Pubs Closing Down Rural Ireland

hurler32 · 12-02-2018 4:23pm #1

Particularly in rural Ireland pubs have closed hand over fist in the past 7-8 years with those remaining in many cases hanging in there unless they've a substantial food business.Whats to blame , probably a number of things including

More and more people on minimum wage with no money

Depopulation of rural Ireland to Dublin and abroad

Young people spending their disposable income on illegal drugs as opposed to beer

Gardai over the top antics on elderly people in particular driving the following day ( as opposed to real crime - catching burglars - drug dealers etc )

Obviously it's cheaper go to Lidl but in rural pubs the pint is circa 4 euro for last ten years and even some tuborg- carling offers are cheaper . I'd prefer to pay a bit more to have a chat with neighbours than drink a can on my own looking out the window at home , or do younger folk only want to be on their phones rather than engage with members of their community ?

El Weirdo · 12-02-2018 4:26pm

Can't see this going well. After Hours loves to have a go at pubs and publicans.

seamus · 12-02-2018 4:27pm

The three main factors are young people not living in rural areas, vastly improved attitudes in relation to drink-driving, and an overall reduction in alcohol consumption.

You say it like it's a bad thing. But if there's no demand, there's no demand. So be it.

Cina · 12-02-2018 4:27pm

hurler32 wrote: »

Gardai over the top antics on elderly people in particular driving the following day ( as opposed to real crime - catching burglars - drug dealers etc )

Nailed it. It's not the crazy alcohol prices, drunken eejits, poor standards, filthy toilets, or awful service that have put me off going to rural pubs over the years, it's the possibility that the next day the Gardaí might be up to their old no good antics!

Next time you're about to go the pub, STOP, and think "is it worth meddlin' with those pesky Guard's tomorrow?"

the beer revolu · 12-02-2018 4:27pm

hurler32 wrote: »

Gardai over the top antics on elderly people in particular driving the following day ?

So you approve of people driving over the alcohol limit??

Are you from Kilgarvan?

hurler32 · 12-02-2018 4:46pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

So you approve of people driving over the alcohol limit??

Are you from Kilgarvan?

No im not but Gardai ..Ban Gardai in particular seem to specialize in bagging honest law abiding sorts ( in many cases teetotaler ) in the morning time.....seem to like scaring the elderly into been afraid to have a drink at all or venture out.....
Where as when these elderly are been broken into by travellers etc theres no guards to be found...Probably a broader piece on guards picking the handy catchs as opposed to tackling some of the evil scumbags outthere....

Super-Rush · 12-02-2018 4:50pm

hurler32 wrote: »

No im not but Gardai ..Ban Gardai in particular seem to specialize in bagging honest law abiding sorts ( in many cases teetotaler ) in the morning time.....seem to like scaring the elderly into been afraid to have a drink at all or venture out.....
Where as when these elderly are been broken into by travellers etc theres no guards to be found...Probably a broader piece on guards picking the handy catchs as opposed to tackling some of the evil scumbags outthere....

Anyone drink driving is an evil scumbag.

seamus · 12-02-2018 4:51pm

So the Gardai (and female ones in particular) are out on the roads arresting teetotallers in the morning to try and scare the elderly?

LOL.

And if your meaning of "bagging" is "testing them", then what's the harm? How is a Garda supposed to identify a teetotaller from anyone else?

The inanity of your statements speak for themselves.

Personally I'd prioritise road safety and saving lives above stopping some scumbags from stealing someone's cash and trinkets, but that's just me.

Luckily the Gardai who do the breath tests and the ones who catch burglars are in two different departments so we don't have to debate over what they *should* be doing.

Spanish Eyes · 12-02-2018 4:52pm

Doesn't matter. Sooner or later everyone will be living in Dublin anyway, you know where there are loadsa jobs, plenty of pubs, great public transport and cheap housing. :P

Who'd want to live in the country anyway, where everyone either knows or wants to know your business. Would kill me.

topper75 · 12-02-2018 5:00pm

A premium PER drink isnt' much e.g. Can 2.50 Pint 4.20.

But if you are binging - the premium over the course of a night fairly mounts and people are all too aware of this difference in their pocket.

Not that I'm advocating binging. But it is a popular pursuit amongst any pub's potential clients, is it not?

McGrath5 · 12-02-2018 5:08pm

OP, your ramblings look like something from the journal.

You haven't given any compelling reasons for as to why the "rural pub" is the sacred cow you make it out to be.

If these pubs are closing down, then so be it, it is simply the free market taking it's course of action.

[Deleted User] · 12-02-2018 5:13pm

There are plently of rural pubs thriving too. I have a few locals that do a great trade and nothing to do with food. A good pub with good pints will attract business.

ohnonotgmail · 12-02-2018 5:37pm

hurler32 wrote: »

No im not but Gardai ..Ban Gardai in particular seem to specialize in bagging honest law abiding sorts ( in many cases teetotaler ) in the morning time.....seem to like scaring the elderly into been afraid to have a drink at all or venture out.....
Where as when these elderly are been broken into by travellers etc theres no guards to be found...Probably a broader piece on guards picking the handy catchs as opposed to tackling some of the evil scumbags outthere....

why would a teetotaler worry about being tested for drink driving?

MilesMorales1 · 12-02-2018 5:38pm

The pubs are closing down rural Ireland? Where did they get the authority to do that?

Gunmonkey · 12-02-2018 5:45pm

MilesMorales1 wrote: »

The pubs are closing down rural Ireland? Where did they get the authority to do that?

Vinters Association have their fingers in all the pies.....

hatrickpatrick · 12-02-2018 5:46pm

hurler32 wrote: »

I'd prefer to pay a bit more to have a chat with neighbours than drink a can on my own looking out the window at home , or do younger folk only want to be on their phones rather than engage with members of their community ?

You do realise that people can invite their friends to congregate at their home, right? Drinking at home and drinking alone are entirely different concepts.

michaelm · 12-02-2018 5:47pm

Ok - my tuppence worth: Firstly, stating the obvious; massive change in rural Ireland in recent years, if rural pubs are to survive they have to reinvent themselves ("keep doing what you're doing and you'll keep getting what you've got"). If everyone that replied to this thread had one positive suggestion as to how pubs can survive that would be great. My suggestion: I recently attended a film night in a cafe in Limerick - it was a huge success. Everyone had a drink on arrival, watched the film, interval with tea/coffee/drinks and treats. €20 x 20 people and some stayed on after for a drink. This will not of course suit most pubs, but if one benefited it would be great! Any other ideas?

donegaLroad · 12-02-2018 5:48pm

An increase in insurance costs over the last few years, and an increase in council rates dont help.
Also, more people are drinking at home now.

If I wanted to go for 3 pints it would cost me over 25 euro. Taxi to the pub, €7... 3 pints €12 ... taxi home €7.

One 6 pack of beer in Lidl (500ml) €8

Vronsky · 12-02-2018 5:48pm

seamus wrote: »

The three main factors are young people not living in rural areas, vastly improved attitudes in relation to drink-driving, and an overall reduction in alcohol consumption.

You say it like it's a bad thing. But if there's no demand, there's no demand. So be it.

I'd also add that there are more things to do, and more ways to socialize without going to the pub.

lawred2 · 12-02-2018 5:48pm

hurler32 wrote: »

No im not but Gardai ..Ban Gardai in particular seem to specialize in bagging honest law abiding sorts ( in many cases teetotaler ) in the morning time.....seem to like scaring the elderly into been afraid to have a drink at all or venture out.....
Where as when these elderly are been broken into by travellers etc theres no guards to be found...Probably a broader piece on guards picking the handy catchs as opposed to tackling some of the evil scumbags outthere....

How do you bag a teetotaler for driving over the limit?

Crea · 12-02-2018 5:50pm

I live in a rural area. I won't drink and drive so I don't go to the pub.

McGrath5 · 12-02-2018 5:54pm

Also - and this goes not just for rural pubs, the selection of drinks available tends to be quite poor. If you wish to drink something apart from Guinness, Heineken or Bulmers, you'll quickly find that your choice is very limited.

At least in the likes of Lidl or Aldi, I can try something different each week and for a more reasonable price too, rather than having some overpriced Diageo slop thrown at me in a smelly pub.

enricoh · 12-02-2018 5:59pm

Margins in farming are non existent in many cases nowadays. Young lads aren't sticking around to work for buttons.
A friend of mine was in a group that walked across Ireland 20 years ago. He said they would pop into a pub for a pint and often stay for a session as the craic was so good.
They did a 20 year reunion walk last year and was saying nearly all the pubs we're closed or just open Friday n Saturday night.

blue note · 12-02-2018 6:04pm

seamus wrote: »

The three main factors are young people not living in rural areas, vastly improved attitudes in relation to drink-driving, and an overall reduction in alcohol consumption.

You say it like it's a bad thing. But if there's no demand, there's no demand. So be it.

These three points are spot on, but I would say that it's not an entirely good thing. The problem being that the pub hasn't been replaced by anything for a lot of the people who would have used it. You can argue that it's their own fault and they should go and take up a hobby, but I don't think too many people would be without sympathy if it was their elderly father who used to go down to the pub each night for two pints who now has lost his social outlet.

The pub culture in Ireland is dying and it's largely a good thing. But it's not without a bit of collateral damage.

Also, I used to enjoy meeting my friends for an occasional midweek pint. But with the culture change (I don't think it's to do with getting older, there were plenty of people ten years my senior when I used to go for midweek pints) we rarely do it now. We keep in touch over WhatsApp mainly and do arrange get togethers, but it's a pity we don't meet in town for a pint more often.

pauliebdub · 12-02-2018 6:05pm

Most of the pubs that closed down in my local town were horrible kips,run down places frequented by old men. Along with better attitudes to drink driving, most of the customers have died off with no younger generation to replace them.

[Deleted User] · 12-02-2018 6:06pm

I've seen pubs in a town change things up. Quiz one night, darts another, pool another. One pub has a bit of an annex that's even used for a prayer group. Another place has (possibly had) a knitting group.

Noveight · 12-02-2018 6:11pm

There are 3 pubs (formerly 4) in my village where 1 would now suffice for the amount of drinking that’s done.

As already mentioned, the pub is no longer the lynchpin of social life in rural Ireland. There are now cheaper, healthier, more enjoyable alternatives to meet up with friends.

sideswipe · 12-02-2018 6:15pm

Ban Gardai- there’s a term you don’t hear nowadays. Op over 60?

The Backwards Man · 12-02-2018 6:24pm

Do you know why rural pubs are fcuked?

Because people aren't happy with being misreable anymore.

Now they want to be entertained, they want gimmicks, they want 27 types of Ginger, they want a dozen beer taps in a pub that was struggle to gross three kegs a week, they want to enjoy themselves, they have unrealistic expectations.

Pubs used to a refuge from the misreable monotony of your own four walls, somewhere your could find solace in the knowledge that everyone else there was as misreable as you.

Pubs should stop pandering to punter's desires and tell them to shove their expectations up their holes if they want any chance at survival.

For Forks Sake · 12-02-2018 6:26pm

sideswipe wrote: »

Ban Gardai- there’s a term you don’t hear nowadays. Op over 60?

Probably drunk.

blue note · 12-02-2018 6:27pm

Noveight wrote: »

There are now cheaper, healthier, more enjoyable alternatives to meet up with friends.

What are you thinking of? In rural Ireland if you want to meet up with friends after you finish work for the day and have your dinner eaten what alternatives are there? In particular what cheaper, healthier more enjoyable alternatives? And then what about if you don't have friends you can call on but you were able to go down, sit at the counter and chat to the barman and whoever else happened to be doing the same that night?

And even in Dublin, where do you go to meet up with and chat to friends? If I'm trying to do it after my day is done the pubs are convenient and not terribly expensive if you're going down for 2 or 3 pints. If I'm going earlier I can go to a café / restaurant, but they're certainly not cheaper and not necessarily healthier. And unless they're very quiet they'll want their table back once your food and drink is consumed.

And even for the younger generation - I know it starts much younger, but I do worry about how actual social interaction is being pared back more and more. I think youngsters are staying in on social media as an alternative to meeting friends in a pub. It's good that they're not drinking, but bad that they're not interacting with real people.

The pub culture has been a curse to Ireland and overall it's a good thing that it's fading away. But I don't like people pretending that there was nothing positive about it. Used responsibly, it was a lovely thing.

Pubs Closing Down Rural Ireland

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