweet but leads with all relevant information, the bands who are playing, Djs, the fact we have live illustrators working on art. And that we are free. It finishes with the drinks offers.

 

As i said before the offers are in line with that of town, they are not the only drinks available and these arnt plastered through out the venue. They are on online listings and small on promo material.

 

The aim of this night is to promote Sheffield music and live bands. Which isnt easy but over 3 years we've managed to get a strong regular crowd who are into live music. I know many of the people who attend (as lots are now good friends) come each week as they know they get to see a great gig and also they can spend a £5er all night. Theyre not out to get drunk, just have a few drinks and enjoy the music.

 

We are trying to provide something which is high in content and gives people a really enjoyable night but without costing a fortune.

 

Everyone makes very valid comments and the issue of drinks prices and peoples consumption of alcohol can be argued and will be argued with different points of view every day of the week. Supermarket prices, pre-loading before going out, min prices for alcohol in bars etc.

 

I believe a live night with a handful of drinks offers at certain times of the night, providing an evening of live music, djs, art work etc is good and provides a platform for local bands to play to a nice audience weekly. This is not a binge drinking night but we believe provides value for money.

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and i will take them all onboard when listing future events.

 

Thanks.

[*_ash_*]

Please note SOYO use all premium branded spirits throughout the bar even inc offer drinks.

 

The listing is<snipped.ents.

 

Thanks.

 

I don't think you need to defend your bar, but I can see why you feel the need to, as some people need people [governance] to think for them.

[Rupert_Baehr]

^

 

If beer were 50 pence a pint and £1 a pint of Erdinger Dunkel, I would drink exactly the same ampount of alcohol as I do now, but be able to enjoy more than one Erdinger at the beginning of the evening

 

If beer were £4 a pint and £8 a pint of Erdinger Dunkel I would drink the same amount as I do now but would stay on the bitter, restart the homebrewing, have one Erdinger Dunkel at Christmas, and be worse off for it.

 

What advantage then has beer being more expensive except for spoiling people's enjoyment?

 

 

Well, if you live near the Erdinger brewery, it works out at about 50p a half litre.

 

Why not restart the home brewing and make an Erdinger taste-alike?

[Shef_Fitness]

The following is taken from the Going Out section on here.

 

It's a venue in Sheffield who are advertising one of their events, presumably aiming at young people.

 

They mention the performing artists but follow it with this...

 

FREE ENTRY!!!

 

//// SOYO Live DRINKS OFFERS ////

 

£1 Shots / £1.50 Amstel Pint

£1.50 Spirit & Mixer

£3.50 Dbl Vodka Red Bull

£6 Desperados Bucket

£6 Cocktail Jugs

£50 Red Bull Vodka Boat

(Bottle of Vodka & 6 Red Bull)

 

Early Doors Offers 8pm - 10pm

£2 Cocktails / £5 Jugs / £5 House Wine

 

Lovely. X

 

And remember as always its FREE ENTRY!!!

 

What do you think this message conveys?

 

To me, this says, "come and get drunk - cheaply". It's symptomatic of the "drink culture" that is the bane of this country. "Binge Britain".

 

Now, you may see nothing wrong with it - it is, after all, "what young people do". But does that make it right?

 

Is it right to promote an event where the cheap alcohol is awarded star billing like this? Is the event about the performing artists, or the cheap booze?

 

I have worked for many years in regulated industries where companies and organisations have to take very great care over how they promote their business. They have to make sure they don't "mislead" or create the wrong impression.

 

Alcohol abuse is a SERIOUS problem in this country. It costs the taxpayer millions because it leads to many other health and social problems.

 

Maybe, one day, we will see this kind of advertising and promotion made illegal?

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

I think its saying to the young people "come to our club, and you will have a great night out - all miserys stay at home please"

 

Did we not all enjoy getting sozzled in our youth?

 

I'm afraid thats what young people do when they go out, have a good time and that involves getting sloshed. Unless we go back to a time when young people do ballroom dancing on a Saturday night, then boozy nights out are here to stay.

 

People know their limits so whats the problem? when you fall over - thats when you have reached your limit.

[Chris_Sleeps]

the best thing they could do is to make it like america. Drinking age 21. [...] The kids do well at school and dont hang round street corners drunk and making a nuisance of themselves like they do here!!!

The whole of american society boiled into one quick answer. You really think that there are no problems with drinking in America? Everyone gets to 21 without a drop passing their lips and instantly understands how to behave?

 

-----------

 

The problem we have in Britain is that a drinking culture has developed of 'excess'. The fashion of 'getting wasted'. It isn't looked down on, and it isn't ugly anymore. There is a glamour in falling out of a nightclub.

 

In the past drinking was a male reserve, and lads worked their way up. People drank equally as much alcohol as they do now, more maybe, but they drank ale and sat in working mens clubs and there were older blokes around to keep an eye out. Having a shot was for Friday night, before getting the bus home. Getting real drunk was for New Years Eve. Saturday you might take the Mrs out.

I'm not romanticising it, and I'm not saying this culture was better. The benefits of this system were that you didn't see gangs of teenagers falling all over the floor. Equally, a female based drinking culture was banished indoors and let out on Saturdays for a babysham. Youth based drinking culture had an even harder time developing without a parental eye. It was safer, but it was repressive.

 

What changed was the move away from WMCs and towards pubs, and factor in modern nightclubs and the opening of tourism. Lads and lasses could go away to Spain without their parents watching. Lager was rebranded for the "lad about town". The the 80s and the rave scene, and after that spirits were rebranded into sugary drinks to get young people drinking again.

In the past people drank beer, then wine, and when they were a bit older they had spirits. Now they can have 'vodka in blue syrup' ready bottled and chase it down with something equally as sickly.

 

It's no suprise to see young people falling all over town on a Saturday, because they're learning how to drink alcohol by willingly jumping into the deep end and tying bottles of vodka to their feet - and we're suprised when they have trouble swimming.

[Rupert_Baehr]

... when you fall over - thats when you have reached your limit.

 

If it were only so!

 

As you suggested, many of us have been out and did indeed get sozzled. It was quite common when I was a lad.

 

Urinating on War memorials and fighting with the Police was not at all common.

 

I don't know whether that was because we were better behaved (I doubt it) but -even when drunk - we did have some standards and most of us knew that were we to start a scrap with the bill we would be whacked around the head with a night stick.

 

I've spent most of the last 8 years living in Germany (and a few before that living in Belgium.) The people of both countries are hardly known for being abstemious. I've seen a number of people who are probably drunk in my local pub. You can tell that they are drunk, because their eyes are closed and they are not actually drinking. (They don't fall off the stools,though )

 

When they wake up, they either drink some more or pay their bill and go home. They do not go outside and start a scrap with the 'Greens'.

 

I've seen more than enough footage of young drunken Brits (male and female) brawling outside pubs.

 

If you're young, 'being drunk' - happens. 'Throwing up' - happens (Why are there always carrots? )

 

Becoming violent is a new (and unwelcome) development.

 

Why have British youth earned such a reputation for being violent and disorderly drunks?

[Rupert_Baehr]

Im 46 and started drinking when i was 16. Pub, mates and weekend it all went together, although i dont drink in pubs i still drink at home and after 30 years quite heavily!! Its become a problem. Knowing what i know now

 

the best thing they could do is to make it like america.

 

Drinking age 21.

 

you can only buy alcohol from a liquor store (which i think are run by the state)

 

even most resteraunts can only sell bottled beer.

 

Theres no alcohol in supermarkets

 

and off licenses dont exist.

 

The kids do well at school and dont hang round street corners drunk and making a nuisance of themselves like they do here!!!

 

At 21 they are mature enough to respect alcohol and dont go to night clubs and binge drink.

 

What a wonderful world it would be!!!

 

Which planet do you live on?

 

A few statistics for you (from the America we have here on planet Earth) :

 

There are about 10.8 million underage drinkers in the United States.

 

Seventy percent of young people engage in heavy drinking by ages 19 and 20.

 

Three-fourths of 12th grade students, more than two-thirds of 10th grade students, and about two in five 8th grade students have consumed alcohol (more than a few sips) in their lifetime.

 

Nearly half (45%) of 12th graders have used alcohol in the past month, which is more than cigarettes and marijuana combined.

 

29% of 12th grade students, 22% of 10th grade students, and 11% of 8th grade students have engaged in binge drinking.

 

Many teenagers are misinformed about alcohol; about one-third of teens incorrectly think that one shot of liquor has more alcohol than a 12-oz can of beer.

 

Although 60% of teens aged 15 and 16 reported drinking within a 12 month period, only 31% of their parents believed that their child drank during that time period.

 

From age 13 to 21, the percentage of people who report binge drinking increases from an estimated 1% to 50%.

 

Most of the criminal charges in alcohol poisoning death cases were against those who obtained alcohol for underage drinkers.

[Darth Vader]

If it were only so!

 

As you suggested, many of us have been out and did indeed get sozzled. It was quite common when I was a lad.

 

Urinating on War memorials and fighting with the Police was not at all common.

 

I don't know whether that was because we were better behaved (I doubt it) but -even when drunk - we did have some standards and most of us knew that were we to start a scrap with the bill we would be whacked around the head with a night stick.

 

I've spent most of the last 8 years living in Germany (and a few before that living in Belgium.) The people of both countries are hardly known for being abstemious. I've seen a number of people who are probably drunk in my local pub. You can tell that they are drunk, because their eyes are closed and they are not actually drinking. (They don't fall off the stools,though )

 

When they wake up, they either drink some more or pay their bill and go home. They do not go outside and start a scrap with the 'Greens'.

 

I've seen more than enough footage of young drunken Brits (male and female) brawling outside pubs.

 

If you're young, 'being drunk' - happens. 'Throwing up' - happens (Why are there always carrots? )

 

Becoming violent is a new (and unwelcome) development.

 

Why have British youth earned such a reputation for being violent and disorderly drunks?

 

The Club 18-30 holiday group have to take a lot of the responsibility here, as far as the behaviour of young Brits abroad goes, and their reputation.

 

I don't think these 'Brits abroad' documentaries help much, either. They glamourise such idiotic, destructive behaviour.

 

I have to say though, occasionally, I think Brits unfairly take the blame. I was in Greece twenty years ago, and a group of German lads were hammered and were singing english songs and many of the spectators immediately presumed they were British and started slagging the British off.

[Rupert_Baehr]

I'm sure that does happen, Ada, but (unfortunately) the British Youth drinking problem is irrefutable.

 

I've been told that the incidence of cirrhosis (and other serious alcohol-related diseases) amongst young British females has risen at an alarming rate.

 

You'll probably find drunks of all nationalities on holiday, but (unless the Brits have a holiday every week of the year) the number of reports of drunken (and often violent) British youth at weekends far outstrips the number in other European countries. I wonder why that is?

 

It's not because the people are 'inherently bad' or some other 'let's blame the kids' reason. I don't suppose for one minute that British teenagers are worse (or better) than teenagers elsewhere, yet they do seem to 'inherit' a binge-drinking culture from their peers.

[Saffy]

The Club 18-30 holiday group have to take a lot of the responsibility here, as far as the behaviour of young Brits abroad goes, and their reputation.

 

I don't think these 'Brits abroad' documentaries help much, either. They glamourise such idiotic, destructive behaviour.

 

I have to say though, occasionally, I think Brits unfairly take the blame. I was in Greece twenty years ago, and a group of German lads were hammered and were singing english songs and many of the spectators immediately presumed they were British and started slagging the British off.

 

 

Replying to your situation 20 years ago .. I agree. I worked in Ibiza in 1982 and the majority of the drunks there, were Scandinavians. They literally arrived at the airport, piddled .. and there was many an incident of them riding the baggage belts !