Minimum alcohol pricing is nigh

-=al=- · 16-02-2021 02:49PM

Worth noting as an example in Scotland there’s 500ml bottles of decent branded ipa’s for a cool £1.25 each. Other alcohol is still also relatively cheap in comparison such as a branded litre of Rum for £16

Even with minimum pricing, that works out at £5 for four 500ml bottles of beer... or €5.74! A litre of branded rum for €18.36

That’s probably about half of the Irish prices and yet the Scottish alcohol related issues still managed to be the lowest in 25 years

Minimum pricing might not have helped but there’s probably other issues that contributed to the crazy high drug issues in Scotland. From an Irish prospective alcohol is still reasonably priced in comparison even with minimum pricing... not sure the same can’t be said for Ireland

Minimum drug pricing would obviously solve the Scottish drug problem if you asked Irish politicians. Cowboys. Different country, issues, and solutions. Cherry picking stats and then applying them to Ireland is tiresome

aziz · 16-02-2021 03:35PM

KrustyUCC wrote: »

”

I can't see an increasingly unpopular government going on a solo run withy this during the pandemic

Don’t underestimate how stupid our government can be

OldRio · 16-02-2021 03:54PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Prices between here and northern ireland are currently close enough together that the saving doesn't cover the petrol to go north. Once prices go up significantly there will be an exodus to the north. About a decade ago when the price difference was much bigger the car parks in Newry were half full of South registered cars.

I have no idea of the current prices due to lockdown but I can assure you the prices pre lockdown were a damn site cheaper for Wine and Spirits. A decade ago people were shopping in the North because the exchange rate was excellent

17-02-2021 10:44AM

OldRio wrote: »

I have no idea of the current prices due to lockdown but I can assure you the prices pre lockdown were a damn site cheaper for Wine and Spirits. A decade ago people were shopping in the North because the exchange rate was excellent

You don't need to assure me, I know prices were cheaper pre-covid. What in my post suggested otherwise?

Prices north of the border have always been cheaper. Throw in favourable exchange rates and going north for booze was commonplace.

For a current day comparison, 700ml of Jameson in Tesco in Northern Ireland is £22.50(26 euro) - but if you have a clubcard it is £17(19.54 euro).

In Ireland, the same bottle, which is made in this country is 27 euro. And due to recent changes legislation, you can't get clubcard points from it anymore.

Macy0161 · 17-02-2021 12:08PM

Tesco have some of their former 4 for €10/ 3 for €9. I only look at craft, but they their O'Hara's that were 4 for €10 reduced to €2.50, and the O'Brother that was 3 for €9 reduced to €3. Doesn't look like the McGargles or Trouble Brewing are back at their effective pre-legislation "4 for" price.

KrustyUCC · 17-02-2021 10:46PM

Macy0161 wrote: »

Tesco have some of their former 4 for €10/ 3 for €9. I only look at craft, but they their O'Hara's that were 4 for €10 reduced to €2.50, and the O'Brother that was 3 for €9 reduced to €3. Doesn't look like the McGargles or Trouble Brewing are back at their effective pre-legislation "4 for" price.

Thanks

I must stock up on some O'Haras

Definitely will be having a Leann Follain over the weekend

hatrickpatrick · 18-02-2021 07:35AM

KrustyUCC wrote: »

Definitely will be having a Leann Follain over the weekend

Seriously, seriously underrated stout. Absolutely delicious stuff particularly when the weather is still cold in the evenings.

discodiva92 · 18-02-2021 07:42AM

Is it worth buying in the north now?Uncle is a truck driver up every week

dubrov · 18-02-2021 07:49AM

KrustyUCC wrote:

"Mr Crowe pointed to Scotland which introduced minimum unit pricing two years ago and in that time â€œthe rate of consumption has been at its lowest in 25 years. More importantly, the number of hospital admissions for liver disease among the lowest income groups has been significantly reduced."

KrustyUCC wrote:

Mr Crowe must have missed the increase in drug use in Scotland since MUP came in

He also missed that the rate of consumption had been dropping for years in Scotland before minimum pricing was introduced. It doesn't seem to have impacted the trend either way

Amirani · 18-02-2021 11:18AM

dubrov wrote: »

He also missed that the rate of consumption had been dropping for years in Scotland before minimum pricing was introduced. It doesn't seem to have impacted the trend either way

Covid has reduced consumption levels across the UK as a whole too.

Macy0161 · 18-02-2021 12:29PM

KrustyUCC wrote: »

Thanks

I must stock up on some O'Haras

Definitely will be having a Leann Follain over the weekend

Best bang for the buck there is at €2.50. Although I think O'Hara's "Irish Stout" (which tesco don't carry any more) is also underrated!

KrustyUCC · 18-02-2021 02:31PM

Macy0161 wrote: »

Best bang for the buck there is at €2.50. Although I think O'Hara's "Irish Stout" (which tesco don't carry any more) is also underrated!

I'm a big fan of 51st State as well

Guinness West Indies Porter back to usual price too

discodiva92 · 19-02-2021 01:20AM

Amirani wrote: »

Covid has reduced consumption levels across the UK as a whole too.

Surely home drinking is huge levels?

dubrov · 20-02-2021 10:54PM

discodiva92 wrote: »

Surely home drinking is huge levels?

I would've thought so too base on (ahem) a friend's consumption

dubrov · 20-02-2021 10:56PM

The poll is pretty loaded as well.

You can agree Ireland has drinking problems but disagree minimum alcohol pricing is an effective means to deal with it.

Suckit · 20-02-2021 11:50PM

dubrov wrote: »

The poll is pretty loaded as well.

You can agree Ireland has drinking problems but disagree minimum alcohol pricing is an effective means to deal with it.

https://www.boards.ie/search/submit/?thread=2057676265&query=the+poll

VinLieger · 24-02-2021 01:56PM

Gabriel Scally in another disgusting attempt to use the pandemic to further his own agenda as well once again misrepresenting things to fit into that agenda

https://twitter.com/GabrielScally/status/1364228704587677696

odyssey06 · 24-02-2021 02:32PM

Scally is a fool. I mean doesn't he know based on minimum unit pricing that pub drinking isn't bad for you and is essential to the fabric of irish society? (according to FG)

Amirani · 24-02-2021 02:38PM

discodiva92 wrote: »

Surely home drinking is huge levels?

At home drinking in the UK has gone up substantially, yes. But the increased volume of alcohol drank at home is considerably less than the reduction in volume of alcohol drank in pubs, clubs and restaurants.

As a result, overall consumption of alcohol is down. I'd imagine it's similar enough here.

Hotblack Desiato · 24-02-2021 03:05PM

According to Revenue figures it is the same here, overall consumption down.

Blasts a big hole in the "uncontrolled drinking at home" "pubs are the only responsible place to consume alcohol" etc. BS we've been hearing to try to justify MUP and other very silly ideas like booze burkas

Our licensing laws are ridiculous and there is strong public support for reform. But that means the stupid 10pm off licence rule needs to go, too.

odyssey06 · 24-02-2021 03:08PM

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Our licensing laws are ridiculous and there is strong public support for reform. But that means the stupid 10pm off licence rule needs to go, too.

And the Sunday 1230 off licence rule.
Even less defensible than it ever was when you consider the Good Friday changes.

dubrov · 24-02-2021 05:27PM

I think the strict opening hours contribute to the drinking culture here.
There is very much a rush to get booze at certain times and it creates a bit of a buzz as well as creating trouble with so many drunken people being forced out onto the streets together.

Thelonious Monk · 24-02-2021 07:35PM

dubrov wrote: »

I think the strict opening hours contribute to the drinking culture here.
There is very much a rush to get booze at certain times and it creates a bit of a buzz as well as creating trouble with so many drunken people being forced out onto the streets together.

People have been saying this for decades but nothing ever changes.
There's still a Holy Joe element to politics here when it comes to booze, combined with the interference of publicans I can't see things changing for the better. More booze restrictions, warnings on bottles etc. is probably more likely.

Suckit · 24-02-2021 07:45PM

Doesn't McEntees family own a pub that was leased out for 10 years in 2011?
I'm not against the longer hours as they have been spoken about for years and make more sense on a lot of levels, but it's telling that it took a minister not entirely without their own benefits to even mention the possibility of it.
But will take it. It just seems like one hand doesn't know which cheek to scratch.

VinLieger · 24-02-2021 10:26PM

Suckit wrote: »

Doesn't McEntees family own a pub that was leased out for 10 years in 2011?
I'm not against the longer hours as they have been spoken about for years and make more sense on a lot of levels, but it's telling that it took a minister not entirely without their own benefits to even mention the possibility of it.
But will take it. It just seems like one hand doesn't know which cheek to scratch.

The later opening hours is specifically aimed at nightclubs not pubs. FF I think are still the party with the highest percentage of pub owners.

Hotblack Desiato · 25-02-2021 11:43AM

I heard it was both actually

our pub hours are ridiculous but our nightclub hours are even more ridiculous

Also there was some rural pub owner in the Irish Times giving out about the proposal :rolleyes: saying people would just come out later. Well, here's a thing - give your customers what they want and they will be happier and come back more often and you might even gain more customers.

You'd wonder how some of these people can wipe their own arse never mind run a business at all, of course for decades you could be pretty incompetent at running a pub and still make money, these people have a sense of entitlement like you wouldn't believe and really do think the world owes them a living.

Also, same as the Good Friday nonsense, just because the law allows you to be open at a certain time doesn't mean you have to.

Suckit · 25-02-2021 02:47PM

Yeah I think it's aimed at nightclubs and 'late bars' although it just says pubs here.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/laws-to-be-updated-on-pub-opening-hours-and-nightclub-permits-1.4491131

25-02-2021 06:02PM

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

You'd wonder how some of these people can wipe their own arse never mind run a business at all, of course for decades you could be pretty incompetent at running a pub and still make money, these people have a sense of entitlement like you wouldn't believe and really do think the world owes them a living.

Ive shared this anecdote before but it deserves repeating. After the last lockdown when pubs were allowed re-open, I walked past a pub serving food and they had the menu on the window. Yes, I thought, A basket of coctail sausages and a pint of guinness would hit the spot. It was about 9.10pm. I go in, theres about 5 people inside. I stood at the bar for 5 minutes being ignored by the barman. He finally looks at me and I say "A pint of the black stuff and some cocktail sausages please". We're closing he said. "But its only 9 o'clock". Yeah but the kitchen closes at 9 and we can't serve drinks without food.

This is after about 6 weeks of being closed. Would he not think of getting the 'chef' to give him a crash course in using the deep fat fryer? Or give the 'chef' a few quid to stay after 9pm?

When he needs to take a dump in the morning I wonder does the chef tell him what to put it into?

25-02-2021 06:15PM

dubrov wrote: »

I think the strict opening hours contribute to the drinking culture here.
There is very much a rush to get booze at certain times and it creates a bit of a buzz as well as creating trouble with so many drunken people being forced out onto the streets together.

Another anecdote Ive shared many times before. I lived abroad for a few years where they had 24 hour licensing. One night I went out to meet a few friends, playing pool and drinking beer, the time flew, next thing you know, they are closing, its midnight. Drinking about 2 pints an hour for 6 hours, everyone is buzzed but up for more fun. Do we all order double shots? No, we went down the street to somewhere and got a round of beers in.

By the way, I was drinking with Irish, Scottish and Ukranians. All people who officially have problems with drink. Did that night get messy? No. Hmm, why is that?

A few weeks later Im back in Ireland and go for a few drinks with some friends in the Concorde in Coolock. Again, 2 pints an hour over a few hours, but then "Time people please!", and my mate, whose round it was, buys me 2 pints and a double whiskey which I have about 20 minutes to drink.

At around the same time of night everyone who was in a pub in the county is turfed out into the street. Everyone wants the loo, a kebab and a taxi, not neccessarily in that order.

Is it really a surprise problems happen?

Hotblack Desiato · 26-02-2021 02:47AM

In fairness you're not allowed to prepare food to serve to the public unless you've been trained and certified, the chef might have been unwilling to work later or at least not for the money on offer, and how much profit would they make during the extra time anyway? These are very unusual circumstances at the moment

You're dead right about the closing time nonsense of course.

Minimum alcohol pricing is nigh

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