Friday 17 April 2009

The Pub With No Beer

"It's lonesome away from your kindred and all
By the camp fire at night where the wild dingoes call,
But there's nothing so lonesome so morbid or drear
Than to stand in a bar of a pub with no beer."

Seems the Government, among others, including perhaps surprisingly the British Beer and Pub Association, want to turn some closed pubs into alcohol free "pubs" at around £60,000 a pop. The alcohol-free pubs would be aimed at 13 to 19-year-olds, could help reduce crime, address substance misuse and encourage future adults to drink responsibly. The new pubs will offer the same services as any standard public house business except for alcohol and gambling and be expected to be self financing within a year.

When I was young, no-one had to explain to me or my friends how to use pubs. You just sort of knew when the time had come. But then again, the biggest problem they had with us was stopping us playing football in the street. We had never heard of drugs, alcopops or anything much really. Changed times maybe call for changed measures and it would probably be a better use for some empty pubs. At least they'll have no difficulty in finding premises. There are plenty to go at.

Good plan or bad? Frankly I don't know what to make of it.

The excellent Morning Advertiser has the full story here.

6 comments:

Curmudgeon said...

Many years ago a closed pub on the Ashton Old Road in Manchester was converted into the "Pop Inn", which was much the same as what is now being proposed. I don't think it lasted long.

Ed said...

I can't imagine that anyone 16 or over will go to a dry 'pub' as they'll know someone who can get them booze or pubs they'll get served in.

Paul Garrard said...

Youth clubs – what a novel idea!
I started going into pubs a 15, as did my contemporaries, yes we binge drunk, sadly. Nothing new under the sun hey? But I suspect not with as much frequency as today’s teenagers.

If this idea works then that’s great, but I fear that they will be a flash in the pan!

“the biggest problem they had with us was stopping us playing football in the street” – jumpers for goal posts?

Unknown said...

You see Paul, that's the problem these days, not enough kids playing football in the streets so grumpy old men like you and me can shout at them.

Boak said...

Why do people assume that everyone was better-behaved in the old days? From what I hear of our parents' generation, they used to drink loads more than us.

And if some kids were playing football in the street today, no doubt everyone over the age of 20 would be tutting at how anti-socially they were behaving.

Back to your post - could be an interesting idea. In general, there are very few places in the UK you can go out in the evening if you don't drink - the occasional late night coffee shop down my way does good trade. Obviously "the kidz" won't bother with it if they feel it's patronising or uncool, but if you get it right, there could be some business in it. I wouldn't aim it exclusively at kids, though.

Tandleman said...

My old days were a long time ago and the general standards of behaviour were influenced, nay determined, by the fifties and an instilled concept of right and wrong. Bloody Hell it was the fifties - some of it at least.(-;

I remember clearly aged 12 getting the strap at school by an old harridan of a teacher - for shuffling my feet in class. Changed days indeed.

Anyway just my view of life and playing football in the street was at least healthy. We ran around. Drunks were kind to us kids and gave us loose change for the penny tray, or empty pint beer bottles to take back. They'd be locked up now for that probably.

All our yesterdays.