Has Covid and inflation killed pubs and clubs?

Round my area in Swindon, pubs with a good food offer are doing very well. I have noticed that some places are splitting the bar and making one side into coffee shops, while the other a more traditional bar. These are packed out as women are more comfortable in the coffee side.

I am in a local motorbike group who do weekly ride outs in the summer. We have numerous pubs contacting us for us to attend, we can take about 50 people on a good night, the pubs often lay on food for us or arrange for a pizza or fish and chip van to attend.
All in, I can go out every night of the week with different groups, all going to different pubs around the county. Doesnt do a lot for beer sales, but we get through a lot of soft drinks.
 
Here in Whitby a lot of the pubs are shut by 9 o'clock and some don't open on Monday and Tuesday . It's simply too expensive, £5.50 for a very average pint of black sheep is just far too dear !
 
locomansimon said:
Here in Whitby a lot of the pubs are shut by 9 o'clock and some don't open on Monday and Tuesday . It's simply too expensive, £5.50 for a very average pint of black sheep is just far too dear !
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The Pullman Dining Train is wonderfull for food and, although I dont consume alcohol, my colleagues appeared to enjoy the ale available 🍻
 
Back in 90s me and my mates went to the local off licence that had offers on for carling, 8 cans for £5 so we used to start at 3pm at someone’s home and deck 8 cans each till 7pm then when out on the town we didn’t have to spend much as we were already cream crackered. Could get really drunk on 10 quid back in them days.
 
Fat_Dragon said:
Back in 90s me and my mates went to the local off licence that had offers on for carling, 8 cans for £5 so we used to start at 3pm at someone’s home and deck 8 cans each till 7pm then when out on the town we didn’t have to spend much as we were already cream crackered. Could get really drunk on 10 quid back in them days.
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Yeah we used to do the same with a bottle of vodka, used to go out with £15, get bus to town, cheap drinks in either Madison or bar fresco and then empire

Tbf you can still get pretty trollied for a tenner unless you have high tolerance or body weight. 2L of cider for £2.50, and some bottles of spirits can be had for a tenner. That tenner used to pay most my night out though inc a share of a the taxi home and a pizza. If I have a night out now I spend a fortune
 
I'm a fairly regular pub goer, 3 to 4 times a week, using 3 different types of pubs and a social club.

The price for a pint is between 3 & 4 quid in all of them. So not overly expensive, and only one of them serves food.

The traditional local boozer is doing well, very busy at weekends and well frequented through the week.

The micro pub again is well frequented but has varying opening times and is closed some days.

The pub with the kitchen similarly appears to be doing well and is busy at weekend, Friday through to Sunday.

The social club I use less frequently, quiet on a Friday but bouncing on a Saturday. As busy as it ever was on a Saturday in the 45+ years I've been a member.

Interestingly, what used to be attractive to the oldies, the social club, now attracts more under 40's than the local and micro pub.

What is noticeable is that fewer and fewer younger folk are in the pubs. The culture of the nation is changing.

I avoid karaoke and loud music bars like the plague but I have done since being a youngster, unless it's a live band. Even then, at say the Westgarth, it's populated by the older generation but more of a mix, unlike the Rock Garden etc days when there wasn't a grandad in sight.

The older generation are keeping the traditional pubs going, of that there is no doubt. Will they all have to be converted into bars where conversation isn't required in a decade or two?
 
Fat_Dragon said:
Back in 90s me and my mates went to the local off licence that had offers on for carling, 8 cans for £5 so we used to start at 3pm at someone’s home and deck 8 cans each till 7pm then when out on the town we didn’t have to spend much as we were already cream crackered. Could get really drunk on 10 quid back in them days.
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We used to go to a social club, cheap beer then on the bus to town with the squad. That was the 70's but I'm still doing the pub to pub bus ride with my bus pass 😁
 
Glover_elbow said:
I suppose they will be healthier but the hedonistic days of the late 80s and 90s are gone. It would cost a fortune to do Thurs to sun pubs and clubs these days. When did going for a coffee become a thing for blokes to do
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That might be one of the biggest changes. I have noticed that people go out in bigger groups these days which means a bigger mix and having to cater for everyone. The younger generation are less divided on strict gender lines like they used to be. The biggest change is that blokes are no longer scared to do things that they would have been bullied for in the past. If you wanted to go out for a coffee with your mate 20 years ago then there would have been a much more toxic reaction than these days. People can be themselves and do what they want so aren't facing the peer pressure to go to the pub for a pint so they can have a chat even if they don't want a pint. A lot of the things people want from a night out these days involves an activity. In the cities there are bars that have games like darts, bowling, mini golf, axe throwing etc. People don't want just a drink as much anymore.

People get used to doing things with their partners as well so going for a coffee is normal. Meeting a friend is the thing you are doing. Why does the setting have to be important? Is there really much difference between it being a pint, a coffee or a burger? The cafe culture is ubiquitous around the world. It's not just new to blokes in the UK, it's weird that it has taken so long to catch on. We're still at the point where it is a daytime activity though. You don't get many coffee shops staying open into the evening like you do across the continent. The pub/bar/restaurant scene dominates on an evening still. I presume that will change in the not too distant future.
 
Nano said:
That might be one of the biggest changes. I have noticed that people go out in bigger groups these days which means a bigger mix and having to cater for everyone. The younger generation are less divided on strict gender lines like they used to be. The biggest change is that blokes are no longer scared to do things that they would have been bullied for in the past. If you wanted to go out for a coffee with your mate 20 years ago then there would have been a much more toxic reaction than these days. People can be themselves and do what they want so aren't facing the peer pressure to go to the pub for a pint so they can have a chat even if they don't want a pint. A lot of the things people want from a night out these days involves an activity. In the cities there are bars that have games like darts, bowling, mini golf, axe throwing etc. People don't want just a drink as much anymore.

People get used to doing things with their partners as well so going for a coffee is normal. Meeting a friend is the thing you are doing. Why does the setting have to be important? Is there really much difference between it being a pint, a coffee or a burger? The cafe culture is ubiquitous around the world. It's not just new to blokes in the UK, it's weird that it has taken so long to catch on. We're still at the point where it is a daytime activity though. You don't get many coffee shops staying open into the evening like you do across the continent. The pub/bar/restaurant scene dominates on an evening still. I presume that will change in the not too distant future.
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Back in my day people used to go out for the sole purpose of getting drunk. Today people go out for the social interaction so yes some people like a drink but as you say lots of the younger generation prefer to socially interact by doing activities and are much more health conscious. The pub seems to now be old fashioned. Times change, peoples attitudes change and businesses have to move with the times and cater for it.

I think in about 20-30 years from now more people will be drinking alcohol free drinks than ones containing alcohol.
 
Last Orders and the Pig Iron are doing something right on a Saturday but if youre under 50 youre in the minority

Young un's just go straight to nightclubs now so i hear and house drink

Roll the clock back 25 years Albert Road was bouncing you just fell out of one pub into the next thursday, friday or Saturday
 
gizasqueezemister said:
I tried to book a table for 12 on Xmas day at the cross keys. I was told no because 6 is the biggest table they are doing. I said ok book me 2 tables of 6. After considering my logic and a period of silence I was told 'no cant do that because we cant put the 2 tables together and you might get up and walk around'... Another establishment got our business.
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Ah, Successful Sales prevention in action. That was probably a £500 order they turned away. Much more if they all like a good scoop.
 
Fat_Dragon said:
Back in my day people used to go out for the sole purpose of getting drunk. Today people go out for the social interaction so yes some people like a drink but as you say lots of the younger generation prefer to socially interact by doing activities and are much more health conscious. The pub seems to now be old fashioned. Times change, peoples attitudes change and businesses have to move with the times and cater for it.

I think in about 20-30 years from now more people will be drinking alcohol free drinks than ones containing alcohol.
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We couldn't afford to go out to get drunk when we were young, and you didn't see as much drunkenness about back then. The licencing laws and the restricted hours worked in that respect.

We were out to socialise back then too.
 
In my opinion a few things have caused the decline of the boozer:

2000 - Venues charging entry fees - people learned how much fun it was to have a party at home and how much cheaper the beer was.

2007 - Smoking ban

And now younger adults aren't too fussed with drinking in pubs. Cost of living crisis. Tax too high on beer in pubs. Rent on tenancies going through the roof (greed) and cafe culture taking hold of Britain.

Pubs will survive though if they adapt. Live music, quizzes, events, decent food, good IPA/gin/cocktail selections etc.

Nowadays you can't serve crap food and drink or people will go elsewhere.
 
Very much of the opinion that pubs in heavily saturated areas will struggle unless they offer something different to the rest or their food offerings are better than the rest. The food been better only comes with better chefs and suppliers.
 
I knew things had changed with younger people when a few years ago one of the pubs in Saltburn tried having a mid week night with free pool and jukebox. Nobody went apart from a couple of people (me mainly :) ) When I was younger the place would've been packed out.
 
Tied pubs were often screwed by the big breweries.
They creamed profit off the top before the Manager even began to pay the bills and the staff.
Often, the "Area Manager" would come along and tell you what you could and couldnt do and what you could spend.
Corporatism also killed local pubs.
You know what you get in a Wetherspoons, but on the estates and out of Town local needs may be different.
Poor public transport can also be a factor which influences trade.
Many music pubs now face opposition from residents in flats built in Town centres.
Many have closed.
Student-oriented pubs have trade for about 8 months of the year, but lose their target trade at Christmas, Easter and Summer.
 
Nano said:
That might be one of the biggest changes. I have noticed that people go out in bigger groups these days which means a bigger mix and having to cater for everyone. The younger generation are less divided on strict gender lines like they used to be. The biggest change is that blokes are no longer scared to do things that they would have been bullied for in the past. If you wanted to go out for a coffee with your mate 20 years ago then there would have been a much more toxic reaction than these days. People can be themselves and do what they want so aren't facing the peer pressure to go to the pub for a pint so they can have a chat even if they don't want a pint. A lot of the things people want from a night out these days involves an activity. In the cities there are bars that have games like darts, bowling, mini golf, axe throwing etc. People don't want just a drink as much anymore.

People get used to doing things with their partners as well so going for a coffee is normal. Meeting a friend is the thing you are doing. Why does the setting have to be important? Is there really much difference between it being a pint, a coffee or a burger? The cafe culture is ubiquitous around the world. It's not just new to blokes in the UK, it's weird that it has taken so long to catch on. We're still at the point where it is a daytime activity though. You don't get many coffee shops staying open into the evening like you do across the continent. The pub/bar/restaurant scene dominates on an evening still. I presume that will change in the not too distant future.
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I can't think of many downtown Boro pubs where I'd want to encourage axe throwing
 
I think it all started with cheap supermarket beer. When I started drinking in the late 1980s. The price different between off license and supermarket beer wasn't that great. The gap is huge nowadays.
 
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