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Sign of the times

terryb18

terryb18

Gone but not forgotten R.I.P.
My son was in the Toby Jug, Castle Bromwich, Friday night (the 4th) with a couple of friends when they were asked at about 9pm, how long they would be as they wanted to close up because there was'nt anyone in there. I thought "how sad it is to have come to this" I used to use this pub regularly years ago and it was nearly always packed. Shame really. Thats probably why it has a To Let sign up.

Terry
 
Yes Terry we have seen this happen, they now have to look at the cost of heating, staff, etc such a sad time.
 
Hi Terry
As you say it is very sad the way things have gone.

The pubs used to be a way of socialising and interacting for many people, something to look forward to and a way of forgetting your troubles for a while often after a hard day at work. I even remember as a child in the 50's standing outside a pub on Clifton Road Aston while my granny and father were inside and when the door opened I saw it was packed out and everyone was singing at the tops of their voices round a piano having a great time, but flash forward to our modern days since the smoking ban and money being tight just now things have got quite bad for the pubs and social clubs and the rest of society.

People are getting very insular, where once they would have gone out and socailised and some pubs had a reputation were where builders or other workers congregated so it was often possible to get to know about job vacancies through socialising, all that is gone now. I remember pubs on Acocks Green were builders pubs.

Here in Northern Ireland many of the local pubs have closed or are just getting by on a few loyal customers supplimented with trade from pool teams and Darts matches and competitions but the cost of the drinks are still quite high about £2.90 to £3.30 for a pint, some of the pubs are trying discount nights also. The British Legion Social Club here charges £2.70 so it is still quite expensive for a night out when times are hard.

I think the thing that saves some pubs in Northern Ireland is the fact that they are old established and own their own property so dont have high rents to find and maybe are not tied to a brewery.

Louisa
 
I don't know Louisa, I don't think that kids should be waiting outside pubs whilst their elders are inside inbibing and having a sing-song; do you. I do however appreciate the value of the social side or whatever there was of it. I hated waiting outside when I was a kid and never subjected my children to any of that. TV has stopped a lot of this and even inside bars, one suspects that the one behind the counter is the main focus of attention.
The loss of a pub on every corner has good points...what we need is something to replace this marginal meeting place...that is not a bingo hall or gambling casino. These places are the sign of the times mainly perhaps.
 
Rupert, I agree with you, as I have also done my share of standing outside pubs and just getting by on a bottle of Vimto and a packet of crisps, I hated it, as you did. Not the best of memories.
 
Like others, I dont advocate going back to those days either and as a result of my childhood experiences of standing outside pubs hoping my father didnt drink his wages away, I have never taken a drink or been inside any pubs at all during my life so something good came out of a bad experience.

In the past pubs were just local places for a form of socialising and getting together and today, now they are deminishing there are not many places left that people can go to meet others, nothing seems to be springing up to replace them.

Louisa
 
I used to love a night in a decent pub, but these days I rarely bother, mainly because of the noise, juke-boxes, muzak, etc. And younger people seem unable to hold a conversation without shouting at each other. On top of this is the price of the drinks. I've paid anything from about £2.70 to £3.50 for a pint in a pub, yet I can buy 15 bottles of Stella Artois (at Lidl) for the equivalent of about £1.35 a pint, and my local offie sells English bottled beer, 4 pint bottles for £6.00. And if I imbibe at home, there's no breathalyser to worry about or, as what happened a few months ago, gangs of yobs fighting on the pub car-park at closing-time.

It's the same in France, where you can sit on your own in an otherwise-deserted cafe some evenings - and no wonder when you're charged, as I recently was, €4 for less than 1/2 a pint of draught beer and €3 for a glass of wine when the entire bottle costs less than that at the local supermarket.

I don't think it's the smoking-ban that's killing pubs, although it certainly isn't helping; I believe it's the rip-off prices of the booze, pure and simple.

Big Gee
 
I think you are right Big Gee, I don't drink and it really annoys me that I have to as much for mineral water or soft drinks as for alcohol - everyone knows it is a huge rip-off!
Mom and dad go to our local WMC with their friends on a Monday or Weds evening and often they are the only people in the lounge, where the snooker table is and its the same a few nights in the week too,makes you wonder how they stay afloat.
Sue
 
If you don't drink ask for tap water they are not allowed to charge for it.
 
Although I never touch alcohol and my husband rarely drinks we have often had dreams of living in the countrywhere we could enjoy the atmosphere of the village pub
These though will be a rarity soon. Between here and Ravenstone in Leics where my son lives the village pubs are all disappearing many boarded up with For sale on.
The attractive pub in one of the villages is up for sale at the moment.The business with living accomodation is a reasonable price.
However on reading the particulars it opens just 2 nights in the week and lunchtime and evening on Sat/Sun.
It isn't the sort of pub that would get passing trade,how can a living be made from that.
 
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