Publicans and 12 pubs of Christmas

Caliden · 11-12-2013 11:52AM #1

The owner of the Swan pub on Aungier Street has told the Irish Sun that he has banned the custom from his premises.

He told the paper: “Certainly later in the day they’re not welcome and we’ll make a judgement call if they’re in earlier.

“As a publican you’re not allowed by law to serve anyone who is drunk yet clearly score of people are drunk later in the day and getting served.”

The pub owner said he finds the new tradition a sloppy one, with the crawls being badly organised, and the customers it brings to his pub for the one evening, not being seen again in the year.

I doubt this fella has a problem with serving people on a regular Saturday night where many people have been served well beyond the point of being 'drunk''.

As for his line about not seeing them again in the year.....is his pub for regulars only then?
Bit of a joke to be honest. Not tarring all publicans with the same brush but first they complain about losing business and when they do get business they whinge just as much.

I was on a 12 pubs on Saturday myself and got turned away from this pub at number 4. Nobody within the group was drunk/messy as the whole thing was organised so that we spent 45 minutes in each pub so people weren't downing their drinks.

If certain publicans don't want my money, then that's grand but don't start crying when your business closes.

source: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/publicans-calling-time-on-boozy-12-pubs-of-christmas-29829531.html

Super-Rush · 11-12-2013 11:59AM

If a group comes into his pub at say 9pm how is he going to know they are on the 12 pubs?

Is he going to stop all groups coming into his pub?

He'd only know if they leave after the one drink.

Will they have to piss the drink back into their glasses?

Slunk · 11-12-2013 12:01PM

In fairness I was in town on Saturday around 6pm and the amount of people I seen already pissed walking around with high heels in hand and pint glasses was shocking. Expect to see it after midnight but not when the city is still packed with tourists and people out shopping.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for having a few drinks but this 12 pubs lark is just a recipe for disaster as most can't handle what's involved.

danniemcq · 11-12-2013 12:01PM

could work the other way though.

if people are looking for a quiet drink or 3 and they know there isn't gonna be a group of drunken fools coming in then they might head there instead.

irish_goat · 11-12-2013 12:01PM

Super-Rush wrote: »

If a group comes into his pub at say 9pm how is he going to know they are on the 12 pubs?

It's nearly always blatantly obvious if they're on a 12 pubs.

11-12-2013 12:03PM

Publicity.

He obviously thinks by being vocal about not allowing 12 pubs folk in, he'll sell himself to the ones who hate having a drink surrounded by christmas jumpers, but as Super-Rush says - How does he know they're on 12 pubs? Everyone wears christmas jumpers these days.

Super-Rush · 11-12-2013 12:05PM

irish_goat wrote: »

It's nearly always blatantly obvious if they're on a 12 pubs.

How though?

Unless they actually say they are on the 12 pubs.

It could be a group of people having a drink together before going for a meal or after football training or just having a drink.

minidazzler · 11-12-2013 12:06PM

irish_goat wrote: »

It's nearly always blatantly obvious if they're on a 12 pubs.

Was gonna post this....

You'll always have the planks with the mass produced Xmas jumpers complete with flashing lights...... and if they get a chance they'll tell you they are on a 12 pubs, as if it's some badge of honour....

I'd go to a minimum of 8 pubs on a long night out, so I suppose I'm a little different to the regular, but this "surviving" 12 pubs seems stupid to me.

Alf Veedersane · 11-12-2013 12:07PM

If I wasn't let into a pub that I never normally go to while on a 12 Pubs of Christmas crawl, I'd just decide to never darken their doorstep again and pick another of the numerous pubs in the city to go to.

SteelyDanJalapeno · 11-12-2013 12:08PM

Where did the Publicans and their high horse over 12 pubs come from?

One of the few days in the year where a larger amount of people will come out early and go to pubs instead of drinking cans in the house then going straight to the club, and they want to turn them away? They'll be moaning about no business in January.

They'll get a few groups of 10+ people in throughout the day, they're guaranteed everyone will be buying a drink it's shocking that they're turning their nose up at a couple of thousand worth of extra revenue over the Christmas period.

This could easily lead to whatever groups are turned away never returning to the pub, and if they had been weekly regulars then the pub could be easily down 10k plus for the year.

The mind boggles

gobnaitolunacy · 11-12-2013 12:10PM

The pubs that turn away potential customers tend to be the ones that aren't likely to close anytime.

Heard from someone who ran a pub down the country that they wouldn't bar a 'professional' drinker who pissed against the counter, just because he was one of their best customers.

The Glass Key · 11-12-2013 12:10PM

12 pubs and 45 minutes in each one

minidazzler · 11-12-2013 12:10PM

Super-Rush wrote: »

How though?

Unless they actually say they are on the 12 pubs.

It could be a group of people having a drink together before going for a meal or after football training or just having a drink.

You'll get a good indication by how they come in the door. Generally looking for the stragglers, they'll be louder than most groups going out for a meal, there will be at least a few of them wearing novelty jumpers or ties, or in the worst cases all of them wearing the same ones. They'll rarely sit down.

But overall it's a feeling you get about the group that they are a 12 pubs group. Most bartenders would recognise one a mile off.

*DISCLAIMER: Whoopsa, I've no problem with Xmas jumpers, just mass produced Pennies ones.... they're not the same as the cool ones that nana's make

*

Michael D Not Higgins · 11-12-2013 12:11PM

I'm not physically able to do 12 pubs in a row any longer. I joined the 12 pubs last year around pub 6 or 7, and will be doing the same this year.

irish_goat · 11-12-2013 12:11PM

Super-Rush wrote: »

How though?

Unless they actually say they are on the 12 pubs.

It could be a group of people having a drink together before going for a meal or after football training or just having a drink.

There's a few tell tale signs.

Usually over done it on novelty Christmas clothing and accessories.
There's always one over-organised person with a list of pubs/rules or a map and they'll be barking out orders to people when they come in.
I've seen the latest thing is to get a photo outside the pub with a sign indicating what number you're on (then you can laugh at people who aren't in the photo with a number 12). So you'll see someone with a stack of numbers printed out.
You'll hear them discussing rules e.g. you'll hear girls saying "we have to drink beer here and I hate beer!"
They also tend to be far drunker far earlier than a regular group of people out for Christmas drinks.

GLaDOS · 11-12-2013 12:12PM

Was out on Saturday night and it was pretty easy to pick out groups on 12 pubs because they were falling around the place compared to everyone else, decked out in Christmas jumpers (and some other fairly ridiculous stuff) and sat right next to the door so they could launch straight to the next pub.

It's not really feasible to ban it, but I can understand why it would annoy publicans if the regular patrons prefer a more relaxed atmosphere.

EyeSight · 11-12-2013 12:12PM

I think he means he can spot a large group of really drunk people wearing Xmas jumpers. Not specifically 12 pubs groups

I can see his point. This bar is usually full of regulars and not too roudy. Why piss off his regulars for the sake of a quick buck?

The Backwards Man · 11-12-2013 12:14PM

Once people get to the fourth or fifth pub they are more hassle than they are worth, messy, loud and drink fcuk all. If I had a pub I wouldn 't let them in either.

SteelyDanJalapeno · 11-12-2013 12:17PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Once people get to the fourth or fifth pub they are more hassle than they are worth, messy, loud and drink fcuk all. If I had a pub I wouldn 't let them in either.

If you rejected a group of us on one night, you wouldn't see us there for the rest of the year either

Alf Veedersane · 11-12-2013 12:20PM

Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »

I'm not physically able to do 12 pubs in a row any longer. I joined the 12 pubs last year around pub 6 or 7, and will be doing the same this year.

I'd rather do 12 pints in one pub.

Corvo · 11-12-2013 12:22PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Publicity.

He obviously thinks by being vocal about not allowing 12 pubs folk in, he'll sell himself to the ones who hate having a drink surrounded by christmas jumpers, but as Super-Rush says - How does he know they're on 12 pubs? Everyone wears christmas jumpers these days.

:eek:

The Backwards Man · 11-12-2013 12:23PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Once people get to the fourth or fifth pub they are more hassle than they are worth, messy, loud and drink fcuk all. If I had a pub I wouldn 't let them in either.

So? My first job was in a pub/supermarket run by a 85 year old woman. I remember if she ever had a run in with a customer who threatened not to come back she always said

'That's fine dear. I never sent for you anyway.'

She was a multi millionaire.

Fattes · 11-12-2013 12:27PM

About time, I have to say the large % of 12 pub groups are obnoxious idiots, who actually ruin the atmosphere in most pubs I frequent over Christmas! I am a non drinker but enjoy sitting with friends and catching up over December while in town.

The last few years on multiple occasions we have been stuck beside a group of morons on drinking games, dressed as twats and behaving like teenagers!

About time it died!

Gyalist · 11-12-2013 12:29PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Publicity.

He obviously thinks by being vocal about not allowing 12 pubs folk in, he'll sell himself to the ones who hate having a drink surrounded by christmas jumpers, but as Super-Rush says - How does he know they're on 12 pubs? Everyone wears christmas jumpers these days.

The Swan is unusual for a city centre pub in that it is mostly local regulars and RCSI/DIT students who drink there.

minidazzler · 11-12-2013 12:33PM

12 pubs groups are large groups of people who barely drink from one end of the year to another pretending they can drink like the rest of us for one night a year and failing miserably.

The amount of groups I've been invited to on facebook with people who know nothing about bars in Cork is stupid. Needless to say I'll be having my own piss ups where the plan is wherever the night takes us.

Michael D Not Higgins · 11-12-2013 12:36PM

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I'd rather do 12 pints in one pub.

I'm not living in Ireland anymore so it's usually the best time of year to catch up with people I haven't seen. There's no way you could get to see everyone otherwise.

11-12-2013 12:38PM

Basic common sense, he'll let them in earlier but not later, in other words he doesn't want a bunch of rowdy arseholes coming in for a round of drinks and pissing off everyone else in the pub.

BraziliaNZ · 11-12-2013 12:39PM

I saw these idiots in pubs last Xmas when I was home for a bit, and tbh they really did my head in. I was drinking away on my own in a small bar in the city centre, when suddenly it was packed with 2 groups of these idiots in Xmas jumpers being loud and obnoxious.
It's a ridiculous concept in my opinion, no need for it. When did this nonsense start? In the last few years?

listermint · 11-12-2013 12:40PM

To be fair to this guy, he was reasonable enough about it. One of my mates was in last week chatting with him about it midweek while having a quiet one.

He is not a bad guy and it stands to reason, would you as a bar owner like a bunch of lads/lasses coming into your premises effectively being load and brash etc etc (i know this because ive been on several of these over the years) and then leaving after 20-30 minutes. Only for another shower to come in after.

Id probably be against me coming in too to be totally fair. So i can see his point really. There would be normal regular customers or weekly customers in there having drinks and staying the night. Large groups rambling in and out en masse isnt really superb is it ?

Alf Veedersane · 11-12-2013 12:41PM

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

I saw these idiots in pubs last Xmas when I was home for a bit, and tbh they really did my head in. I was drinking away on my own in a small bar in the city centre, when suddenly it was packed with 2 groups of these idiots in Xmas jumpers being loud and obnoxious.
It's a ridiculous concept in my opinion, no need for it. When did this nonsense start? In the last few years?

Oh. Em. Jee.

You haven't lived until you've run around town, drinking a pint in each one, wearing a stupid jumper that you go in Penneys, getting messy and pis*sing off an average of 25 people per pub.

It's a laugh-riot.

Jarrod · 11-12-2013 12:56PM

A friend of mine was doing 12 pubs last weekend with his gf. I'd never done it but said I'd meet him for a pint in the first pub as I hadn't seen him in ages. I got there and it was exactly like others have described, Christmas jumpers, santa hats and more 'rules' than you could shake a stick at.

Anyway, I'm almost finished my pint, thinking 'I might have one more and head home', when some fcuking fun-nazi starts ringing a bell telling everyone to move to the next pub, remembering you're only allowed turn right because left handed turns aren't allowed and shots will be given as penalties. Anyway, I leaned to my mate and discussed how **** the 'craic and banter' was and we decided to split from the group. We went to 3 more pubs with 2 or 3 pints in each and had a great night.

TL;DR - Pub crawls: Great craic. 12 pubs: A load of sh1te run by fun-nazis having 'the banter' or some other sh1te.

Publicans and 12 pubs of Christmas

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