the disappearing pubs of England

Gandalph wrote:

So you could say "She had a great fall".

Gandalph wrote:

davo wrote:

I would imagine Gandalph [welcome back by the way] that many smokers love combining their smoking habit with a drinking habit. I once worked in the treatment side of this sorry state and did come across some research [long lost unfortunately] that suggested a synergetic relationship between smoking and drinking alcohol!

families with children don't do the same thing, and so whilst occasionally enjoying a visit and drink at a pub I doubt would do it as regularly as some smokers I know [like every day!]

In OZ the challenge for pubs has been to provide a range of other attractions to bring in not so much the families but the young people. I remember visiting a local pub in the late 80's in OZ which always smelt of disinfectant and just seemed to cater for a few smokers and a dart team. Once smoking was banned new ownership took over, smartened it up, provided much better food and entertainment and were full to the gunnels!

Up here in the Scottish Borders everyone (except me) are Rugby fans. They used to go to the pub and enjoy a pint and a smoke and watch the Rugby on the big screens. All that has gone now davo, they get some tinnies in and stay at home with their big screens where they can have a drink and a smoke at the same time. I think that is what is killing off the pubs around here. One particular pub has changed hands about four times in as many years. Go in and you will be lucky to find more than a half dozen people in at any one time. 

Thank you for the welcome back. Very kind of you.

over here I always supported the option as was considered in UK of a dedicated room for smokers with something in the ceiling to suck out the smoke. However I think the smoke used to seep through the walls into the rest of the pub! the smokers were then excluded to an outside gazebo area but you may as well sit in ya own back garden. I personally never thought that smokers should be excluded but catered for by making an effort. However we have a fierce anti-smoking lobby out here and they relentless pursued all smokers. so much so that you can only now take so many smoke breaks whilst at work and must smoke outside at least 5 yards away from the building - its big brother gone mad. I myself smoke cigars and a pipe [not at the same time] but would never smoke indoors or inflict it outdoors on any guests!

andsome wrote:

One of the main reasons for closures is the breweries greed for short term gain. They are putting up rents to tenants as soon as the contract ends,the rent rises are extortionate. The landlady at the pub where I used to play bowls had a rent increase from just over £30000 per annum to £56000. She asked how on earth she was to find this amount, and the brewery suggested she increased the price of food. Lichfield has far too many eating places as it is,and she was only able to attract people with low priced meals. Needles to say she gave her notice. The pub and land was then sold to a day nursery,The Humpty Dumpty day nursery,and we were evicted from the green. This practice is widespread

I agree; landlords have a lot to answer for in terms of harming the economy like this. over here we have small businesses closing everyday because of rent hikes and no one seems able to put a stop to it

Having a no-smoking area in a pub or restaurant is the equivalent of having a no peeing area in a swimming pool.

Gandalph wrote:

So you could say "She had a great fall".

Yes according to the Kings men

Well we have had it for ten years now--in my area shops are closing down and being re-opened as cheap ale bars.

Welcome back Gandalph.

ourjimmy wrote:

Gandalph wrote:

So you could say "She had a great fall".

Yes according to the Kings men

Well we have had it for ten years now--in my area shops are closing down and being re-opened as cheap ale bars.

Welcome back Gandalph.

Thank you for the Welcome Jimmy. Much appreciated.

Just heard last night that the Local Night Club in Berwick-uponTweed is closing due to lack of Custom. It has been running for the last twenty Years that I know of. So another one bites the dust.

Gandalph wrote:

ourjimmy wrote:

Gandalph wrote:

So you could say "She had a great fall".

Yes according to the Kings men

Well we have had it for ten years now--in my area shops are closing down and being re-opened as cheap ale bars.

Welcome back Gandalph.

Thank you for the Welcome Jimmy. Much appreciated.

Just heard last night that the Local Night Club in Berwick-uponTweed is closing due to lack of Custom. It has been running for the last twenty Years that I know of. So another one bites the dust.

just had a orrible thought = perhaps all the closures of pubs and social clubs is in preparation for a Muslim take over??

I blame the smoking ban ... cheap supermarket booze and to a smaller degree encouraging kids into what were once the domain and retreat of adults (to escape kids).

The old Working Men's clubs near me closed down years back. They were scary ... if you dared to speak in the middle of a game of bingo.  
I don't know offhand if nightclubs are faring any better.

sags wrote:

I blame the smoking ban ... cheap supermarket booze and to a smaller degree encouraging kids into what were once the domain and retreat of adults (to escape kids).

The old Working Men's clubs near me closed down years back. They were scary ... if you dared to speak in the middle of a game of bingo.  
I don't know offhand if nightclubs are faring any better.

well if you walked into a working mans club lookin like that sags you'd either been thrown out or............the mind boggles!!

davo, you would be lucky to find a Working Mans Club these day's. Since the Mines closed and killed off a lot of the Communities which in turn killed off the Working Mans Clubs there are non.

I think the biggest crime in alcohol was the introduction of RTD's (Ready to  Drink) products. Bourbon and coke etc tasting like lolly water but more lethal than beer, they appeal to young palates and are cheap to buy.

Gandalph wrote:

davo, you would be lucky to find a Working Mans Club these day's. Since the Mines closed and killed off a lot of the Communities which in turn killed off the Working Mans Clubs there are non.

true in a visit to UK in 2000 my elder cousin took me to his working mens club - there were no more than six people in it at lunch time - it closed a few years ago. what a sad demise to the history of England - and women were even welcome in them!!

There is one Working Man's Club left just north of Newcastle in a place called Wideopen, that is if it is still open as I haven't been down that way for years now. It was privately owned. Bought from the Federation Brewery, in Newcastle, in the late 70's. That is the only one in North East England that I know of. When the Mines were working fully there were Clubs in every village at one time.

Gandalph wrote:

There is one Working Man's Club left just north of Newcastle in a place called Wideopen, that is if it is still open as I haven't been down that way for years now. It was privately owned. Bought from the Federation Brewery, in Newcastle, in the late 70's. That is the only one in North East England that I know of. When the Mines were working fully there were Clubs in every village at one time.

yes the working clubs weren't all wine and roses but they did serve an important social function for working class males to wind down and women later - now where do the wind down?

I am a member of a private club - it used to be a "working mans" but that would now be a misnomer. It is open every day, has a nice bar with drinks at low prices and a good cook to provide nice quality light lunches every day and evening dinners 3 nights a week. It has 3 snooker tables, dartboards and card tables in the gents only room.

Membership requires you to be formally proposed by a club member and to be interviewed by our committee who operate a black ball policy. Hence I always feel comfortable there - and you can read into that what you will and you are likely to be 'whrite'.

"....operate a black ball policy."


I would never have associated you with anything at all to do with racism.