Useless Weekend Nighsts in Rural Pubs

BuilderPlumber

Is it just me or are poor weekends in rural pubs something that is a trend in the last while. I know, I know, the rural pub trade has not been what it was for the last 10 to 12 years but the last six months or so, it has been really dire.

I don't want to mention any specific pubs or towns but I am talking about the East/Mid Cork area and the comparison between Cork city and the rural villages and towns is amazing. I like to get out of Cork city for weekends to enjoy country pubs and have also gone back to Waterford (where I was in college) and found a similar trend: city pubs are doing fine, rural are not. Even this time last year, things were far better.

To give you an idea of what I mean:

I was in a village in East Cork and it was Saturday. 2 people in 1 pub, only me in the other when I walked in. Closing time was 12.30 but it closed well before as no one was coming in I'd say! I was gone at 11. And this is not just January: it has been like this since August. This time last year, that pub was doing fine and had music and music sessions and lots of sing songs.

I was in a small town on the Cork/Limerick border and found the cards, karaoke, pool tournaments, darts and trad session all cancelled. They were doing well this time last year.

I was in a Waterford village and all the pubs were closed at 11.30 Saturday. Last year, you would be hard pressed to get them out at closing time.

I was in a Kerry village and 2 of the pubs are closed. They were great last year.

What is the reason for this? It is depressing and I can't see what caused it like now??? Recession/corruption economy, smoking ban, cheap booze in supermarkets, drink driving, etc. are around with years and despite all this, popular rural pubs held their own. Is this only a Cork and area thing or is it the same everywhere????

MadsL

Clearly the only connecting factor is you OP. You are killing the pub trade, you should stay home.

BuilderPlumber

MadsL wrote: »

Clearly the only connecting factor is you OP. You are killing the pub trade, you should stay home.

I don't think it is me lol! It is happening with or without my contribution!!!

MadsL

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

I don't think it is me lol! It is happening with or without my contribution!!!

How do you know? Perhaps people get word that you are on you way and scarper?

Butterface

Of course the city pubs do better, there's more people living there.

The rural pubs where I'm originally from have tried to compete with the nearby bigger towns by putting on taxi bus services to collect people and drop them home, but the younger people especially will always gravitate towards the bigger towns/cities for a night out.

dmc17

Are you sure it was last year all this was happening and not six years ago?

Keano

Quiet rural pub pint > noisy, packed! overpriced pint in shiny bar

shedweller

MadsL wrote: »

Clearly the only connecting factor is you OP. You are killing the pub trade, you should stay home.

Yawn.
Obvious thank whore is obvious.

Zackdickensdog

What i dont get is the enforcement of the licencing laws, the guards will be in if the pub is open a few minutes late but they can close two hours early with impunity.

MadsL

shedweller wrote: »

Yawn.
Obvious thank whore is obvious.

Daww...upset you didn't get in first?

Cantona's Collars

In smaller towns,Sunday is the new Saturday especially these days when so many don't have work on a Monday.Mate of mine runs a taxi & said that apart from the usual nightclub trade on Saturday night it's quiet but Sundays he's flat out.
Even one local that I drink in did away with live music etc. on Saturday nights as it was busier on the Sunday.Lads playing GAA or Soccer went out after games instead of Saturday nights so the pub was full on the Sunday.
There's one pub in my town that has started doing live music on Mondays as it's packed due to €3 pints.

anncoates

Hire a minibus to pick up people in the surrounding area who want a pint but have to drive and charge a few quid a head to cover it. Run some offers on beer on alternate nights. Think of social events for pub.

Or

Run crying to local gombeen politician

MadsL

Zackdickensdog wrote: »

What i dont get is the enforcement of the licencing laws, the guards will be in if the pub is open a few minutes late but they can close two hours early with impunity.

Sure if the pubs close then where are the Guards to drink after hours?

ElecKtrA

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

Is it just me or are poor weekends in rural pubs something that is a trend in the last while. I know, I know, the rural pub trade has not been what it was for the last 10 to 12 years but the last six months or so, it has been really dire.

I don't want to mention any specific pubs or towns but I am talking about the East/Mid Cork area and the comparison between Cork city and the rural villages and towns is amazing. I like to get out of Cork city for weekends to enjoy country pubs and have also gone back to Waterford (where I was in college) and found a similar trend: city pubs are doing fine, rural are not. Even this time last year, things were far better.

To give you an idea of what I mean:

I was in a village in East Cork and it was Saturday. 2 people in 1 pub, only me in the other when I walked in. Closing time was 12.30 but it closed well before as no one was coming in I'd say! I was gone at 11. And this is not just January: it has been like this since August. This time last year, that pub was doing fine and had music and music sessions and lots of sing songs.

I was in a small town on the Cork/Limerick border and found the cards, karaoke, pool tournaments, darts and trad session all cancelled. They were doing well this time last year.

I was in a Waterford village and all the pubs were closed at 11.30 Saturday. Last year, you would be hard pressed to get them out at closing time.

I was in a Kerry village and 2 of the pubs are closed. They were great last year.

What is the reason for this? It is depressing and I can't see what caused it like now??? Recession/corruption economy, smoking ban, cheap booze in supermarkets, drink driving, etc. are around with years and despite all this, popular rural pubs held their own. Is this only a Cork and area thing or is it the same everywhere????

East Cork???....ahh....come on..we all know there is no life in Whitegate :-P

Cork City isn't that much better to be fair! Yes ..there are a few more pubs and clubs but they are rarely packed on a non-bank holiday/normal weekend! I'm afraid I'm afraid if you want some atmosphere then it's good aul Dublin...imo :-)

shedweller

MadsL wrote: »

Daww...upset you didn't get in first?

I am! Awfully dissapoint!

biko

*I am from Dublin and other pubs are bad...*

Cantona's Collars

anncoates wrote: »

Hire a minibus to pick up people in the surrounding area who want a pint but have to drive and charge a few quid a head to cover it. Run some offers on beer on alternate nights. Think of social events for pub.

Or

Run crying to local gombeen politician

Rural pubs are odd in the fact that they haven't copped onto the fact that people will drink other beers than the usual 'big 3' if they are cheaper.I drink in a rural pub sometimes and it's cheaper to drink in town.Many pubs down my way serve other brands at 3 for €10 or less.Rural pub has Bud,Heineken & Carlsberg as the choice of lager on tap and that's it.

harry Bailey esq

zerks wrote: »

In smaller towns,Sunday is the new Saturday especially these days when so many don't have work on a Monday.Mate of mine runs a taxi & said that apart from the usual nightclub trade on Saturday night it's quiet but Sundays he's flat out.
Even one local that I drink in did away with live music etc. on Saturday nights as it was busier on the Sunday.Lads playing GAA or Soccer went out after games instead of Saturday nights so the pub was full on the Sunday.
There's one pub in my town that has started doing live music on Mondays as it's packed due to €3 pints.

ah the old Monday club,most towns have at least one of these with €3 pints and maybe a bit of entertainment.Always packed too.

Cantona's Collars

harry Bailey esq wrote: »

ah the old Monday club,most towns have at least one of these with €3 pints and maybe a bit of entertainment.Always packed too.

Yep,most of the clientele used to take Mondays off during the boom as they made enough over the other 4 days to justify it,the same lads are still there on a Monday.

Rural pubs may move with the times and adapt or die,especially these days when it's more attractive financially to drink at home.

cuana

Loads of reasons really!

Lifestyle habits are changing people are doing a lot more entertaining at home

Cost: finances for some are still limited

Transport: If you want to have beers there are usually little or no services getting home

Entertainment: Often if I wanted to head out at home there is little or no entertainment on a Saturday night

dr.kenneth noisewater

Based on my own experiences a lot is to do with emigration. A few years ago there was around 12-15 of us from our area that would go out regularly in the local, if not all of us then at least 6-10 of us would be out on a Friday/Saturday night. There's only 4 of us left in Ireland and none of us can really afford to be heading out as much. I know plenty of similar groups of lads in my area and nearby villages where the same thing has happened.

Hello_MrFox

Rural nightclubs are a dying business altogether.

gobnaitolunacy

Hello_MrFox wrote: »

Rural nightclubs are a dying business altogether.

Main clientele seems to be teenyboppers without transport to travel to the nearest big town/city and all some are missing is sawdust on the floor. Godawful kips most of them.

My local town used to have about 30 pubs up until maybe the 60s, not there's just over a half doz. There must have been some population of suppies back in the day.

One_More_Mile

Went for a pint this evening with my 2 young fellas, 1 Pint of guinness for me, 2 club oranges for them- 2.65 each, 4.50 for my pint - bones of 11 quid. Value for money??/ hardly. not when 8 cans in dunnes is 12. Moral of the story -- price people out -expect people to stay away

BuilderPlumber

MadsL wrote: »

How do you know? Perhaps people get word that you are on you way and scarper?

Somehow no! No matter where you go and no matter if I show or not, it makes no difference! This damn thing is outside my control!

BuilderPlumber

dmc17 wrote: »

Are you sure it was last year all this was happening and not six years ago?

Yes, 2012 and 2013. Not six years back.

BuilderPlumber

Zackdickensdog wrote: »

What i dont get is the enforcement of the licencing laws, the guards will be in if the pub is open a few minutes late but they can close two hours early with impunity.

It is more and more common that pubs in rural areas close 2 hours before time some nights. In a way, I can't blame the owners. They are there all day and night, and waiting for someone to show. Some pubs have no one in at all all night.

BuilderPlumber

zerks wrote: »

In smaller towns,Sunday is the new Saturday especially these days when so many don't have work on a Monday.Mate of mine runs a taxi & said that apart from the usual nightclub trade on Saturday night it's quiet but Sundays he's flat out.
Even one local that I drink in did away with live music etc. on Saturday nights as it was busier on the Sunday.Lads playing GAA or Soccer went out after games instead of Saturday nights so the pub was full on the Sunday.
There's one pub in my town that has started doing live music on Mondays as it's packed due to €3 pints.

True. Sundays are better than Saturdays in many pubs. Not all are unemployed and many are even up at 7 in the morning and still come out that night instead of Saturday!!

BuilderPlumber

ElecKtrA wrote: »

East Cork???....ahh....come on..we all know there is no life in Whitegate :-P

Cork City isn't that much better to be fair! Yes ..there are a few more pubs and clubs but they are rarely packed on a non-bank holiday/normal weekend! I'm afraid I'm afraid if you want some atmosphere then it's good aul Dublin...imo :-)

Dublin is better than Cork, Cork is better than Limerick/Waterford/Galway/Kilkenny, they are better than Longford/Carrick on Shannon/Clonmel/Wexford/Carlow/Cavan/etc, they are better than rural areas near cities and main towns, they are better than total rural areas. East Cork is a mix of all. Dead overall since last year really. Cork city is not Dublin but is lively in comparison to 15 miles out of it.

BuilderPlumber

zerks wrote: »

Rural pubs are odd in the fact that they haven't copped onto the fact that people will drink other beers than the usual 'big 3' if they are cheaper.I drink in a rural pub sometimes and it's cheaper to drink in town.Many pubs down my way serve other brands at 3 for €10 or less.Rural pub has Bud,Heineken & Carlsberg as the choice of lager on tap and that's it.

That is true. A lot of Cork city pubs are far cheaper than Cork county I find. There are certain Cork city pubs that even feel more like a good country pub than the rural pubs do and all.

Necro

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

Dublin is better than Cork, Cork is better than Limerick/Waterford/Galway/Kilkenny, they are better than Longford/Carrick on Shannon/Clonmel/Wexford/Carlow/Cavan/etc, they are better than rural areas near cities and main towns, they are better than total rural areas. East Cork is a mix of all. Dead overall since last year really. Cork city is not Dublin but is lively in comparison to 15 miles out of it.

Just back from my local (and supposedly dying) rural pub. Great crowd, great craic, reasonably cheap beer... what more could you ask for? I hate big towns and cities with their horrible swill most pass off as beer, loud music and large crowds. Worst thing is I'm only 27. Is something wrong with me?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

biko wrote: »

*I am from Dublin and other pubs are bad...*

Shouldn't you be dragging this off to a more appropraite geogrpahically based forum...?

bodhrandude

Where I stayed in Leitrim, Kinlough, there is just four pubs, I can understand why young folk scarper to hell out of there. Typical weekend entertainment in Kinlough consists of one guy with programmable keyboard with drum machine and a piano accordion who near enough plays in all the pubs throughout the weekend nights, well, Thursday to Sunday anyway. Mainly atrocious Irish C&W stuff. No doubt he will be practising some Garth Brooks numbers for the summer. Most of the young folk head off to Bundoran which has more pubs and nightclubs or Sligo, although they still seem like ghost towns sometimes compared to Galway.

BuilderPlumber

bodhrandude wrote: »

Where I stayed in Leitrim, Kinlough, there is just four pubs, I can understand why young folk scarper to hell out of there. Typical weekend entertainment in Kinlough consists of one guy with programmable keyboard with drum machine and a piano accordion who near enough plays in all the pubs throughout the weekend nights, well, Thursday to Sunday anyway. Mainly atrocious Irish C&W stuff. No doubt he will be practising some Garth Brooks numbers for the summer. Most of the young folk head off to Bundoran which has more pubs and nightclubs or Sligo, although they still seem like ghost towns sometimes compared to Galway.

Kinlough sounds like paradise compared to what I'm used to down this side. The fact that a pub can have music 4 nights would be very unusual in Southern half of the country. Yes, even poor music would be better than a silent, empty pub on a Saturday night.

BuilderPlumber

Necrominus wrote: »

Just back from my local (and supposedly dying) rural pub. Great crowd, great craic, reasonably cheap beer... what more could you ask for? I hate big towns and cities with their horrible swill most pass off as beer, loud music and large crowds. Worst thing is I'm only 27. Is something wrong with me?

What part of the country? Leitrim or Longford more than likely? Certainly not Cork, Waterford or Tipperary.

Femme_Fatale

shedweller wrote: »

Yawn.
Obvious thank whore is obvious.

It was just a joke - "thanks-whoring" gets applied to anything at all sometimes.

ElecKtrA wrote: »

East Cork???....ahh....come on..we all know there is no life in Whitegate :-P

Cork City isn't that much better to be fair! Yes ..there are a few more pubs and clubs but they are rarely packed on a non-bank holiday/normal weekend! I'm afraid I'm afraid if you want some atmosphere then it's good aul Dublin...imo :-)

Not my experience of Cork. There's no way it's "not much better than" the dead rural pubs, which are dead at the weekends, whereas Cork has places that are unbearably packed, e.g. Crane Lane. It's normal for pubs to be quiet on a week-night, even in Dublin. I love Dublin too though, and I'm not saying Cork is amazing, but it's strange to say Cork pubs are as quiet as rural ones that are even dead at weekends.

BillyMitchel

Used to live on the Cork/Limerick border and there was always cracking nights to be had. Always made fell real welcome too. Shame it's gone that way.

OP could it have anything to do with the amount of lads from the sticks that's moved away to find work? Just a thought.

BuilderPlumber

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

It was just a joke - "thanks-whoring" gets applied to anything at all sometimes.

Not my experience of Cork. There's no way it's "not much better than" the dead rural pubs, which are dead at the weekends, whereas Cork has places that are unbearably packed, e.g. Crane Lane. It's normal for pubs to be quiet on a week-night, even in Dublin. I love Dublin too though, and I'm not saying Cork is amazing, but it's strange to say Cork pubs are as quiet as rural ones that are even dead at weekends.

I agree 100% with this. There is no problem with Cork city pubs, always full. It is the county ones that problem is with.

Staplor

Last night I was in a small village pub in Limerick, the owner does what he should, friendly chap, looks out for the older customers, gets games of cards going, pool tournaments, live sport, live music, cleanish toilets. Grand little boozer. Last night I went for a few with my brother in law, he booked a taxi to collect him and bring him the 10 miles home, the taxi didn't show, didn't answer his calls. He had to sleep on the couch, busses from the boozers is what is needed, reliable transport.

BuilderPlumber

BillyMitchel wrote: »

Used to live on the Cork/Limerick border and there was always cracking nights to be had. Always made fell real welcome too. Shame it's gone that way.

OP could it have anything to do with the amount of lads from the sticks that's moved away to find work? Just a thought.

Yes, rural parts of Cork, Limerick, etc. are all nice and friendly places. I am from Laois originally but live in Cork at present. I find it a friendly place. But it is a shame how the pubs in rural places are dying.

I think for one place in particular, a gang who used to play pool and darts disintegrated because 7 of them left to go to Australia.

pragmatic1

Yeah my rural locals are so depressing I'd rather stay at home at this stage.

gobnaitolunacy

BillyMitchel wrote: »

Used to live on the Cork/Limerick border and there was always cracking nights to be had. Always made fell real welcome too. Shame it's gone that way.

OP could it have anything to do with the amount of lads from the sticks that's moved away to find work? Just a thought.

I don't like using the phrase (can't think of a better one) but people "grow up" as well, start getting married etc and oftentimes obeying 'her indoors' breaks up the camraderie.

BuilderPlumber

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Yeah my rural locals are so depressing I'd rather stay at home at this stage.

Saturdays are dead completely. Fridays are gone too. Only problem on Fridays staying home is that Tubridy Show and the family all watch it and I hate it! An empty pub ain't much better though. Sundays are about the best and can't understand why with the earlier closing and work the next day.

gugleguy

ElecKtrA wrote: »

East Cork???....ahh....come on..we all know there is no life in Whitegate :-P

I'm afraid if you want some atmosphere then it's good aul Dublin...imo :-)

Dublin Northside or Southside or City Centre (O'Connell St / Abbey street ...)

Bleating Lamb

Might not be the pc correct answer but fact is when Gaybo and his crew brought in the new drink driving limits it had a devastating effect in the morale if people of all ages in rural areas,the local pub had been a place to meet socially,talk about farming,politics.current events over a few drinks.the Stasi approach under Gaybo was death knell of crowds in pub and mental health of a lot of people of all ages in rural Ireland.

Galwayguy35

I live in a small village, there are 7 pubs here and 5 are now closed.

I go into Galway maybe once a month or up to Dublin a few times a year, there is a good atmosphere and although the pint is more expensive it's a lot better than drinking one from here where the pipes are not maintained and theGuinness tastes terrible.

The rural pubs did ok years ago where the local men went there every weekend but it's different these days.

BuilderPlumber

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Might not be the pc correct answer but fact is when Gaybo and his crew brought in the new drink driving limits it had a devastating effect in the morale if people of all ages in rural areas,the local pub had been a place to meet socially,talk about farming,politics.current events over a few drinks.the Stasi approach under Gaybo was death knell of crowds in pub and mental health of a lot of people of all ages in rural Ireland.

I think that all this has definitely contributed to the fall of the rural pub. With regard to drink driving: it is one of many examples of a tunnel vision, one dimensional approach to a problem. The aim is to 'reduce road deaths' whereas the aim should be to 'reduce road deaths without harming pub business'.

With no bus services or even taxis, many are either forced to drink drive or stay home. As more stay home, others then who even have a lift stay away as there is no one to talk to.

BuilderPlumber

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

I live in a small village, there are 7 pubs here and 5 are now closed.

I go into Galway maybe once a month or up to Dublin a few times a year, there is a good atmosphere and although the pint is more expensive it's a lot better than drinking one from here where the pipes are not maintained and theGuinness tastes terrible.

The rural pubs did ok years ago where the local men went there every weekend but it's different these days.

I was in towns like Dromod, Manorhamiliton, Cavan, Mohill, Ballymahon, and so on and found the atmosphere here way, way better than what we have down in Southern Ireland at the time. It was a relief to get out of the Southern half of this country a few times last year and I will be arranging more time in Leitrim, Longford, Westmeath and the like again.

flynnlives

Its quite simple really.

What rurual pubs need is to turn into cafe bars. Were the selection of coffee and tea etc is as good as the drink available.

If we go to the local one of us will have to drive and they will get a manky cup of tea from a filthy cup and near gone off milk and then get charged 3 euro for the slop.

But alas publicans are only interested in feeding people pints. Society has changed. Time for the vintners to cop on.

AndonHandon

flynnlives wrote: »

Its quite simple really.

What rurual pubs need is to turn into cafe bars. Were the selection of coffee and tea etc is as good as the drink available.

If we go to the local one of us will have to drive and they will get a manky cup of tea from a filthy cup and near gone off milk and then get charged 3 euro for the slop.

But alas publicans are only interested in feeding people pints. Society has changed. Time for the vintners to cop on.

It's been said before but adapt or die. People are drinking a good bit less than they did 10 years ago, it's not all about alcohol in a pub!

Necro

BuilderPlumber wrote: »

What part of the country? Leitrim or Longford more than likely? Certainly not Cork, Waterford or Tipperary.

Sligo actually.Why that matters I'm not quite sure?