Trouble in Castlebar

Flange/Flanders

I've been talking to a few mates lately from other towns (Swinford and Crossmolina) and they're adament that they always get trouble in Castlebar that they never get when they go to other towns like Ballina and Westport. I grew up outside Castlebar and tho I've seen the odd fight on nights out, I never got hassle myself so Im just wondering is this more peoples experience. For what it matters, I still prefer going out in Westport....but thats for the talent

irishgeo

Flange/Flanders wrote: »

I've been talking to a few mates lately from other towns (Swinford and Crossmolina) and they're adament that they always get trouble in Castlebar that they never get when they go to other towns like Ballina and Westport. I grew up outside Castlebar and tho I've seen the odd fight on nights out, I never got hassle myself so Im just wondering is this more peoples experience. For what it matters, I still prefer going out in Westport....but thats for the talent

never had any bother out in castlebar , i seen/heard of more trouble in westport lately to be honest. seen some guy kicked it the head while on the ground, my mates were up a while ago in westport.
No bother in castlebar the last few times i have been out. to be honest you will find trouble if your looking for it in any town.

Defiler Of The Coffin

Castlebar is no worse than any other similar sized town for trouble. That being said I'd avoid Top Nosh or any of the other chippers after the night clubs close, any hassle always seems to start around there

irishgeo

Defiler Of The Coffin wrote: »

Castlebar is no worse than any other similar sized town for trouble. That being said I'd avoid Top Nosh or any of the other chippers after the night clubs close, any hassle always seems to start around there

that could be said for any town in ireland.

Defiler Of The Coffin

irishgeo wrote: »

that could be said for any town in ireland.

All other towns in Ireland have a Top Nosh?

irishgeo

Defiler Of The Coffin wrote: »

All other towns in Ireland have a Top Nosh?

thankfully no but the violence outside the chipper is where it all starts.

PogMoThoin

That's what happens in every single town in the country, when the laws of the land force all the drunken people to leave at the same time. In my opinion pubs should be allowed stay open through the night like they do in other countries. The pubs would then find what hours are economically viable for them to be open (you'd be surprised, people live daytime lives, the hours would be much the same) and the public would then drink until they feel like going home. There would be no race to consume beer before the bar closes and no big gathering of people waiting for taxi's or food. It makes sense.

Of course in this country do things arseways. I'm not sure what the closing of off licences after 10 O'Clock is supposed to achieve. If we really were serious about alcohol we'd be banning the sale of it in supermarkets like Tesco, places where children shop with their parents. It's not as bad now, but at one stage you were tripping over special offers in cases of beer in the fruit and veg aisle. An off licence being a beer only vendor should be encouraged not restricted. Oh and if we're really serious about cleaning up our act we need to outright ban the advertising of alcohol and definitely not allow them to sponsor our main sporting events. We have a lot to learn as a nation.

anbrutog

PogMoThoin wrote: »

That's what happens in every single town in the country, when the laws of the land force all the drunken people to leave at the same time. In my opinion pubs should be allowed stay open through the night like they do in other countries. The pubs would then find what hours are economically viable for them to be open (you'd be surprised, people live daytime lives, the hours would be much the same) and the public would then drink until they feel like going home. There would be no race to consume beer before the bar closes and no big gathering of people waiting for taxi's or food. It makes sense.

Of course in this country do things arseways. I'm not sure what the closing of off licences after 10 O'Clock is supposed to achieve. If we really were serious about alcohol we'd be banning the sale of it in supermarkets like Tesco, places where children shop with their parents. It's not as bad now, but at one stage you were tripping over special offers in cases of beer in the fruit and veg aisle. An off licence being a beer only vendor should be encouraged not restricted. Oh and if we're really serious about cleaning up our act we need to outright ban the advertising of alcohol and definitely not allow them to sponsor our main sporting events. We have a lot to learn as a nation.

Far too much common sense there to be spouting at this time of the morning!

Defiler Of The Coffin

irishgeo wrote: »

thankfully no but the violence outside the chipper is where it all starts.

Well the chipper is all too common of a convergence point for drunken louts up and down the country but the location of Top Nosh right beside the taxi rank on the top of the main st right near all the pubs and clubs is problematic to say the least. Pity they don't close that taxi rank at night time and use the one near Castle St, it would help with dispersing the crowd. A lot of the time I just hail cabs down Lucan St, otherwise it's too much hassle. A taxi marshall would be most useful!

PogMoThoin wrote: »

That's what happens in every single town in the country, when the laws of the land force all the drunken people to leave at the same time. In my opinion pubs should be allowed stay open through the night like they do in other countries. The pubs would then find what hours are economically viable for them to be open (you'd be surprised, people live daytime lives, the hours would be much the same) and the public would then drink until they feel like going home. There would be no race to consume beer before the bar closes and no big gathering of people waiting for taxi's or food. It makes sense.

Of course in this country do things arseways. I'm not sure what the closing of off licences after 10 O'Clock is supposed to achieve. If we really were serious about alcohol we'd be banning the sale of it in supermarkets like Tesco, places where children shop with their parents. It's not as bad now, but at one stage you were tripping over special offers in cases of beer in the fruit and veg aisle. An off licence being a beer only vendor should be encouraged not restricted. Oh and if we're really serious about cleaning up our act we need to outright ban the advertising of alcohol and definitely not allow them to sponsor our main sporting events. We have a lot to learn as a nation.

Graduated opening hours have been proposed before. They are used successfully in other countries. It's nice to be treated like an adult and decide yourself when enough is enough and it's time to go home. I'm not sure why they were never brought in here but maybe policymakers have just decided we can't be trusted not to drink oursevles into oblivion? Years ago I think that would have been the case for a lot of people but the drinking culture in this country has changed and continues to do so. People are drinking more at home and less when they go out. Whether this is down to the recession, influx of foreigners bringing their culture with them or people being more health-concious I don't know but I think the way forward is to increase awareness of the effects of alcohol from a younger age and introduce more alternatives to drinking when out. McDowell's café bars idea from years ago was an interesting idea, not to say it would have caught on but at least it was a change from the usual pro-publican FF policies of the time.

As for the off-licenses, surely people can manage to buy their alcohol ahead of time? I don't think the early closing hours is a bad thing but I would be interested to see what differences it has made since it was brought in.

irishgeo

Defiler Of The Coffin wrote: »

Well the chipper is all too common of a convergence point for drunken louts up and down the country but the location of Top Nosh right beside the taxi rank on the top of the main st right near all the pubs and clubs is problematic to say the least. Pity they don't close that taxi rank at night time and use the one near Castle St, it would help with dispersing the crowd. A lot of the time I just hail cabs down Lucan St, otherwise it's too much hassle. A taxi marshall would be most useful!

i just head out towards the old esb shop and hail the cabs on they way back into town or else just ring my regular taxi and see where he is.

Defiler Of The Coffin wrote: »

Graduated opening hours have been proposed before. They are used successfully in other countries. It's nice to be treated like an adult and decide yourself when enough is enough and it's time to go home. I'm not sure why they were never brought in here but maybe policymakers have just decided we can't be trusted not to drink oursevles into oblivion? Years ago I think that would have been the case for a lot of people but the drinking culture in this country has changed and continues to do so. People are drinking more at home and less when they go out. Whether this is down to the recession, influx of foreigners bringing their culture with them or people being more health-concious I don't know but I think the way forward is to increase awareness of the effects of alcohol from a younger age and introduce more alternatives to drinking when out. McDowell's café bars idea from years ago was an interesting idea, not to say it would have caught on but at least it was a change from the usual pro-publican FF policies of the time.

As for the off-licenses, surely people can manage to buy their alcohol ahead of time? I don't think the early closing hours is a bad thing but I would be interested to see what differences it has made since it was brought in.

When the increased the opening hours by a hour a while back what they hoped to achieve was that instead of rushing 5 drinks into oursleves before the bar shut at the 10.30, the irish would spread them 5 drinks over the extra hour and go home happy at 11.30, but what actually happened was the Irish drank 5 drinks in that hour and still rushed to the bar before it shut and bought more drink.