Death of our Pubs !!!

[MOR :]

I was shocked to find out that my old local "The Wheatsheaf" in Fulham Road opposite the Fire station has been boarded up. "The Cottage" pub in Colehill Lane is now houses-thanks FatFrank, and "The George" at the junction of North End Road & Fulham Road is now an estate agents, and also just recently "The Charlie Butler" in Mortlake has been boarded up.

I've since found out that some 4500 Uk pubs have closed down since 2008.

You used to be able to give people directions based on the nearest pubs as landmarks "Turn right at the Duke of York and it's just past The Green Man...". For those of us who remember such landmarks, even if they are long since gone will still refer to them to direct others "You remember where the Red Lion used to be? It's just on the left past there..."

In 2011, an average of 14 per week shut down, and the trend is continuing. This is obviously due to a number of factors, including the economic downturn, competition from cheap supermarket alcohol and ever-increasing taxes.

Going to the pub used to be a core British tradition and so was enjoying great beer, pubs were the cornerstone to our national culture.

I find it a big shame that these places are no more...

[Hammer Smith]

Totally agree with that and it's even worse in the countryside where a lot of the pubs are also located in historic buildings and there's often only one - if that - left in many villages - all are being converted into flats etc and will then be gone forever. Lots of dodgy property companies buy up existing pubs at very low prices and deliberately run them down - and after several years of dereliction and non-use they're able to apply for a change of use to residential accommodation and then make a killing. This is exactly what's happening all over the place around us out in rural Essex. It's a great shame and it's all happening really quickly. It would be good if there was an effective campaign launched to highlight their plight and encourage/force Government to intervene more to try to halt this process.

[Peabody]

My old local The Oxford & Cambridge in Hammersmith Bridge Road has closed down, going to be Houses.

[cottage cheese]

im sorry but there are too many pubs in some cases. I live in tooting right near the high road and there needs to be a cut on some of the pubs.

"kings head" which serves the worst food and yet charges a stupid amount to eat and never ever full.
the pub under the islamic center, again never full nor a pleasant place to be
the castle, friendly and nice i must say.
the spoons which is well....a sight to see at times.

I understand that pubs are a great place to meet and watch football but how can you complain that supermarkets are selling cheap booze when you can walk into a spoons and buy 5 shots for £3 pounds in some cases. A double costs you around £3.50 etc.

However, the pubs closing down are the ones which are not attracting the crowds as they have no appeal. This is not to say they are rubbish but there is a huge difference in the meaning of pub compared to about 20 years ago.

I love old historic pubs if run properly. Generating the right crowds is what keeps them going.


Im afraid times are changing and so are the standard norms applied with pubs. By contrast in tooting anyone that has visited the antelope or selkirk will see that they are the type of pubs today that thrive in todays market.

[alfie]

The trouble is pubs like the Cottage were loosing thousands, no one every went in there except match days, Even when i moved to Fulham 28 years ago it was the same, used to go to the Cottage couple nights a week and there would be 3 or 4 people in there, and not too much better at weekends, different culture nowdays.

[Mr_Moon]

We've changed the way we live and socialise. Lots of people have some sort of television package which enables them to watch sport at home. Why go to the pub and spend £5-£10 when you can watch it in the comfort of your own home.

We also now have no ability to talk to each other properly without tweeting or writing on timelines. Compare this to 20+ years ago and you can see why people don't necessarily have to go out of their way to socialise beyond the realms of the Internet.

[cottage cheese]

We've changed the way we live and socialise. Lots of people have some sort of television package which enables them to watch sport at home. Why go to the pub and spend £5-£10 when you can watch it in the comfort of your own home.

We also now have no ability to talk to each other properly without tweeting or writing on timelines. Compare this to 20+ years ago and you can see why people don't necessarily have to go out of their way to socialise beyond the realms of the Internet.

have you seen some the people today in the pubs? They dont look very talkative, just surrounded by empty glasses!

[Mr_Moon]

have you seen some the people today in the pubs? They dont look very talkative, just surrounded by empty glasses!

That's called marriage

[cottage cheese]

have you seen some the people today in the pubs? They dont look very talkative, just surrounded by empty glasses!

That's called marriage

dear god man, im only 23 and having second thoughts about getting married ha

[King_Crud]

It would be good if there was an effective campaign launched to highlight their plight and encourage/force Government to intervene more to try to halt this process.

CAMRA are trying their best

http://www.camra.org.uk/campaigns

[MOR :]

My old local The Oxford & Cambridge in Hammersmith Bridge Road has closed down, going to be Houses.

Used to use that occasionally ...the "Mad Monk" was the guvnor...seen him since drinking in the Wetherspoons in King Street Hammersmith.

[Rupert]

I went to go into a pub on Friday after work, not my usual habit, I just fancied a pint, doorman stopped me and said I couldn't come in as they had a dress code (news to me, they never have in the past) and I was in my work clothes.
Not a problem, I just went into a different pub instead.
However, I hope the landlord of pub 1 never appears in the local press complaining about people not using pubs, or there will be a very sarcastic letter winging its way to the editor.

[TheDon]

I went to go into a pub on Friday after work, not my usual habit, I just fancied a pint, doorman stopped me and said I couldn't come in as they had a dress code (news to me, they never have in the past) and I was in my work clothes.
Not a problem, I just went into a different pub instead.
However, I hope the landlord of pub 1 never appears in the local press complaining about people not using pubs, or there will be a very sarcastic letter winging its way to the editor.

to be fair if i ran a pub and a grown man tried to get in dressed as rupert the bear i`d sling him out too.

[Rupert]

I went to go into a pub on Friday after work, not my usual habit, I just fancied a pint, doorman stopped me and said I couldn't come in as they had a dress code (news to me, they never have in the past) and I was in my work clothes.
Not a problem, I just went into a different pub instead.
However, I hope the landlord of pub 1 never appears in the local press complaining about people not using pubs, or there will be a very sarcastic letter winging its way to the editor.

to be fair if i ran a pub and a grown man tried to get in dressed as rupert the bear i`d sling him out too.

Touché

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[HatterDon]

I blame the addiction of younger -- under 35s -- folks who prefer tasteless crap lager to good British ale. If all you're going to drink is lager, you've no need to go to a pub -- just stop into Tesco's and buy as many cans as you can carry. Whereas if you want a fine brew "from the wood" you're a dinosaur who is having difficulty finding a decent public house.


Now, in MY day  092.gif :beer: 092.gif 082.gif 092.gif

[jarv]

HD beat me to it. If you want a decent pint it has to be a real ale on draught. Not some synthetic stuff out of  a can. If I drink at home, usually a glass of wine. Somehow, beer just doesn't taste the same unless in a pub.

[stevehawkinslidingtackle]

For years the big spenders in the pubs were nearly always smokers. Cant smoke now, so they stay at home and get a few cans in.  Lots of normal country pubs without great food are already , or will soon be dead. Shame but true

[Admin]

We used to go out on a Saturday and do a pub crawl starting from Strood and ending up in Rochester High Street. Then, I think there was 10 odd boozers along the way, mostly back street. Now there is just 1 so we don't bother. I've recently moved to Maidstone and it's the same over here with boozers boarded up all over the place. 

[mr-ska]

We used to go out on a Saturday and do a pub crawl starting from Strood and ending up in Rochester High Street. Then, I think there was 10 odd boozers along the way, mostly back street. Now there is just 1 so we don't bother. I've recently moved to Maidstone and it's the same over here with boozers boarded up all over the place. 

They might open up again now they know youve moved  lol!

[ScalleysDad]

I blame the addiction of younger -- under 35s -- folks who prefer tasteless crap lager to good British ale. If all you're going to drink is lager, you've no need to go to a pub -- just stop into Tesco's and buy as many cans as you can carry. Whereas if you want a fine brew "from the wood" you're a dinosaur who is having difficulty finding a decent public house.


Now, in MY day  092.gif :beer: 092.gif 082.gif 092.gif

Now in my day we used to get change when we handed a note or two over. We were recently compelled to tour Norfolk whilst picking offspring No.1 up from Uni, (contents of smelly room as well), and a couple of pints of 'Wherry', very nice drop indeed, a ladies drink and average crisps needed a tenner and coins. When we took the house out for a beer a round cost me £28 and we took one of the beers back where the staff looked bemused when we pointed out that we should be able to see daylight through it. A great pub with a great pint is getting really scarce down here these days and even our token Youngs pub was churning out average 'Special' the other day. I suppose the balance has to be right does'nt it. If we want a good ambience and a quality well kept pint we have to pay for it.