National Pub Boycott Day

ballooba

What do you think of this idea?

I get a little bit p'ed off drinking in people's houses all the time. A culture seems to have developed where people feel that they have to get sufficiently drunk before going to the pub, so that they don't have to buy drink there.

Publicans blame this drinking at home on the smoking ban. I know this is bull**** and I have never once met someone who drinks at home before going out because of the smoking ban.

The reason people drink at home before going out is that they are getting ripped off by the publicans. People are marrying later in this country and have a lot of disposable income in their mid to late twenties that otherwise would have been spent on a family and a home.

Publicans are taking a huge chunk of this disposable income. As a young male in my early twenties I am embarassed to say that >25% of my total income goes to publicans. Typically this funds going out two nights a week.

This would include cover charge of about €10 (for what), Cloak Room €2 (again for what) and €4-5 per pint of heineken. Even if I only have 5 drinks thats the guts of €50 gone. That doesn't even include getting to the pub, getting home or the chips on the way home.

I would love if people would set aside one night where we take the power back off the publicans and tell them what we think. Basically one night where everyone drinks at home and no one goes to a pub or club.

R-KEANE

The pub owners blame the smoking ban because less people went out to pubs when it was introduced, hence pub owners put their prices up hence people started to drink more at home before going out.
But I agree, I hate drinking at home. But to get a country who are obsessed with drinking to not go to the pub on a given night is tough. It was tried before on a friday night but didnt make a bit of difference. Reminds me of when Dunnes stores used to have strikes. The next day it was back to normal without the slightest bit of difference. Customers just waited until the strike was over and then spent just as much in dunnes as any other week. Its a very weak nation.

DublinWriter

ballooba wrote:

Publicans blame this drinking at home on the smoking ban. I know this is bull**** and I have never once met someone who drinks at home before going out because of the smoking ban.

Meet me.

I could count the times I've been to a pub on the fingers of one hand since the Smoking Ban. I used to go about once/twice a month.

Most of my close circle of friends now go around each other's houses at the weekend.

As for a one-day Boycott of pubs? Don't make me laugh. Can't happen, won't happen.

connundrum

One night's takings wouldn't hurt anyone.. cos as a nation we are dying for drink as soon as we are told we can't have any (ref - Stephens Day and Easter Saturday where pubs are packed because people couldn't get beer the day before).

Its a vicious circle where the pint starts off life at €3 (for example), then the smoking ban hits and 50 less people go to one pub - forcing the publican to put up the price to €3.50 to cover costs. Then people start going back to the pub cos drinking at home ain't all that. The publican sees this as an opportunity to make a few bob cos 'you don't know how long its gonna last like', so the pint is up to €3.70. Then people start drinking at home and then going to the pub, which doesn't please Mr. Publican at all as he's losing out on 2 hours income - prices rise to €4 for a pint and he puts a €10 door charge after 10pm because "If people are insisting on coming in late, then they'll have to pay for it.. I can't be doing them any favours!"

The next situation will involve people going in from 6-10pm, getting completely sloshed and headin home early, then the publican will remove the door charge and make drinks €3 a pop.. for 2 months untill everyone complies, then the door charge is back on again... and around and around we go.

Its a never ending story where the publican and the govt always win.

SantaHoe

ballooba wrote:

What do you think of this idea?

Don't see it happening tbh... we've far too many die-hard alco's in this country.

R-KEANE

connundrum wrote:

One night's takings wouldn't hurt anyone.. cos as a nation we are dying for drink as soon as we are told we can't have any (ref - Stephens Day and Easter Saturday where pubs are packed because people couldn't get beer the day before).

Its a vicious circle where the pint starts off life at €3 (for example), then the smoking ban hits and 50 less people go to one pub - forcing the publican to put up the price to €3.50 to cover costs. Then people start going back to the pub cos drinking at home ain't all that. The publican sees this as an opportunity to make a few bob cos 'you don't know how long its gonna last like', so the pint is up to €3.70. Then people start drinking at home and then going to the pub, which doesn't please Mr. Publican at all as he's losing out on 2 hours income - prices rise to €4 for a pint and he puts a €10 door charge after 10pm because "If people are insisting on coming in late, then they'll have to pay for it.. I can't be doing them any favours!"

The next situation will involve people going in from 6-10pm, getting completely sloshed and headin home early, then the publican will remove the door charge and make drinks €3 a pop.. for 2 months untill everyone complies, then the door charge is back on again... and around and around we go.

Its a never ending story where the publican and the govt always win.

Well I think you are suggesting that there isnt a long term solution. I think there is and I think it will involve a culture change. Going to pubs and getting sloshed isnt necessary to have a good time. People think it is as night outs can be boring without a skinful. Fair enough, it is but that just shows how unsocial we are becoming. Making a conversation with someone in work or on the street is usually small talk or limited because of the environment. If noone was to drink alcohol while out we would have a different atmosphere for a short while until people loosen up naturally and remember how to have a laugh. I'm for that.

connundrum

R-KEANE wrote:

Well I think you are suggesting that there isnt a long term solution. I think there is and I think it will involve a culture change. Going to pubs and getting sloshed isnt necessary to have a good time. People think it is as night outs can be boring without a skinful. Fair enough, it is but that just shows how unsocial we are becoming. Making a conversation with someone in work or on the street is usually small talk or limited because of the environment. If noone was to drink alcohol while out we would have a different atmosphere for a short while until people loosen up naturally and remember how to have a laugh. I'm for that.

I'd 70% agree with you, but I do enjoy the stupid laughs you have with a few pints (yes, I do enjoy a few pints). A culture change is needed, and I think we can all agree on that, but no one is making the first significant move. People are like sheep, and they will follow once the idea is presented in a very attractive box

Edit - Sorry, and I do think that they are several long term solutions which could be put in place, but I have no faith in them actually working due to a lack of government backing and/or crap media coverage.

R-KEANE

connundrum wrote:

I'd 70% agree with you, but I do enjoy the stupid laughs you have with a few pints (yes, I do enjoy a few pints). A culture change is needed, and I think we can all agree on that, but no one is making the first significant move. People are like sheep, and they will follow once the idea is presented in a very attractive box

Edit - Sorry, and I do think that they are several long term solutions which could be put in place, but I have no faith in them actually working due to a lack of government backing and/or crap media coverage.

So what could be in this attractive box? More money to spend on holidays, cars etc. Easier mornings the next day. Being able to stay out in a venue all night if the landlord wants to keep going. No drunken fools trying to feel up your girlfriend or pick a fight. Being able to drive in and out of town at any hour. Fewer crimes committed which connected with drinking including drink driving (saving lives). Fewer teenage pregnancies. I think this is only a few. However, they all get immediately outweighed by one single point. Getting drunk can be fun. Pathetic.

connundrum

R-KEANE wrote:

So what could be in this attractive box? More money to spend on holidays, cars etc. Easier mornings the next day. Being able to stay out in a venue all night if the landlord wants to keep going. No drunken fools trying to feel up your girlfriend or pick a fight. Being able to drive in and out of town at any hour. Fewer crimes committed which connected with drinking including drink driving (saving lives). Fewer teenage pregnancies. I think this is only a few.

Yup, you need to take all of those commonly known facts, and put em in a big shiny box before the Irish public buy it. If you could throw in a free holiday or something it might be digested that bit earier.

R-KEANE wrote:

However, they all get immediately outweighed by one single point. Getting drunk can be fun. Pathetic

Hmmm... dunno if I'll take offense to that yet or not. I don't see myself as being pathetic for going out, havin a few pints and having a laugh - therefore I'm not pathetic But people who go out every Friday & Saturday night with the distinct intention of getting as bolloxed as possible... thats a different bags of cats :rolleyes:

R-KEANE

connundrum wrote:

Yup, you need to take all of those commonly known facts, and put em in a big shiny box before the Irish public buy it. If you could throw in a free holiday or something it might be digested that bit earier.



Hmmm... dunno if I'll take offense to that yet or not. I don't see myself as being pathetic for going out, havin a few pints and having a laugh - therefore I'm not pathetic But people who go out every Friday & Saturday night with the distinct intention of getting as bolloxed as possible... thats a different bags of cats :rolleyes:

I didnt say going out for a few pints is pathetic. Just the thought of one minor benefit of drinking outweighing all the good things of not drinking.

Siogfinsceal

the price of drink has gone mad though.
Theres a club in Naas - Time where its free to be a member and that gets you in free on a thurdsay, friday and sunday. The only night they charge is saturday. They also do promotions too. I cant understand people in dublin paying 10-20 quid for the priveledge of entering a club and buying over priced drink. Im happy to have a few glasses of wine at home and then go out. Alternatively I will go to bondai where the drinks are 3 quid each and have a few before heading anywhere else. If your really cheeky - why not brin gsome vodka in your handbag??

Peanut

R-KEANE wrote:

However, they all get immediately outweighed by one single point. Getting drunk can be fun. Pathetic.

Maybe not so much that getting drunk is fun, but that there are no good alternatives.
Have you ever been out with a group of people where you are one of the only one's not drinking, for whatever reason? It's usually tedious in the extreme.

We need more social non-drinking locations. A lot of our problem is that the climate in the country doesn't lend itself to being outdoors too much, however it is possible to create alternatives indoors, it just requires a bit of imagination on behalf of both the government and the general population.

It's also worth reminding people of the disgraceful show of vested interests that was the shooting down of the cafe-bar proposal. Whatever people think about McDowell's supposed right-wing tendencies, imho the forces that blocked this are no better than drug pushers afraid of losing their customers to a less extreme form of consumption.

Litcagral

Siogfinsceal wrote:

If your really cheeky - why not brin gsome vodka in your handbag??

I would lose all credibility with my mates if I went out with a handbag. :D:D

R-KEANE

Siogfinsceal wrote:

the price of drink has gone mad though.
Theres a club in Naas - Time where its free to be a member and that gets you in free on a thurdsay, friday and sunday. The only night they charge is saturday. They also do promotions too. I cant understand people in dublin paying 10-20 quid for the priveledge of entering a club and buying over priced drink. Im happy to have a few glasses of wine at home and then go out. Alternatively I will go to bondai where the drinks are 3 quid each and have a few before heading anywhere else. If your really cheeky - why not brin gsome vodka in your handbag??

Because thats for girls and a bit disturbing. People shouldnt be carrying bottles of vodka around with them. Forget to take it out and one monday morning it will fall out of your handbag in front of your boss. Well, that would be a bit unlikely but its still a bit extreme to do that. Plus, you could get kicked out of a pub/club for doing that if your caught.

ballooba

Siogfinsceal wrote:

Im happy to have a few glasses of wine at home and then go out. Alternatively I will go to bondai where the drinks are 3 quid each and have a few before heading anywhere else. If your really cheeky - why not brin gsome vodka in your handbag??

You shouldn't have to though. Also Bondi is a hole.

lostexpectation

feb 15 wasn't it

how about we try ones of these EL Botelon's here , it could work here, cause alota trouble but thered be slightly less people in pubs that night...


Spanish mass binge leads to riots

Mass street parties across Spain in response to high bar prices have led to clashes with police, leaving 80 people injured and at least 50 arrested.

...in Granada, around 25,000 young Spaniards gathered.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4818180.stm

ballooba

I have never ever heard of a boycott before. I would have to be very high profile and people would have to be offered an alternative, such as house parties or street parties or a giant festival.

Blisterman

What Ireland needs is something like Whetherspoons in England. It's less than £2 a pint, they have a good selection of beers. Double vodka and coke is about £2.50, and yet, it's not full of scumbags. Well, at least not the ones near me.

ballooba

What we need in Ireland for people not be so complacent. We always give out about everything, but we never do anything about it.

Whetherspoons? What, we need them just like we need Royal Bank of Scotland or the Dail "Oirish" Mail? We shouldn't need British businesses to bail us out. Plus they are only coming here because the profit margins are so high.

rubadub

More places/people should take advantage of the legality, almost loophole, of BYO restaurants. I know many in their mid to late 30's that go to certain resturaunts to mainly drink. Some charge corkage but it is still far less than a pub. So for almost the exact same price or often less, you get basically a free meal while drinking what you would in a pub. Or having a better selection if you are into good beers which are sorely lacking from most pubs here. you get the wine you want.

It may appeal more to older people since it is sort of like a dinner party, but there is nothing wrong with getting tanked up and then hitting the pub, like many are doing now anyway. Many would get a chinese in while boozing before the pub anyway.

I know people that booked out entire resturaunts for birthday parties, if it is an all day session it works out a good bit cheaper.

consider 200ml coke and a shot 35.5ml.
Think it is €2.80 + €3.50 in my local. so €6.30 for a vodka & coke.

That means a 2 litre bottle (10x200ml bottles) and 700ml bottle (20 shots).
You get 2 2 litres for €3.20 and a bottle for €20. so that is €23.20 but would have costed €126 in the pub!

connundrum

R-KEANE wrote:

I didnt say going out for a few pints is pathetic.

Thats why I didn't take offense I think there may well come a time when everyone gets so pissed off with the price of everything that we all just go out and demonstrate and demonstrate until things are rectified... but I see that happening later rather than sooner. Its the Irish way - you grumble and grumble about being ripped off without ever doing anything to turn the problem around.. then wonder 10 years down the line why you didn't fight it 10 years earlier.

I'm the same as anyone in that boat btw, but I've realised I'm getting ripped off and I've come to terms with it.. by ripping everyone else off :rolleyes:

ballooba

connundrum wrote:

I think there may well come a time when everyone gets so pissed off with the price of everything that we all just go out and demonstrate and demonstrate until things are rectified...

Thing is, they won't. How many times have you heard people say that the Indo is a rag and they will never buy it again. Yet they continue to buy it every Sunday.

bbbbb

Great idea! How about Good Friday?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

It's what I call a complete lack of imagination in a very limiting country. It's not that we do or don't want to go to the pub; it's not that we do or do not object to paying the prices it's that fact that the average Irishman has no idea what the **** else to do with himself, should the pub not be an option for whatever reason.

Blisterman

ballooba wrote:

What we need in Ireland for people not be so complacent. We always give out about everything, but we never do anything about it.

Whetherspoons? What, we need them just like we need Royal Bank of Scotland or the Dail "Oirish" Mail? We shouldn't need British businesses to bail us out. Plus they are only coming here because the profit margins are so high.

I didn't say Wetherspoons should open here. I said somewhere like wetherspoons. Maybe an Irish Entrapreneur could open something like this.

Binomate

From reading the OP I tend to get the feeling that you believe that drinking is the only option. The only solution you have suggested to combat the price of nights out is drinking at home. Why not just not drink? That would work out much cheaper all together.

ferdi

i dont drink in estabishments if i'm going on the raz. maybe 2-3 in the place but i'll have done all my drinking at home/mates house before hand - leaves more time for dancing, chatting etc in the place. i will continue to do this until pub/club drink prices are put at an acceptable level.

ferdi

Binomate wrote:

From reading the OP I tend to get the feeling that you believe that drinking is the only option. The only solution you have suggested to combat the price of nights out is drinking at home. Why not just not drink? That would work out much cheaper all together.

yeah but then we'd have to face the harsh reality of human existence. no thanks.

Binomate

ferdi wrote:

yeah but then we'd have to face the harsh reality of human existence. no thanks.

Not if you isolate yourself from reality, by playing World of Warcraft or joining a religion or something.:)

NoreenMF

Blisterman wrote:

What Ireland needs is something like Whetherspoons in England. It's less than £2 a pint, they have a good selection of beers. Double vodka and coke is about £2.50, and yet, it's not full of scumbags. Well, at least not the ones near me.

I was home last week for my birthday and had some of my English friends with me. After spending an afternoon in Dublin they were asking me did we not have a cheap chain of pubs like Wetherspoons in Ireland. All I could do was laugh! Maybe we should petition Wetherspoons to come to Ireland?

ferdi

i cant see mcdowell letting them in:(

CerebralCortex

Need I say more....

ferdi

CerebralCortex wrote:

Need I say more....

more? that implies you've already said something...

NoreenMF

Well there must be a reason why someone hasn't done it Ireland yet... There are quite a few chains in the UK that do the whole family pub with alright food and non smoking area. Is it just that the pubs in Dublin are catering to the people with the most disposable income and have the least needs to be met? Or is there really no market for family friendly pubs?

Wertz

The reason you have chains in the UK and not here is that many pubs in the UK are/were owned/run/set-up by the various breweries and went on to become chains.

Over here it's a little different; for the most part Irish pubs were/are run by single owners or a partnership; no brewery was ever involved....probably for the fact that we had maybe 4-5 brewing companies that were far too busy supplying stout to overseas than bothering with buying up/renting out shebeens.

Both countries have a similar drinking culture but it's executed a lot differently.
there's definitely a niche in the market for cheap chain pubs here....FFS the punters 'd be battering down the doors to get into them. Thing is it's a costly ladder to start climbing...you have to get around our archaic licensing laws for a start....and to start turning a good profit selling cut price booze, you've to invest heavily by buying leases in expensive city/town centre locations....I doubt it'll ever happen which is a shame. Right now the pub owners hold a very large oligarchy of sorts (I can't really call it a monopoly).

Personally I've just quit drinking...the odd carryout and that's about it....head out on a special occasion....there really is **** all alterntaive to drink here in terms of a social outlet and as a means to meet new people...any other country apart from the UK that I've visited, it's simply not like this.

We're a nation ruled by drink.

Civilian_Target

How about this mad idea? Drink less.

ballooba

Civilian_Target wrote:

How about this mad idea? Drink less.

And keep paying the same amount? Eventually I'll be teetotal. The prices are going to keep going up.

nlgbbbblth

Drinking at home is far better than drinking in the pub.

- Smoking is permitted
- Clean toilets
- We can play whatever music we want
- No need to worry about taxis etc.

People go on about pubs being better because of the 'atmosphere' or 'the crowd' or that they're 'more sociable'

Bull****.
What good is 'the crowd' if it's people you don't know?

smashey

Blisterman wrote:

I didn't say Wetherspoons should open here. I said somewhere like wetherspoons. Maybe an Irish Entrapreneur could open something like this.

Weatherspoons have 2 pubs in Derry. Cheap beer just tastes better.:D

Never mind all that atmosphere/smoking ban stuff. People are staying in and having a few drinks at home because it is cheaper and you can choose your company. It is also highly unlikely that somebody will throw up over you or try to beat you up.

macfran

NoreenMF wrote:

I was home last week for my birthday and had some of my English friends with me. After spending an afternoon in Dublin they were asking me did we not have a cheap chain of pubs like Wetherspoons in Ireland. All I could do was laugh! Maybe we should petition Wetherspoons to come to Ireland?

Was'nt there talk a couple of years of Wetherspoons opening in Enniskillen (before I am attacked I know it is the North) but also to open in Capel Street in Dublin.

The licensed vintners in our country have it sown up, a lot of them are politicians or buddies of and they rule the roost.

I love our pub culture. I live in a small town don't go out often but when I do it is great to meet the locals and swap news and chat.
My generation went out sober and got "nicely thank you" in the pub but I do agree with the greedy publicans fleecing us.
:mad:

dubtom

One nights takings wouldn't make a difference

I picked up a guy who had just finished work in cafe en sein (spelling) one Saturday night. According to him the average takings on a Saturday was about 50 grand, thats just one night out of seven. I'm not sure of profit margins but they must be at least 20K with takings like that, I'm sure that loss would make a difference.