The Traditional Pub disappearing.

I like the newer breed of spacious, smoke free pub that serves food. I enjoy sitting down for hours on end and drinking moderate amounts alongside eating lunch/dinner. Other people do as well it seems as these continue to open while 'traditional pubs' tend to close.

This country has a stupid attitude to drink anyway. It is treated both as a sinful vice, something dangerous which at all costs must be kept away from youngsters until they 18 when it changes into the only possible way to have a good time and it is acceptable to go out and binge.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

I was driving through Hounslow today, near where l live, and l found to my sadness so many public houses, that have closed down over recent months, and have either been turned in McDonalds, Tesco's or Polish pubs.

I think the start of the demise of these boozers was when they stopped people smoking in them, and that is when trading stopped.(

Polish pubs? Never heard of them, please give me the details of one so I can go visit

The demise of the boozer is in no small part due to the price differential between drinking at home and drinking in the pub. The smoking ban may have assisted but was, imho, essential and I agreed with it while I smoked as well as now i don't.

People don't want to pay 3.25 for a beer when it'll buy a 4 pack of some stuff that'll strip paint and toast their brain cells. In no small part this is government's fault for allowing alcohol to be too cheap from the off license. That and greedy breweries of course. Ask people why they don't go to the pub, relatively few I suspect would complain about smoking, many will just say they can't or won't pay for it.

I am pleased to say that the 3 pubs in this area that I frequent, 2 chain breweries Fullers and Greene King and an independent one are alive and well

---------- Post added at 09:11 ---------- Previous post was at 09:09 ----------

Originally Posted by Hom3r

I hope not.

I bought a bottle of Vodka (1 ltr) for £20 and if you work it out to 25ml units there are 40 of them which works out to 50p per measure. If you work out what it work cost a pub prices then the £20 bottle would become £80 per litre, then I would become tee-total.

Good - alcohol is a luxury and, in any quantity past a couple of measures, a poison. Only heroin comes close in terms of harm to society in general due to its' cheapness and misuse.

---------- Post added at 09:16 ---------- Previous post was at 09:11 ----------

Originally Posted by gazfan

Can you explain a bit more, please.

Round my way the Weatherspoon pubs serve reasonably priced food, reasonably priced drinks & do not have loud music, fruit machines, etc.

It is, therefore, possible to go with a group of friends, have a decent conversation & not spend too much money.

- what do you consider to be missing from that when compared to a 'traditional' pub?

Weatherspoons are simply adjusting to the market. People were complaining about the price of going to the pub and Weatherspoon was smart enough to produce a chain of 'Value' pubs serving inedible food and gants urine like beer at ridiculously low prices.

They also were smart enough to adjust their pubs to requirements, quieter ones in some areas, loud and chavvy ones in others.

Their food is an absolute abomination, their drinks are fabulous in that they actually hydrate you they've so little alcohol in them, however they are what many people want - cheap excrement. They are the Tesco Value of pubs, except worse, and people love them for it.

[Kymmy]

With me it was neither the smoke not the high price reasons for not going to the pub.. Instead it's the simple fact that we both prefer to go to a local (or for that matter jump in the car and find one further away) beauty spot, have a little picnic with a few bottles of beer/wine and enjoy our surroundings... Hard to do that in a building designed to sell you alcohol and food..

If though it's raining and we fancy a drink then it's in the house, cuddled in front of a good film on the sofa under a duvet..

If we were ever forced to go out for a drink we much prefer a decent café than a pub

---------- Post added at 09:27 ---------- Previous post was at 09:22 ----------

Just asked my partner when was the last time they went in the local pubs.. The answer was 20 years ago and they were born in this village

[Arthurgray50@blu]

If you live near Hounslow, There are three polish pubs, one in Lampton Road by the garage, one in Bell Road, and the other one is up by the trading estate by Curry's.

[Kymmy]

Used to live Harlington (Hayes) and then further towards Hounslow on the left of the A4(just south of Cranford park).. Is Rockys still going?? (loved their BBQ burgers)

[Pog66]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Weatherspoons are simply adjusting to the market. People were complaining about the price of going to the pub and Weatherspoon was smart enough to produce a chain of 'Value' pubs serving inedible food and gants urine like beer at ridiculously low prices.

Their food is an absolute abomination, their drinks are fabulous in that they actually hydrate you they've so little alcohol in them, however they are what many people want - cheap excrement. They are the Tesco Value of pubs, except worse, and people love them for it.

Sorry can't agree with these comments - I've been too a few Wetherspoon's and have always found the food to be okay - not anything special by any means but solid fair to the same "standard" as Brewers fayre, chef & brewer, Fullers etc - never had anything I would class as inedible.
They also server local real ale cheap and I can't see how the "name" lagers can be lower strength than the equivalent in other pubs?

[Pierre]

"traditional" pubs??????

Who wants 'em.

Nowadays if I go to a pub, I'm very choosy about where I go. They must be nice well kept places that I feel comfortable and relaxed in, do good food, and have fairly reasonably priced alchohol.

Old pubs that don't do food, have a tatty unwelcoming "public bar" side and dodgy "lounge" side deserve to go under.

Times are moving on. The "traditional" working class boozer is dying because the "traditional" working class is no more.

The working class that can afford to go out expects a bit more nowadays when they do.

And those that can't afford to go out, stay home and drink cheaper alcohol.

Havn't been in a pub for over twenty years since i grew up went teetotal and all of them ripped you off massively for soft drinks. Sorry to be one opposing the popular view but i do think the smoking ban speeded up the killing off of many pubs and i never agreed with a total ban in the first place. Of course prices are the number one reason why they are going out of business and the trouble that many of them attract or certainly do round my way. Any of the ones in the town centre is a place to avoid at the weekends because of the fighting and general lousy atomsphere.

[superbiatch]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Weatherspoons are simply adjusting to the market. People were complaining about the price of going to the pub and Weatherspoon was smart enough to produce a chain of 'Value' pubs serving inedible food and gants urine like beer at ridiculously low prices.

They also were smart enough to adjust their pubs to requirements, quieter ones in some areas, loud and chavvy ones in others.

Their food is an absolute abomination, their drinks are fabulous in that they actually hydrate you they've so little alcohol in them, however they are what many people want - cheap excrement. They are the Tesco Value of pubs, except worse, and people love them for it.

I quite agree and the only people who frequent the one near where I live are alcoholics who have a pint with their full english breakfast before heading over to collect their incapacity benefit due to being an alcoholic

The ones in town seem to serve better quality food though IMO.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Pog66

Sorry can't agree with these comments - I've been too a few Wetherspoon's and have always found the food to be okay - not anything special by any means but solid fair to the same "standard" as Brewers fayre, chef & brewer, Fullers etc - never had anything I would class as inedible.
They also server local real ale cheap and I can't see how the "name" lagers can be lower strength than the equivalent in other pubs?

The couple of times I've been there I've found the food repulsive, even relative to the Fullers and Greene King here, and the booze to be heavily watered down. It is extremely noticeable the difference in taste, and lack of, between their drinks and those from other pubs. This is why they serve the lager so cold, to hide the lack of actual lager in it. Same goes for the 'name' ales they serve.

Regarding local real ales not had the misfortune but if they treat those in the same manner they treat brand drinks I'll pass.

---------- Post added at 13:21 ---------- Previous post was at 13:19 ----------

Originally Posted by Pierre

<Snip>

What he said. Times have indeed moved on as have tastes and the 'working class' boozers are a relic of the past.

---------- Post added at 13:22 ---------- Previous post was at 13:21 ----------

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

If you live near Hounslow, There are three polish pubs, one in Lampton Road by the garage, one in Bell Road, and the other one is up by the trading estate by Curry's.

I live very close to Hounslow. I'll have a looksie.

By Polish pubs you do mean actual pubs rather than those which moonlight as Polish cafes during the day then morph into the standard pub in the evening? There are a few that do that though these are decreasing as the Polish are going home.

As an aside this is happening for a reason - that's where the demand is. Given more Polish smoke than British this would also appear to go against your assertion that the smoking ban is a major cause of these issues. It's a nice scapegoat but that's all it is.

[Gary L]

It is shame to see all the pubs gradually closing. eventually we'll have none left at all and part of the British tradition will be lost.

Only good thing I can see from it happening is that the high street won't be full of drunken idiots. they're all at home drinking cans and fighting the neighbours next door but one

[Caff]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

I was driving through Hounslow today, near where l live, and l found to my sadness so many public houses, that have closed down over recent months, and have either been turned in McDonalds, Tesco's or Polish pubs.

I think the start of the demise of these boozers was when they stopped people smoking in them, and that is when trading stopped.

Its a great shame that the British boozer is going down the plug hole - do pun intended.

I haven't seen any of my quiet watering holes disappear so they must get something right.
I smoke but I don't go there to smoke, but as others have posted some places provide no end of opprtunities if someone really has to smoke.

I think a comfortable ambience shared with aquaintances and new people, a good landlord and tender along with the location is the key.
I don't care it's location or purpose.

I'd say the places I enjoy aren't going out of business - And no - they ain't all out in the sticks
And I question the value of "the British boozer"... because I have to agree with you. But I won't miss 'em.

Have you been in one?

[Pog66]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

The couple of times I've been there I've found the food repulsive, even relative to the Fullers and Greene King here, and the booze to be heavily watered down. It is extremely noticeable the difference in taste, and lack of, between their drinks and those from other pubs. This is why they serve the lager so cold, to hide the lack of actual lager in it. Same goes for the 'name' ales they serve.

Regarding local real ales not had the misfortune but if they treat those in the same manner they treat brand drinks I'll pass.[COLOR="Silver"]

Mmm - perhaps I have just been lucky with 8 or 9 ones I've been in then.

Back to the original topic - Four pubs within our village when we moved their 12 years ago - now just two - and the two furthest away from where I live

[Juo]

Originally Posted by gazfan

What do you consider to be missing from that when compared to a 'traditional' pub?

Im not sure really, I just dont think it has the sole of a traditional pub, its a chain for me going to Wetherspoons is the same as going to Burger King or McDonald's.

There is nothing traditional about a chain, I dont want all the pubs left in the UK to have exactly the same drinks and food, thats not special its just boring.

They are the Tesco Value of pubs, except worse, and people love them for it.

I feel pretty much the same way about them, I always go to a local thats a bit more expensive but has a bit more life too it.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

I used to go to a lovelly boozer in Whitechapel, and that was great on a Friday and a Saturday, great old singalong, it was brilliant,