Friday 8 January 2010

52 pubs a week, are we surprised?


I hate this weather. It's bad enough that we have duty increases imposed on us without a seconds thought by a lame-duck government in the throws of dying an ugly, slow and painful death but now the weather 'chips-in' an completely cripples pub going.
This is the first week back at work after Christmas so I never expect the bar to be busy but whenever it snows the whole country comes to a standstill as the transport system slips up on the ice.
Yes it's pretty, but with approx 52 pubs closing a week this is not good news for the pub trade.
There's also the ill-advised, daily mail style scaremongering from the local and national media that is sending people scuttling back home quickly after work.
How about the annual get-fit January from people who try to shed their latent catholic guilt about drinking, eating and having too much fun? Dust-diets all round I guess.
Add into the mix the cheap booze being sold by supermarkets(of which I admit I partook on New Years Eve) and crippling rents being imposed on pub operators by greedy landlords and well, I could go on for hours about this but I know we've heard it all before.
My message to all customers, mine and others too is this : Get yourselves out to the pub tonight, lets see some of that famous British blitz spirit, it's only snow! The pub should be the heart of the community, lets make 2010 the year of the pub.

3 comments:

Thomas said...

Ditto. I really wanted to go to the Rake on Wednesday. Why can't we emulate Scandinavia and work during a snow situation?

Bailey said...

We're going to the pub tonight, and we went last night an' all.

rabidbarfly said...

God Bless you Everyone!