Irish pubs

Tawny · 10-10-2008 10:11AM #1

Its not the first story on this topic, but BBC have a fresh article on the demise of the irish pub.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7658139.stm

What do Boardies think?

Is it that "there has been a cultural change within Irish society with people becoming increasingly selfish rather than sociable, and more interested in saving money than drinking beer"?

Or is it the problems getting to the pub now with the focus on drink driving and the smoking ban?

Or is it greedy publicans charging too much for drinks and not offering a good service?

big b · 10-10-2008 10:15AM

Hmmm, given your user name..........
I don't give two hoots

Kintarō Hattori · 10-10-2008 10:26AM

I don't believe it's because we're selfish:

I had a drink of cider in Murphy's Bar in Rathmines a few weeks ago, it was almost €6 per pint. That's insane. It's simply become far too expensive to drink in a pub often. I'd do it every now and again with some friends who don't live here or if someone is leaving work etc.

It's more economical to drink at home where you have access to better food, better entertainment and you don't have to walk into a filthy toilet with pee all over the floor. It's more relaxed too.

While I don't smoke myself, smokers staying at home have all the benefits of the points above plus they can smoke in their own homes. However in saying that I believe the no smoking ban was a good call.

Crap service. I was in a pub in Terenure a few months back. I asked for a pint to have while I was waiting on my girlfriend who was having an acupuncture appointment. The service I got from the barman was verging on hostile. Plenty of people will tell you of crap service they get from bar staff, so why should they bother. Best just to stay at home.

chin_grin · 10-10-2008 10:28AM

I'm sorry, but how much do you want to smash the glass and stick it in four eyes' face (yer man waffling at the end of the news piece....watch the vid). Grrrrrrrrrrr.............

seamus · 10-10-2008 10:32AM

People are interested in saving money? Shocking!

If anything I would say that staying at home is *more* sociable than going to the pub because you can have more people over, do whatever you want (like put on whatever music or TV you want to watch) and the bar is open until it runs dry.

Roadend · 10-10-2008 10:33AM

Tawny wrote: »

Or is it greedy publicans charging too much for drinks and not offering a good service?

This is the biggest reason of all those you've mentioned. People are drinking at home where they don't have to pay 5-6 euro for a pint of utter pi55

Ross_Mahon · 10-10-2008 10:33AM

I think traditional Irish pubs are more for the older generation, a lot of the younger crowd tend to go to these new pubs that are slightlly like clubs, Disco bars or whatever you want to call them...I think the smoking ban has effected customers a bit over the years.

Ishmael · 10-10-2008 10:37AM

Tawny wrote: »

Is it that "there has been a cultural change within Irish society with people becoming increasingly selfish rather than sociable, and more interested in saving money than drinking beer"?

I don't think irish people have become more selfish, just a bit more sensible with regards to going out. People are a lot more likely to think twice about going out these days with the cost of a night out.

Zangetsu · 10-10-2008 10:39AM

The days of spending less then a fiver on a pint are well gone but I don't think this is contributing to drinking less or as the artical says 'being selfish'.

Its a load of bollox really, I still bring 100 down the pub, buy rounds, take several trips to the atm, hit the offo and stumble home as do all my mates.

The smoking ban only really effects the older generation cause young people don't seem to mind sitting in the beer garden all night (I actually think its more socialable).

Last but not least, who needs a fvckin taxi when you have a belly full of fuisce and two wobbly legs? The drunkin 3 steps forward and 2 steps back home is half the fun of going to the pub!

stovelid · 10-10-2008 10:42AM

It's still relatively less expensive for people to go to their local for a few.

The prices are starting to hit for a certain type of pub and the town drinking experience: long session, late bar/nightclub, food and taxi home.

Tawny · 10-10-2008 10:49AM

I agree with a lot of what has been said; its not about being selfish, its just that pubs are expensive so people are being more careful. A lot of pubs arent worth the money and they havent raised their standards. Getting a taxi can be a pain at night, and the last buses home are really early.

A lot of new housing developments havent been built with any regard to way of life. I live in a new development and there isnt a (decent) pub within a safe reasonable walking distance. Thats pretty bad seeing as I live in a city, its not like Im out in the country miles from anywhere.

I can't watch the film bit here so it will have to wait till I get home.

AnonoBoy · 10-10-2008 10:53AM

Well I'm watching my figure at the moment so that probably accounts for the closure of about 20 pubs in itself.

Zangetsu · 10-10-2008 10:55AM

Diet Guinness ftw ^

Burial · 10-10-2008 10:56AM

Pubs charge too much for pints, atmosphere isn't about everybody meeting the neighbourhood but about talking with friends, People go there to get horribly drunk and having to get home people get taxis which just add to the cost. Not to mention I can get drunk for a tenner vs. 35 euro in a pub. You also can invite people you want to see at home vs seeing annoying people at the pub. You can also listen to your own music and actually hear others rather than the bad music in pubs thats way too loud.

Having said that, going to pubs does have its good points and is quite funsometimes. Just going to a pub every weekend is boring and not fun at all. I'm more worried that these pubs are being replaced with nothing else to do. Also, the pubs that do remain, aren't going to get any cheaper...

Burial · 10-10-2008 10:57AM

Maybe the government should rescue the pubs instead of the banks!

Jigsaw · 10-10-2008 11:03AM

Burial wrote: »

Maybe the government should rescue the pubs instead of the banks!

With that sort of approach, you might just have a successful career in politics ahead of you.

Ebonyellie · 10-10-2008 11:12AM

Its serves the pubs right for being so greedy. You over to America and get your "buy back" as an appreciation, you go to any holiday resorts and free shots are the norm, etc etc. Ireland was always marketed as "the land of 1000 welcomes" yeah right, you might get a complimentary pint at christmas if your lucky and thats that. I live in a commuter town in the north east and in a particular pub the pint starts off at €4.90 and increases to €5:20 if there is a bar extension, the same pub will serve you and eagerly grab your money 1 minute before closing and then try and get you to leave, its not just that pub its most places. And now the publicans are whinging that they are losing trade - tough, you reap what you sow. Ive had enough of wasting my hard earned low wages in pubs, id rather waste it on 20 bottles of coors for €19.99 where i can sit at home and talk ****e for free!

Burial · 10-10-2008 11:18AM

Actually thats what I've noticed aswell. Me and my friends were in a pub, and they closed down early because only a few of us drank. And in a pub where a function was on, they raised there prices for it, because everyone was going to pay for it anyway. I mean 6 euro for a pint and a fiver for a shot and a tenner for two small red bulls is just absurd!

Silenceisbliss · 10-10-2008 12:14PM

nearly all the Irish pubs here in hamburg in germany, and every single one we wandered into while interrailing eastern europe were BRITISH OWNED!

the brits are stealing and using our nations good name for their own benefit! nobody goes into a british bar... so the damn potato heads write IRISH BAR on the front and everyone thinks "hmmm...irish, those lads are great craic, lets go in here"....penis heads

seamus · 10-10-2008 12:16PM

Silenceisbliss wrote: »

nearly all the Irish pubs here in hamburg in germany, and every single one we wandered into while interrailing eastern europe were BRITISH OWNED!

the brits are stealing and using our nations good name for their own benefit! nobody goes into a british bar... so the damn potato heads write IRISH BAR on the front and everyone thinks "hmmm...irish, those lads are great craic, lets go in here"....penis heads

I'd say it's more for our benefit.

What's the first thing most Irish people do when they go abroad? Look for an Irish pub.

Besides, you'll find that most cafés in Dublin are Irish-owned. Should the Italians be annoyed that we're making money from selling cappucinos?

Burial · 10-10-2008 12:19PM

cafés are French, so the French would be pissed off!

seamus · 10-10-2008 12:24PM

Yeah, but the coffee's Italian!

Burial · 10-10-2008 12:29PM

So we're pissing off two countries?? I'd say we blame it on the Government..

seamus · 10-10-2008 12:33PM

Nah, the immigrants.

It's also the immigrants' fault that pubs are closing. They don't drink enough. The Poles all drink at home. For shame!

Silenceisbliss · 10-10-2008 12:35PM

seamus wrote: »

I'd say it's more for our benefit.

but THEY TOOK AR JOOOOOOOOOOOOBS!!!!

Biggins · 10-10-2008 12:36PM

I've been a barman for 20 years.

Why is the pub trade dying?

1 The cost of pints. (Guinness, the company is the MAIN crook and the governent tax).
2. The morgages (and weekly payments) that now have rocketed to the extent that there is much less money left over to go spending down the town, which brings us to...
3. The cost of a night out will nearly cost you a weeks wages if you go out with your wife - so many more stay at home.

I provide the following comment in a box as to keep on topic over all.

As regards the smoking ban being used as an excuse - that was only PARTLY to blame at the start.
Folk stayed away initially over the ban but filtered back eventually (partly for fear of thers still going out and they were missing something!)
NOTE: Bar owners (grudgingly) have admitted now that the smiking ban has come in, their costs are less! How?
Well, because now there is less cleaning up sometimes. That means hired staff that get paid by the hours have less work = less hours = less pay to be paid.
The smoke extractor fans can be turned off a lot more = less heat being sucked out at night with the smoke = less heating costs.

There are many examples of how the smoking ban has improved things.
In my 20 plus years - the use of the excuse that the smoking ban has killed the bar trade - is a load of codswallop.

Silenceisbliss · 10-10-2008 12:36PM

Burial wrote: »

So we're pissing off two countries?? I'd say we blame it on the Government..

meh, french people were born to be pissed off, and italian people just shout random words and flap their arms about.....no worries

Burial · 10-10-2008 12:45PM

In WW2, didn't Italian soldiers just talk to their enemies in Africa rather then fight? I think thats why Rommel was brought in to help..

Eoin · 10-10-2008 12:47PM

Ebonyellie wrote: »

Its serves the pubs right for being so greedy. You over to America and get your "buy back" as an appreciation, you go to any holiday resorts and free shots are the norm, etc etc. Ireland was always marketed as "the land of 1000 welcomes" yeah right, you might get a complimentary pint at christmas if your lucky and thats that.

The massive tips you have to make over there to even get served more than cover the cost of them giving you a "free" drink once in a while.

I don't disagree that the pubs here are charging a fortune, but the American tipping system isn't very comparable.

Degsy · 10-10-2008 12:49PM

Pure greed on the part of the publicans.Constantly ramping up prices and treating the customer like some sort of eejit.
Round my way i've noticed several pubs have been sold to property developers..probably friends of the publicans...because they werent making the sort of profits they were accustomed to.
If the publicans stopped behaving like they were performing some sort of sacrament by dispensing booze and treated the customer like a human being they wouldnt be in the bind they're in now.
I for one have zero sympathy for any of them.

Burial · 10-10-2008 12:50PM

I suppose not having a licence to compete with night-clubs is hurting them too...

Irish pubs

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