Stop out of control drinking

grundie · 09-03-2015 06:59PM

You need a carrot and a stick approach. The carrot being more liberal opening hours for pubs coupled with financial incentives for pubs and clubs to adopt practices that reduce excessive drinking. Shift the profit focus away from primarily selling booze towards providing a safe social facility.

The stick would be a ban on rounds being purchased. This would eliminate a lot of peer pressure issues and binges just before chucking out time. Also, if you do get in trouble and try to use alcohol as an excuse then you should automatically get the maximum sentence.

Something similar has happened before. The Carlisle State Management Scheme managed to change drinking culture for the better, until it was privatised.

Lyaiera · 09-03-2015 07:14PM

I was in the pub just after Christmas, sitting at the bar chatting to some friends. A guy next to me got involved and after a few minutes began asking me why I was drinking slowly, and then making more comments on my drinking pace. That kind of stuff pisses me right off. The same with someone saying, "No, I'll have a coffee" or a coke, and getting trouble for it. I absolutely hate the idea that someone choosing to not down pints is an issue. I've even seen people spike other people's non-alcoholic drinks with spirits, and the spiker was too drunk to realise that someone can tell if their coke has an added shot of vodka in it.

I absolutely enjoy alcohol, including for it's narcotic effect. I think a lot of people simply don't realise the effect it's had on them. It can take me two hours to drink four glasses of good beer, but if i was to have two pints in an hour I'd feel it very quickly. Even at my slow pace I can feel the effect of the two pints over two hours on me, and I'm in no way a small person.

Shenshen · 10-03-2015 10:13AM

grundie wrote: »

You need a carrot and a stick approach. The carrot being more liberal opening hours for pubs coupled with financial incentives for pubs and clubs to adopt practices that reduce excessive drinking. Shift the profit focus away from primarily selling booze towards providing a safe social facility.

The stick would be a ban on rounds being purchased. This would eliminate a lot of peer pressure issues and binges just before chucking out time. Also, if you do get in trouble and try to use alcohol as an excuse then you should automatically get the maximum sentence.

Something similar has happened before. The Carlisle State Management Scheme managed to change drinking culture for the better, until it was privatised.

I wouldn't even go that far, if anything I'd try a "carrot only" approach. Provide alternatives to the pubs - Europe has a thriving cafe scene, if you want to go out but don't fancy alcohol, you meet up in a cafe. You don't even have this option in Ireland, the cafes close at 6pm on the dot, you usually get the evil eye from the staff if you dare order a cup of tea at 5.45.

Also, the selections of non-alcoholic drinks in pubs is simply woeful. It's either water, or fizzy sugar water. It would be great if that could be made more interesting - a national competition for bartenders to create the best alcohol-free cocktail? A brother of a good freind of mine is a bartender in Germany, he offered his services at a wedding I went to not too long ago. Half his menu card was alcohol free. I couldn't have alcohol because I was driving, and after trying the first cocktail I felt actually quite happy about that.

I don't think there is any need for yet more legislation - it'll only cost money to enforce, and people don't like being told they aren't allowed to do something. We'd get much further if we got a bit creative and came up with very good alternatives, give people more options.

Turpentine · 10-03-2015 10:41AM

Shenshen wrote: »

I wouldn't even go that far, if anything I'd try a "carrot only" approach. Provide alternatives to the pubs - Europe has a thriving cafe scene, if you want to go out but don't fancy alcohol, you meet up in a cafe. You don't even have this option in Ireland, the cafes close at 6pm on the dot, you usually get the evil eye from the staff if you dare order a cup of tea at 5.45.

Also, the selections of non-alcoholic drinks in pubs is simply woeful. It's either water, or fizzy sugar water. It would be great if that could be made more interesting - a national competition for bartenders to create the best alcohol-free cocktail? A brother of a good freind of mine is a bartender in Germany, he offered his services at a wedding I went to not too long ago. Half his menu card was alcohol free. I couldn't have alcohol because I was driving, and after trying the first cocktail I felt actually quite happy about that.

I don't think there is any need for yet more legislation - it'll only cost money to enforce, and people don't like being told they aren't allowed to do something. We'd get much further if we got a bit creative and came up with very good alternatives, give people more options.

As privately run enterprises interested in making money, I'm sure they would stay open if the demand was there. Apparently it is not.

Shenshen · 10-03-2015 11:12AM

Turpentine wrote: »

As privately run enterprises interested in making money, I'm sure they would stay open if the demand was there. Apparently it is not.

As privately run enterprises, they should have an interest in generating demand, surely?

Kev_2012 · 10-03-2015 12:00PM

Give pubs the option to have a cheaper alcohol licence and serve cheaper alcohol if they serve a full food menu during their opening hours.

Increase cost in offies.

Get rid of the opening/closing hours, well, make them more easy going.

Cap pricing in pubs so that the price difference is much smaller between drinking at home and going to a bar.

One thing that wrecks my head when I go to the pub is not being able to get a proper meal in most places. If I'm out with a group of people, I wanna be able to eat in the pub were in rather than have to leave to go get something to eat. A lot of people (myself included) would normally elect to either have a bag of taytos or skip food.

Other issues I have with pubs in Ireland is the music is always insanely loud! As in to the point where you can't even talk! Also, I'd like to see all seated pubs too with servers, like US or Canada. Nothing more annoying than going into the pub and barely being able to move and you are blessed if you find seats, but then have to go up and get booze constantly.

I'd much rather tip a server and stay at my table and get food too.

kunst nugget · 10-03-2015 12:22PM

Egginacup wrote: »

Irish people wouldn't sit home on a Friday night and down 10 cans of Heineken on their own and then go to bed so it's not the drink alone that is the factor

Just because you're not doing it doesn't mean there ain't plenty of people in this country doing exactly this. Alcohol is used as a form of self-medication for psychological problems by loads of people in this country, it isn't all about the craic.

Nothing wrong with going out with your mates, having a skinful and having a laugh but I think it's a bit blinkered to imagine that that's all there is to Ireland's drinking culture.

10-03-2015 12:50PM

Kev_2012 wrote: »

One thing that wrecks my head when I go to the pub is not being able to get a proper meal in most places. If I'm out with a group of people, I wanna be able to eat in the pub were in rather than have to leave to go get something to eat. A lot of people (myself included) would normally elect to either have a bag of taytos or skip food.

To be honest pubs that do a full menu are often not great for just drinking and tend to often be less craic.

I would very rarely spend much time in pubs that serve lots of food, pop in for food maybe have one extra drink and then move on to a standard pub, I think food pubs just don't have the same atmosphere and I am a person who in general prefers to eat before and after drinking rather than during it as you get stomached if you eat too much while drinking.

A lot of pubs are now doing pizza or allowing you order in pizza, I think is a good compromise as people can have some quick no fuss food without the pub getting that restaurant feel.

Noobascious · 10-03-2015 02:01PM

Gettin locked is easier than having a partner. If u want to give it up and have no money ur entering rapist territory. Or suicide. Depends how much of a cocksucker u are.

Jamsiek · 10-03-2015 06:19PM

Kev_2012 wrote: »

If I'm out with a group of people, I wanna be able to eat in the pub were in rather than have to leave to go get something to eat.

Yes, not enough pubs in Ireland give this option IMO

Kev_2012 wrote: »

Other issues I have with pubs in Ireland is the music is always insanely loud! As in to the point where you can't even talk!

Agreed, same with many pubs in the UK, terrible for an atmosphere

Kev_2012 wrote: »

Also, I'd like to see all seated pubs too with servers, like US or Canada. Nothing more annoying than going into the pub and barely being able to move and you are blessed if you find seats, but then have to go up and get booze constantly.
I'd much rather tip a server and stay at my table and get food too.

This too, it's always nice to have someone looking after the table so nobody needs to get up when ordering drinks. It keeps the conversation going too.
It can also mean you get drunk more quickly though

SEPT 23 1989 · 10-03-2015 06:49PM

Kev_2012 wrote: »

Give pubs the option to have a cheaper alcohol licence and serve cheaper alcohol if they serve a full food menu during their opening hours.

Increase cost in offies.

Get rid of the opening/closing hours, well, make them more easy going.

Cap pricing in pubs so that the price difference is much smaller between drinking at home and going to a bar.

One thing that wrecks my head when I go to the pub is not being able to get a proper meal in most places. If I'm out with a group of people, I wanna be able to eat in the pub were in rather than have to leave to go get something to eat. A lot of people (myself included) would normally elect to either have a bag of taytos or skip food.

Other issues I have with pubs in Ireland is the music is always insanely loud! As in to the point where you can't even talk! Also, I'd like to see all seated pubs too with servers, like US or Canada. Nothing more annoying than going into the pub and barely being able to move and you are blessed if you find seats, but then have to go up and get booze constantly.

I'd much rather tip a server and stay at my table and get food too.

A proper pub does not serve food

Jamsiek · 10-03-2015 06:57PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

A proper pub does not serve food

In your opinion
Go to any decent sized city and the majority of them do

gctest50 · 10-03-2015 07:09PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

A proper pub does not serve food

pubs/inns years ago had stabling n food for your horses and drink n food for you

Item, a capon, … 2s. 2d. Item, sauce, … 4d.
Item, sack, two gallons, … 5s. 8d.
Item, anchovies and sack after supper, , , , 2s. 6d.
Item, bread, ob.

darkpagandeath · 10-03-2015 07:11PM

Jamsiek wrote: »

In your opinion
Go to any decent sized city and the majority of them do

Depends on what people mean, public house, tavern, licence premises, bar. Don't see many places now getting people to leather down gin to get as drunk as possible as fast as possible.

bb1234567 · 10-03-2015 07:43PM

the_monkey wrote: »

It's not though, mind you people in Spain go out and 10 people sit around a glass of water - but thats just being tight cúnts..

Maybe the adults..I don't know. But teenagers and young people all around europe pretty much drink the same amounts.

Kev_2012 · 11-03-2015 12:29PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

A proper pub does not serve food

I used to think that too until I hit 24/25 and decided that I'd like to remember the night, not be getting sick the next day and feel like crap all the time.

The places that serve food in Ireland usually only do so until about 6/7 if you're lucky which ain't good, even the option to have a basket of chicken wings or chips or something would be good. A small bit of finger food twice a year or a bag of taytos just doesn't cut the mustard AFAIAC

Stop out of control drinking

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