Sod Felixstowe Docks, my local's in trouble

ninky_2

FungusFighter wrote: »

Landlord says its crunch time, 4 others in the area have closed:eek:
Smoking ban, recession, increase in duty, there won't be any locals left soon and somthing needs to be done:mad:

times and attitudes change. i'm personally more than happy for pubs to close. i rarely go in one. in the case of cities there are plenty of nicer places to have a drink than a pub. in the case of rural areas i think keeping village halls going is more important than keeping a privately owned business like a pub going. village halls allow a range of groups and activities to continue.

what is the point of artificially propping up an industry that no longer has a viable market?

robin_banks

Ste_C wrote: »

This is one reason why I drink in pubs LESS. They are not family places and I don't want to go and find kids running about, nor do I want to be made to feel guilty if I happen to swear in front of someone's prescious little baby.

I've got a couple of kids and I know exactly what you mean, a pub is for adults ans is not a licensed creche.There's a very good pub near me (not that I go in there that often) a pal of mine who also has kids said he was going to grab a pint in there with the kids on a sat afternoon, he seems to be unable to undertsand that it's a good pub becuase they DONT allow kids.

robin_banks

ninky wrote: »

times and attitudes change. i'm personally more than happy for pubs to close. i rarely go in one. in the case of cities there are plenty of nicer places to have a drink than a pub. in the case of rural areas i think keeping village halls going is more important than keeping a privately owned business like a pub going. village halls allow a range of groups and activities to continue.

what is the point of artificially propping up an industry that no longer has a viable market?

Where else can you drink other than a pub?. A gastro pub is not a pub it's a restaurant, a restaurant is not a pub it's a restaurant etc.

I don't drink in pubs that often but I dont want them to close.

lostinrates

Its worth pointing out I suppose that outside of farming and cleaning and the self employed the pub/restaurant is the only employment in my village. Most of the teens here have had a stint in there either in the restaurant bit or the bar. Some of the not kids have too.

Ste_C

robin_banks wrote: »

I've got a couple of kids and I know exactly what you mean, a pub is for adults ans is not a licensed creche.There's a very good pub near me (not that I go in there that often) a pal of mine who also has kids said he was going to grab a pint in there with the kids on a sat afternoon, he seems to be unable to undertsand that it's a good pub becuase they DONT allow kids.

There are parents who live near me who will finish work, pick the kids up from school and sit them down in the corner with a glass of coke and crisps whilst they have a pint with their friends. It's unfair on the kids as they're bored out of their minds and it's unfair on other drinkers.

There are plenty of places where families can go together, but I really don't think pubs are one of them. Pubs that go out of their way to be family friendly and cater for all ages are a different matter, but I wouldn't take my own kids (if I had any) or my nieces into a local pub.

whathavewedone

I agree with this. We would only take our children to the pubs which are clearly family friendly - eg have swings and climbing frames in the beer garden. Pubs are not places to bring kids on the whole but since the smoking ban's come in a lot of pubs have become like Pizza Express and this is partly why they're losing atmosphere

I certainly wouldn't dream of taking my children to the pub in the evening either (they'd be bored stiff apart from anything else)

ninky_2

robin_banks wrote: »

Where else can you drink other than a pub?.

there are coffee shops and cafes that also sell alcohol. there are bars that are not pubs. many hotels also have bars. many restaurants have bar areas.

in a village with a population of say 200 (some of whom will be too young to drink, to ill too drink or not inclined to drink) how on earth can you justify keeping a pub open? i'm sure a lot of villagers would also like a cinema on the doorstep, hardly economically viable is it.

the point of living in a village is that you have less population around you therefore you are going to have fewer facilities. if you want to have somewhere to sit pay to have a drink other than your living room i suggest living somewhere where the surrounding population can support such a venture.

bluey890

ninky wrote: »

there are coffee shops and cafes that also sell alcohol. there are bars that are not pubs. many hotels also have bars. many restaurants have bar areas.

in a village with a population of say 200 (some of whom will be too young to drink, to ill too drink or not inclined to drink) how on earth can you justify keeping a pub open? i'm sure a lot of villagers would also like a cinema on the doorstep, hardly economically viable is it.

the point of living in a village is that you have less population around you therefore you are going to have fewer facilities. if you want to have somewhere to sit pay to have a drink other than your living room i suggest living somewhere where the surrounding population can support such a venture.

The church and pub are essential parts of the village.

lostinrates

ninky wrote: »

there are coffee shops and cafes that also sell alcohol. there are bars that are not pubs. many hotels also have bars. many restaurants have bar areas.

in a village with a population of say 200 (some of whom will be too young to drink, to ill too drink or not inclined to drink) how on earth can you justify keeping a pub open? i'm sure a lot of villagers would also like a cinema on the doorstep, hardly economically viable is it.

the point of living in a village is that you have less population around you therefore you are going to have fewer facilities. if you want to have somewhere to sit pay to have a drink other than your living room i suggest living somewhere where the surrounding population can support such a venture.

Our village hall does show films.....and the pub arrange to have drinks there for that. Christmas carol singing always ends in the pub....the route is the same as it has been as long as the carol singers have been.

A few days ago I found a bull terrier on the roads, I didn't know it, depsite knowing most dogs in the village, so I popped in to the pub and asked whose it was.

One of the nice things about meeting in the pub ratehr than homes in villages is for once no one is guest. Its all nice nuetral territory, although we do lots of ''villagey things' in homes round here too.

A good pub a good village hall and a church all form hubs in the village. ours are all pretty equally used I think, but collaboratively. The fact that on big nights some are in the hall and some in the pub is both binding as a community without being too restrictive. I don't go even to more than half the villagey things. Maybe if I did I'd like our pub more? :o

ninky_2

bluey890 wrote: »

The church and pub are essential parts of the village.

you are living in the past. churches represent a particular point in human development. they are on their way out. as are pubs. embrace change and look for the positive elements of the future.

fair enough if there is still an active congregation or active number of pub-goers. but are you suggesting if this isn't the case the pub and church should be funded by taxpayers to continue?