Health group angered by 99p pint

Toiletroll

A pub chain is cutting the price of a pint to 99p to cheer cash-strapped drinkers - but the move has sparked criticism from an alcohol charity.
JD Wetherspoon, which operates 713 pubs across the UK, is offering "indefinite" reductions on some beer, bottled lager, wine and spirits, plus £2.99 meals.
Health campaigners fear other pub chains could follow.
Alcohol Concern says pricing drinks at 1989 levels could cause more people to drink too much and end up in hospital.
Nicolay Sorensen, from the charity, said prices across the industry were already 65% lower in real terms than in 1980.
"The number of alcohol-related hospital admissions is continuing to rise at an astonishing rate," he said, adding that treating drink-related illnesses costs the NHS £2.7bn per year.
He said that by selling beer at 99p per pint, pubs were not acting responsibly.

"The drinks industry isn't able to regulate itself responsibly and it's for the government to take action."
But Mark Hastings, of the British Beer and Pub Association, said the 99p pint only applied to one brand of beer - Greene King IPA - in one chain of bars.
Customers could stay at home and drink beer from supermarkets much more cheaply, whereas pubs offered a more responsible environment, he said.
"We are trying to stay in business, keep jobs in our sector and compete in a very competitive market," said Mr Hastings.
He said that with pubs closing at a rate of five per day, the sector had already lost 44,000 jobs.
Wetherspoon's chief executive John Hutson said the company was helping people in the face of the economic downturn.
"We believe that our new food and drink prices will allow people to enjoy a visit to a Wetherspoon pub without it costing them too much," he said.

URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7810263.stm"]source[/URL

FloorBoard

this government tatter.

we care about your health, blah, blah, blah.

In the north you can buy 45 cans of larger for £20. You can buy two fillet steaks for £12.

Soviet union, bottle of vodka for free, queue for about 6 hours for a piece of bread.

Some things never change.

super_furry

I'd fecking love Wetherspoons to open up here. Weren't they trying to a few years back?

mikemac

Reminds me of when Tesco started selling cost price beer and the publicans said would it damage their profit margins cause irresponsible drinking

That chain are in Belfast and Enniskillen, nice bar food too. I'd welcome them to this market.

Highsider

Why are'nt this chain set up in Ireland :mad:

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Fair play to the pubs, I wish there was something similar here.

ergo

please no Wetherspoon's in Ireland

just what we need, a chain of identical, soul-less pubs selling cheap booze to batter the already struggling industry and kill off any pub with actual character

Mint Sauce

ergo wrote: »

please no Wetherspoon's in Ireland

just what we need, a chain of identical, soul-less pubs selling cheap booze to batter the already struggling industry and kill off any pub with actual character

+1, have never been in one that had any atmosphere

Toiletroll

ergo wrote: »

please no Wetherspoon's in Ireland

just what we need, a chain of identical, soul-less pubs selling cheap booze to batter the already struggling industry and kill off any pub with actual character

Wrong imo! The atmosphere in the Derry & Liverpool one is awesome in my experience! All types of people go there with all different cultures. Only stupid idiot fools would go somewhere thats twice the price lol

All the publicans will be on here now votaing against them lol as above

Toiletroll

Also I dont drink much at all, perhaps 3 or 4 times a year. I would be pissed after 3 quid in there! lol

Value value value... Id be set up for an amazing night. One of the things that stops me going out in Ireland is the fcuking €100 - €150 dent it seems to leave in your wallet even if you DONT have a crazy night... !!

mikemac

ergo wrote: »

please no Wetherspoon's in Ireland

It's another option.
You'll still have your pub with character selling overpriced drink. Wetherspoons are the value no-frills option so something different.
We have expensive hotel bars, we have overpriced pubs, we have some pubs that try to be reasoanble.
Wetherspoons will be just another section of this

Mc Love

Wetherspoons is a great pub chain! Cheap food, breakfast is quality and beer prices are dead on!!

Toiletroll

irish-stew wrote: »

+1, have never been in one that had any atmosphere

Also if everyone went around trying to find "atmosphere" then you would end up in a very boring world!

You make your own atmosphere with your friends! - You dont rely on others... Start with yourself it may spread! :P

juuge

Even if the publicans were to charge 99c for a pint they would still charge 2.50 euro for a glass of orange. Publicans motivation is like any other business, profit driven - nothing else.

galwayrush

I've been in Weatherspoons in England, always managed to get good value and a good meal there.:cool: If they did come, they won't take over , it'll be just another choice.:cool:

Tawny

It doesn't help prices I know, but I hope to God Ireland never develops the pub chain culture.

Lived in England for 6 years, and got used to the pubs in the city I lived in. Then you go for a day out or a weekend away in Cardiff, Liverpool, London.. wherever.

You decide to go for pub dinner somewhere... and wherever you are all you can find is Wetherspoons, Yates, Rat and Parrot, O'Neills, Slug and Lettuce, which is exactly the places you go to at home and you are sick of eating from the same menu, the same decor, staff that all look the same and the same choices of drinks and cocktails.

You might find a pub that isn't branded, and you think, 'Oh wonderful, a local pub, lets go there', so you go in, and the menu is the same as your local at home because its owned by the same brewery company. I went into 4 non-branded pubs in London in a row only to see the same menu on the tables.

Seriously, the longer the chains stay out the better.

Guy:Incognito

Smacks of Walmart-ism to me. Huge chain that can afford a hit drops prices to what a single publican cant afford and pushes him out. Long term result is that Wetherspoons rule the world.



Theres only so much cheap bangers and mash you can eat.

Toiletroll

Stekelly wrote: »

Smacks of Walmart-ism to me. Huge chain that can afford a hit drops prices to what a single publican cant afford and pushes him out. Long term result is that Wetherspoons rule the world.



Theres only so much cheap bangers and mash you can eat.

I wouldnt eat in there though. The bangers are microwave and mash bought in and mixed from powder stuff... They call it Colcannon

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Tawny

-- P.S, I worked for one of the biggest groups too (http://www.thespiritgroup.com/pub-search-results.php?gsearch=&psearch=&cat=0&chk=0) and they do not treat employees particularly well.

My individual manager was okay, but the overall management was another story.

humberklog

Agree with posters re chains (soulless etc.) but sometimes it should be about cheap booze and food and we don't have that as an option. And we should. Shake up our shocking greedy owners.

The CurryClub on a Tuesday is a cracker. And the 5quid for a pint, burger and chips got me outta many a hole.

There's room for these places if only for the reason for choice. I like choice (even if I choose not to go).

Guy:Incognito

humberklog wrote: »

And the 5quid for a pint, burger and chips got me outta many a hole.).

Thats a lot of burgers if your a heavy drinker.:)

Kold

Because it's better to be poor when you drink too much. F*cking tards.

milly4ever

i don't drink but £2.99 for meals is brilliant! they have good food, and a much better menu than other pubs.

thelordofcheese

milly4ever wrote: »

i don't drink but £2.99 for meals is brilliant! they have good food, and a much better menu than other pubs.

I don't know what witherspoons you've think you've been visiting, but their food is anything but good.

Enjoy your zebu.

Galvasean

£4 for a pint and a meal. Who cares if the meal isn't top quality? Considering a pint here costs a fiver without freebies.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

oztots

This smells like a ryanair argument. Its cheap, its tacky, but its makes money still. And all the other people making massive money off customers saying they have to charge high prices complain to everyone.

Theres some law here against promotions isnt there?

Thomas_S_Hunterson

oztots wrote: »

Theres some law here against promotions isnt there?

As far as I know it's only that the price of a drink can't be reduced during the course of a single night.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

oztots

Sean_K wrote: »

As far as I know it's only that the price of a drink can't be reduced during the course of a single night.

In that case i'd welcome any bar that sells cheap drink all the time.

Guy:Incognito

Is it even anytign decent they are selling for 99p or some already cheap muck?

I wouldnt drink crap just because it's cheap.

monosharp

Such utter rubbish.

If people want to drink like idiots they are going to drink like idiots regardless of the price or opening hours. It has no bearing whatsoever.

I've lived all over Europe and a good bit of Asia. Where I am at the moment in Asia drink is dirt cheap and there is no closing time. The culture goes like so; You go out with your friends to have dinner, here the people NEVER drink without eating so they don't really have 'pubs' like our style. You have a small table for friends and you get grub that you all share and beer or other alcohol.

Are the streets destroyed with alcoholics ? Is the health system crumbling under the pressure ? Do people not get up for work because they drink until 2 or 3 in the morning ? NO. Because they are adults and have a bit of common sense.

I am not in Ireland at the moment and listening to people talk about the prices and my own experiences the last time I was home I can safely say that if I do return home I am never sticking my foot inside the door of a pub. Its completely out of control, I'm not even an old guy by any standard but the pub culture that was well and truely alive when I was 'young' is completely dead.

The publicans in Ireland and the government through their greed and own moronic idea's has destroyed the 'drink' culture in Ireland.

Look at Spain, or France or Portugal or Eastern Europe. Look at Japan or Korea or China.

People go out to ENJOY themselves. They don't go out to get wasted before the bar stops serving because you know what ? The bar doesn't stop serving. They don't spend a days wages or usually more on a night out because the prices are SANE not insane.

And as for the pub chain argument, again, rubbish. The atmosphere is what YOU and YOUR friends make it. Not the publican, not the pub and not the strangers there.

humberklog

monosharp wrote: »

if I do return home I am never sticking my foot inside the door of a pub.

Good.

Toiletroll

Why do niteclubs smell like farts?

Kold

Toiletroll wrote: »

Why do niteclubs smell like farts?

Well it wasn't me...

<_<

>_>

chillywilly

Toiletroll wrote: »

Why do niteclubs smell like farts?

because of the smoking ban!

i for one welcome our witherspoon overlords........:p

smellslikeshoes

ergo wrote: »

please no Wetherspoon's in Ireland

just what we need, a chain of identical, soul-less pubs selling cheap booze to batter the already struggling industry and kill off any pub with actual character

The pub industry needs a battering to knock some sense into them.

Galvasean

Stekelly wrote: »

Is it even anytign decent they are selling for 99p or some already cheap muck?

Considering many places charge over €5 for cheap muck (case in point: overpriced Budweiser) I don't see why there is so much opposition for a euro pint.

Terry

Stekelly wrote: »

Is it even anytign decent they are selling for 99p or some already cheap muck?

I wouldnt drink crap just because it's cheap.

Same here.
Yeah, you can buy those cans of whatever @ €7 for 6 or something, but they taste like crap.

As for those complaining, there always someone to complain about something.

Just the other week there was some Kent dude who wanted to eat a packet of Buffalo Hunky Dory's, but he couldn't because there was an ingredient in them poisonous to him.
They have now removed that ingredient and put a notice on the back of the packet.

Allergy Information: Doesn't contain Kryptonite.
Check a pack if you don't believe me.

Toiletroll

<3BeingIN6th wrote: »

Same here.
Yeah, you can buy those cans of whatever @ €7 for 6 or something, but they taste like crap.

As for those complaining, there always someone to complain about something.

Just the other week there was some Kent dude who wanted to eat a packet of Buffalo Hunky Dory's, but he couldn't because there was an ingredient in them poisonous to him.
They have now removed that ingredient and put a notice on the back of the packet.

Allergy Information: Doesn't contain Kryptonite.
Check a pack if you don't believe me.

Id love a superhero ability, wouldnt you?

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

df1985

wetherspoons tried to open a place on capel st a few years back but all the local publicans went mad and objected.scared they might have to lower their prices im sure....

Kintarō Hattori

Health groups can go and f*ck off. A 99p pint, perfect, then I might go out to the pub and meet friends there from time to time. As it is when I feel like a drink (and it's very rare) I'll go to the off license and get some beer which always works out the cheapest way to buy some alcohol.

They target cheap prices in the pub, do they target off licenses? Cheap beer in a pub won't make me drink anymore than I normally do but it might get me into the pub occasionally.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

They target cheap prices in the pub, do they target off licenses? Cheap beer in a pub won't make me drink anymore than I normally do but it might get me into the pub occasionally.

They'll target anywhere you can get a reasonably priced drink.

nerraw1111

Wetherspoons bars are horrific, soul less, **** holes.

However, health groups having a go over cheap pints is ridiculous. if someone wants to spend their day in a piss soaked pub chain then that's their choice.

I wouldn't like to see wetherspoons and the culture of drinking that comes with it.

I think the difference in drinking between Ireland and England can be partially attributed to the English pub chain

Tawny

The food tastes okay, but only just. The pub I worked in managed to turn out the Spirit group menu of things like sausages, mash and yorkshire pudds, curries, fish and chips, burgers, wraps and sandwiches... all in the space of a small en-suite toilet and without aid of an oven or hob.

The sole means of cooking (reheating) the food was the deep-fat fryer and the microwave. We had pictures of what the food was supposed to look like on the plate, and that was as far as the cooking 'training' went.

I stopped eating there after we discovered one particularly lusty and drunk young couple up to shenanigans on the food prep area after closing time.

Wetherspoons etc. all use the same formula, so the curries are cheap, but you may as well buy a microwave curry from the supermarket. At least that way it will definitely be hot by the time you get it.

I still get frustrated when I go back to England and discover the same pubs everywhere. It would be horrible if it happened here too.

Drinks in pubs here are way overpriced, but if the chains got in, it wouldn't be just one, and it wouldn't be long till big Irish chains appeared, and then you'd never find a locally owned pub anywhere, and that would be a real shame.

Galvasean

Oh come on now! Nobody is going into 'spoons expecting fine dining and a pint of the world's finest brew for £4. It's like McDonalds, if you want a sloppy hamburger for €1 you go there. If you want to pay more for a higher calibre of food, go elsewhere.

The argument that cheaper beer in pubs will promote binge drinking is a moot point. People will just get drunk on a tener as opposed to 50.
As for alcoholism, anyone who knows any actual alcoholics will know all to well that price is no option for those poor souls. If the drink is too expensive for their means they won't simply stop, they'll just run up a massive debt.

Blackjack

daveirl wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Agreed, Chain pubs are terrible, however my experiences here is mainly in the likes of Slug and Lettuce, Bar 38 and All Bar One (I really, really, hate All Bar One). I used to occasionally drink in one Weatherspoons place in Edinburgh - the playfair for those familiar with the town - which I have to say was OK. They served pretty much the same beers as the other chains and pubs, but did not give you your change on a silver platter in order to entice you to leave it as a tip. Service was generally better. Atmosphere wasn't great mind, but then again it was a chain.

Have to say the Canary Wharf All Bar one is one of the worst pubs in the world for Service. Seems to be a general problem in that area of London I find.

OPENROAD

Tawny wrote: »

I still get frustrated when I go back to England and discover the same pubs everywhere. It would be horrible if it happened here too.

Really? I can only speak for London, plenty of choice, I don't get that same pub everywhere as you suggest, also much better choice of beers compared to Dublin. Personally think our pubs are hyped up here well Dublin anyway as don't really have experience of pubs down the country. Personally would welcome a large UK Chain which might have some small impact on the price of a pint though we will never see a 99p pint here

OPENROAD

nerraw1111 wrote: »

I wouldn't like to see wetherspoons and the culture of drinking that comes with it.

I think the difference in drinking between Ireland and England can be partially attributed to the English pub chain

What difference?