The Pubs of England are in serious decline.
Once a feature in every village in England, now closures are revealing the degree to which there has been a loss of belief in pubs.
"It's not that fewer people believe in the Pub," said Eddie Noggin, a landlord in Eastbourne. "Rather, our statistics are showing that people are coming to the pub more at special times - Christmas, for example, or after a funeral."
Mrs Bonce of Cambridge perhaps sums up the way the Pub has not so much been rejected in English life, as simply sidelined. "I don't call myself a drinker - more a bit inebriated," she told us, "and I don't need to go to the pub to get drunk - rather I believe that you can enjoy the presence of alcohol on your own, in the house or - especially - in the garden." Mrs Bonce then fell off her chair.
Of course, we could expect no sympathy for the Pub of England from the Guardian. Instead it has been the cheer-leader for the European-style "wine bars" that are common in parts of the Continent. The Guardian has been giving extensive coverage to the movement openly trying to persuade pubs to convert to wine bars - the Vin Ordinariate.
So for Mr Noggin and those like him the future looks uncertain. As rural pubs close those that remain will become the "local" for more and more villages. Some will try to hold fast to their traditions - grow roses outside the door, ban lager and flavoured pear ciders and stick to "1662" real, flat ale. While others will experiment with making their pubs "real" and relative - fun pubs, mega-pubs, gastro-pubs. Either way, in the cold light of a nation that no longer believes in Pub, the future looks bleak.
Once a feature in every village in England, now closures are revealing the degree to which there has been a loss of belief in pubs.
"It's not that fewer people believe in the Pub," said Eddie Noggin, a landlord in Eastbourne. "Rather, our statistics are showing that people are coming to the pub more at special times - Christmas, for example, or after a funeral."
Mrs Bonce of Cambridge perhaps sums up the way the Pub has not so much been rejected in English life, as simply sidelined. "I don't call myself a drinker - more a bit inebriated," she told us, "and I don't need to go to the pub to get drunk - rather I believe that you can enjoy the presence of alcohol on your own, in the house or - especially - in the garden." Mrs Bonce then fell off her chair.
Of course, we could expect no sympathy for the Pub of England from the Guardian. Instead it has been the cheer-leader for the European-style "wine bars" that are common in parts of the Continent. The Guardian has been giving extensive coverage to the movement openly trying to persuade pubs to convert to wine bars - the Vin Ordinariate.
So for Mr Noggin and those like him the future looks uncertain. As rural pubs close those that remain will become the "local" for more and more villages. Some will try to hold fast to their traditions - grow roses outside the door, ban lager and flavoured pear ciders and stick to "1662" real, flat ale. While others will experiment with making their pubs "real" and relative - fun pubs, mega-pubs, gastro-pubs. Either way, in the cold light of a nation that no longer believes in Pub, the future looks bleak.
More of a messy pub man myself.
ReplyDeleteThere's also the option of Pub OnLine - you get to kid yourself that you've been to the pub without leaving your sofa and having to interact with real people.
ReplyDeletePhil - "Messy Pub" sounds like any Friday night in Bedford.
ReplyDeleteRadical Believer - how can you tell the difference between "Pub Online" and Twitter?