Supermarkets Killing pubs

Samson · Post by **Samson** » Mon 02 Jun, 2008 12:23 am

"Mind you with the supermarkets selling booze as a loss leader to attract folk in, who can be surprised at the parlous state of the English Pub?"I saw this quote and I did not want to put this on the end of the 'Lost pubs thread' as it is going off topic.Last week I went into my local ASBO (Well it's ASDA really, but most of the customers are on an asbo!!) Here I saw 20 X 250ml bottles of Stella for sale at £5 as a special Bank Holiday offer. It took a bit of working out, but I think that is 5 litres of premium 5% lager. Out with the calculator 8.8 pints for £5 or a simpler way to put it is 58p a pint.The words I used were 'irresponsible', as it is like selling cigarettes on special offer at £1 a packet - imagine the outcry if that happened. Two days later I was in Worcester at a pub called the Dragon, a lovely pub with 5 real ales and newspapers for the drinkers, no juke box, friendly, safe etc The beer was £2.30, £2.50 and for a 5% one £2.60.I might be turning into Victor Meldrew, but 58p a pint for premium 5% lager is socially irresponsible as well IMHO. I had immediate visions of Hogarths sketch depicting 'Gin Lane' when London Gin was so cheap it caused social problems.Back to the first statement, it does seem that the supermarkets will finish off a lot more pubs, especially if spending power is reduced in what may be harder times to come

Phill_d · Post by **Phill_d** » Mon 02 Jun, 2008 12:30 am

The government aren't helping either are they. The price of a pint mostly goes to the treasury. When I worked at Tetley's they reckoned a pint cost 8p to make. I think a pint cost us about £1.40 ish then.

Si · Post by Si » Mon 02 Jun, 2008 11:11 am

I'd like to think that most people's main reason for visiting their local isn't just the price of the beer. A decent hand-pulled pint always beats a can of Stella in my book, regardless of price. There's also the pub's atmosphere and the company of friends and aquaintances, which you can't put a price on. Sitting at home with a can and a fag watching Emmerdale with the wife just isn't the same!And the people who just drink the cheapest booze possible to get as drunk as possible in the shortest time possible can bloody well stay at home!Long live the great British pub!!!

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Mon 02 Jun, 2008 2:28 pm

Sorry Samson, I don't agree. They can sell it as cheap as they like it's not irresponsible, it all depends who you sell it to. I bought two boxes of the Stella you are talking about, both are in the garage and the fridge is regularly replenished, it has saved me a few bob which is good because i have to pay vast amount sof money for electicity, gas, council tax and rocketing food bills. i also buy cheap dry cider and put that in my fridge too. Some pubs and more tot he point pub companies are destroying their own market with their prices. If Wetherspoons can turn a profit on cheap beer and food so can the rest.Nothing wrong with a bargain. The law is there to protect children already and I do support harsh penalties for those who do sellto minors. Carry ID or don't get served I reckon.

Hats Off · Post by **Hats Off** » Mon 02 Jun, 2008 7:50 pm

Reginal Perrin wrote: Sorry Samson, I don't agree. They can sell it as cheap as they like it's not irresponsible, it all depends who you sell it to. I bought two boxes of the Stella you are talking about, both are in the garage and the fridge is regularly replenished, it has saved me a few bob which is good because i have to pay vast amount sof money for electicity, gas, council tax and rocketing food bills. i also buy cheap dry cider and put that in my fridge too. Some pubs and more tot he point pub companies are destroying their own market with their prices. If Wetherspoons can turn a profit on cheap beer and food so can the rest.Nothing wrong with a bargain. The law is there to protect children already and I do support harsh penalties for those who do sellto minors. Carry ID or don't get served I reckon. I agree with you Reggie, why should the idiots spoil it for the rest of us law abiding people. I work hard all week and I enjoy the odd can of beer or six at the weekend but I don't go around assaulting members of the public. If there is to be a stop to the decline in pubs then it's up to the massive pub companies to reduce their prices so that I don't have to remortgage the house so that I can take the wife out for an evening in one of their gloryfied ale houses.

Samson · Post by **Samson** » Mon 02 Jun, 2008 11:51 pm

Hats Off, Reggie,We will have to disagree.Unfortunately I think that selling strong lager at 58p a pint is socially irresponsible and it is also killing off the pubs. There is a thread on here about all the ones that are closing? Perhaps I have missed the thread about all the new ones opening.In my opinion it is socially irresponsible because alcohol is not cheese, it is has its effects on different people just like a drug, it can also be addictive. The supermarkets sell it to the over 18's. That is the only distiction they make and as we know older ones buy it for gangs of youths outside for a cut of the bottles themselves. Others go to each others houses and fuel up on the cheap stuff before they go out. Plus the ones that go off their heads with it. Don't get me wrong I buy it occasionally, but I think it is far too cheap. Just an opinion, but if you think there is not a problem with cheap booze then you are burying your heads in the sand. The second point was it is helping to kill off the pubs. This is a more complex topic though as someone has already pointed out. I was making the price comparison to show how expensive a pint or two is if you partake a good number of nights a week. I am not that naive not to realise the benefits of a nice pub and what you get instead of staying at home. Unfortunately whatever the reasons a lot of local pubs are closing and I am hoping it is not the tip of the iceberg. It would leave us with chains like Wetherspoons and the others like Geene king and the little independent pubs will be under the bulldozer.

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Tue 03 Jun, 2008 12:18 am

TALK ABOUT SUPERMARKETS KILLING PUBS!i think its the other way around,only the other day i saw two pubs setting about a poor supermarket!they were givving it a right hiding,i was going to jump in and help but one of the pubs had a peice of wood with a nail in!

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Tue 03 Jun, 2008 12:41 am

SAMSON WROTE :-"I might be turning into Victor Meldrew"Don' t think so Samson - if he was to look in his mirror and see your head of super hair he'd say "I DON'T BELIEVE IT !!"

Samson · Post by **Samson** » Tue 03 Jun, 2008 12:58 am

Blakey, LOLNice one !

Rich87 · Post by **Rich87** » Tue 03 Jun, 2008 1:43 am

I agree with reggie, they are killing there own trade. I used to go out every week into town with all my mates, but now we dont even make it out every 2 months, the prices in pubs and bars is absolutley stupid. I buy 4 pints, and that costs around £12. Id rather buy a crate of lager for £10 and stay at home and get mates round! Also tax is out of control these days, they say fuel goes up 1p per week, let me tell ya thats balls! coz it goes up more than that! i went last week and it was £1.17 for diesel, i go today and its £1.29! The sooner i leave this shambles of a country the better!