why do some pubs close or stop serving early?

[arthurchappell]

I’ve been in a few pubs lately, notably The Bank, Mosely Street, Manchester, who close early, stopping their service before the official listed closing times. Is this acceptable and common practice? Rather absurd in 24/7 licensing Britain.

[Farway]

I can't speak for all, but many close due to costs and lack of customers

My local would close in the afternoon, but Fuller's insist it stays open, so light / heating /staff are all drain on profits, with only the one or two customers coming in for a pint, and I mean a pint, not 10, so hardly enough profit to justify opening

24/7 licencing maybe allowed, but I think you will find that outside of very large cities there is no such animal, Portsmouth for instance has just one 24/7 licence, near the Channel Ferry terminal

Another reason may just be staff shortage, again my local stopped selling food because the cook had not turned up, so guess same could aplly to ]bar staff on shift work?

[aleandhearty]

I think Farway has pretty much nailed it. Looking at it from a slightly different perspective, many of the pubs local to me don't open until late afternoon, Monday to Thursday.

[Wittenden]

I'm not very often out and about in the late evening nowdays, but I do notice that a fair few pubs seem to shut around 10, which is annoying, as if I am out, I would have been to a meeting and in need of refreshment. I suppose it's due to lack of demand,staffing costs and the like. I must admit to a nostalgia for the old days when you knew the pub would open at six and close at eleven or ten thirty.

[an_ecumenical_matter]

It's because the till is so full of money they can't fit any more in.............. ;)

[Farway]

It's because the till is so full of money they can't fit any more in.............. ;)

Naughty Boy ;)

And also may be linked to lack of public transport after certain hours?

Again I can only refer to my local area, but I must even beat Cinderella to leave the party in the unlikely event of going to Portsmouth in the evening. My last bus home is 1837, yep, 20 minutes to 7 PM, none on Sunday to other nearby towns

Comes down to local circumstances in the end I reckon

[NickDavies]

I'm not very often out and about in the late evening nowadays, but I do notice that a fair few pubs seem to shut around 10, which is annoying, as if I am out, I would have been to a meeting and in need of refreshment. I suppose it's due to lack of demand,staffing costs and the like. I must admit to a nostalgia for the old days when you knew the pub would open at six and close at eleven or ten thirty.

I wonder if in the old days we went out knowing that we would be kicked out at 10:30 or 11 (afters not withstanding) and timed things accordingly. All part of the ritual. Nowadays if work is in prospect the next day staying till midnight closing is not a regular option and people tend to drift off when they're ready, which could be earlier than they might have done before because there isn't that 'we just got time for another' imperative. Hence pubs packing up early midweek despite being able to carry on later if there's the custom.

[Mobyduck]

At the end of the day if the pub is out of the way punters cant get to them nowadays, a few decades ago now people used to drive to pubs, not possible now for obvious reasons, so a pub out in the sticks or off the beaten track today has to manage its hours of opening , or turn gastro , or close. Sad but true.

[Aqualung]

I wonder if in the old days we went out knowing that we would be kicked out at 10:30 or 11 (afters not withstanding) and timed things accordingly. All part of the ritual. Nowadays if work is in prospect the next day staying till midnight closing is not a regular option and people tend to drift off when they're ready, which could be earlier than they might have done before because there isn't that 'we just got time for another' imperative. Hence pubs packing up early midweek despite being able to carry on later if there's the custom.

I thimk this sums it up in town / city pubs. I can't remember when I last heard anyone calling Last Orders. If I stay past midnight in my local haunts I miss the bus home (or have to make a different longer journey).

Regarding afters, I remember hearing a story about a Leyton pub that is now flats which was having prolonged afters. At 05:00am the Landlord wanted to retire. A worse for wear bloke called Ken said to him "You can't ask us to leave, you haven't rung the last bell". The Landlord's response remains unknown.

[rpadam]

I can't remember when I last heard anyone calling Last Orders.
Heard it in the village club tonight (actually the barperson said 'Time' a bit early first, until shouted down and a revised call of 'Last orders' went out...).

[Oggwyn Trench]

One pub i know has the habit of ringing last orders around 22-15 even if it is very busy , the Landlord was in the paper a few months ago moaning about trade being bad:confused:

[Farway]

One pub i know has the habit of ringing last orders around 22-15 even if it is very busy , the Landlord was in the paper a few months ago moaning about trade being bad:confused:

Obviously I have no knowledge of the pub to which you refer, however if staff are employed then maybe overtime payments, working hours contracts, or transport home, licensing restriction, noise, or neighbours may be factors in the decision to close at 2230?

Or maybe just bad management?

No idea, but I think if as you say pub is heaving then why shut, unless lack of foresight and acumen?