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Thread: On the demise of the British pub

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,853
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default On the demise of the British pub

    The British 'pub' is unique to the UK. Nothing like it exist anywhere else in the world. Some French bars come close, but there is nothing quite like a British pub.

    Sad then to learn that pubs are closing down in the UK at the rate of two a week (if not more). There are many reasons why this might be: anti-smoking legislation; the availability of cheap booze from supermarkets; attempts by landlords to make the pub 'family friendly', essentially turning them into bland, characterless bistros, or purchase by management groups, and in doing so, imposing a 'homogenisation' in an attempt to impart the corporate identity.

    But what of a wonderful-looking. traditional city pub such as the 'Black Lion' in Kilburn, London: http://www.blacklionguesthouse.com/gallery/

    Grade II listed; frosted glass widows, beautiful ceiling mouldings, leather upholstery, books to read on the window sills .....

    So what's not to like? Well many things: only a limited choice of largely indifferent beers, that are not particularly well kept; adequate but expensive food; bar staff that mean well, but don't know much about the ales on offer, and most importantly - selling beer for an average of £4.50 a pint! (The latter is not just 'London prices'; I have drunk better beer in the same London borough for far less.)

    I wonder how long this pub will last?
    Barry

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

    Default

    Love the interior of that pub, Barry! Therefore. it deserves to be so much better, food and drink-wise... I've got many views on this, which I'll post later, but needless to say, apart from what you mention (all of which is significant), the blackboard with 'Happy Hour' written on it, in such an establishment, for me says it all!

    Like I've said many times before, most folks these days value QUANTITY rather more than quality, and everything is driven by price.

    Unless the great British public start learning to be more discerning about what they put into their mouths, both liquid and food orientated, and put their hands into their pockets and be more willing to pay for nice things, then overall standards will not rise.

    I of course appreciate that the prices that this pub is charging aren't cheap, but the point is whatever profit is being made isn't being reinvested in the right way! The big problem these days is too many such businesses are simply money-making exercises, run by folk with no passion or love for what they're doing, and that's a recipe always ultimately doomed to failure.

    More later!

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  3. #3
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

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    Illegal drinking dens are the way forward. Some bloke sets up a micro brewery, starts flogging it in the front of house, no rules or regs, no duty or tax. Sort of how pubs originally started. We'll just do it all over again.
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  4. #4
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

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    Drink is the spawn of the devil.
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
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    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

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  5. #5
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,853
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Quote Originally Posted by struth View Post
    Drink is the spawn of the devil.
    Says one who has a dozen or more fine malts in his drinks cupboard!
    Barry

  6. #6
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

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    Just finding out his weak spot. Lol
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  7. #7
    Join Date: Dec 2017

    Location: Manchester

    Posts: 359
    I'm John.

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    £4.50 a pint in London? Many places in central Manchester are now £5 a pint so I don't think £4.50 is that expensive, especially for London.

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

    Default

    Not had a drink for long time. In a pub it's Years as it's way too dear.
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,853
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Crackles View Post
    £4.50 a pint in London? Many places in central Manchester are now £5 a pint so I don't think £4.50 is that expensive, especially for London.

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
    Well I'm used to buying decent, well kept beer for no more than £3.30 a pint. Of course there are places that charge more, but even then the beer is good and well served. My complaint was spending a lot on indifferent ale.
    Barry

  10. #10
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,741
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry View Post
    The British 'pub' is unique to the UK. Nothing like it exist anywhere else in the world. Some French bars come close, but there is nothing quite like a British pub.

    Sad then to learn that pubs are closing down in the UK at the rate of two a week (if not more). There are many reasons why this might be: anti-smoking legislation; the availability of cheap booze from supermarkets; attempts by landlords to make the pub 'family friendly', essentially turning them into bland, characterless bistros, or purchase by management groups, and in doing so, imposing a 'homogenisation' in an attempt to impart the corporate identity.

    But what of a wonderful-looking. traditional city pub such as the 'Black Lion' in Kilburn, London: http://www.blacklionguesthouse.com/gallery/

    Grade II listed; frosted glass widows, beautiful ceiling mouldings, leather upholstery, books to read on the window sills .....

    So what's not to like? Well many things: only a limited choice of largely indifferent beers, that are not particularly well kept; adequate but expensive food; bar staff that mean well, but don't know much about the ales on offer, and most importantly - selling beer for an average of £4.50 a pint! (The latter is not just 'London prices'; I have drunk better beer in the same London borough for far less.)

    I wonder how long this pub will last?
    What about the Irish pub? I don't know how they are these days, but in the last millenium they could be distinguished from the British pub as follows:

    a) most bar staff had a proper training in cellar craft and knew how to look after their beers and porters.
    b) pubs were a place, by and large, to socialise (i.e. to talk to other human beings).
    c) many pubs had staff who would take your order and bring it to you at your table rather than you having to queue up at the bar.
    d) many pubs had music but it was often live and informal.

    I stopped going to British pubs regularly in the 90s. The main reasons were smokers, fruit machines, and overly loud tvs and jukeboxes. Oh, and crappy overpriced beer too!

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