Blog Tracker
07-01-2024, 00:10
Visit the Paul Bailey's Beer Blog site (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2024/01/forget-dry-january-and-go-to-pub-instead.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKk6FKSVWWSapgBYqT8uPWOmhJifFMQytE6oempBHBz jn5w2RqsVXye8raUeVyO2vPMouIOfN0NIM-fZm2mOjxEKX4G95bqt54DEhxVGxuW3QnexG5wkbIzStqhDNg2N zO7k13bfck0MS-pVhEF20AmfnuJSJoi9Bvf0SqezK0MrbPw3bMGo08aqNQHo/w318-h400/Dry%20January.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKk6FKSVWWSapgBYqT8uPWOmhJifFMQytE6oempBHBz jn5w2RqsVXye8raUeVyO2vPMouIOfN0NIM-fZm2mOjxEKX4G95bqt54DEhxVGxuW3QnexG5wkbIzStqhDNg2N zO7k13bfck0MS-pVhEF20AmfnuJSJoi9Bvf0SqezK0MrbPw3bMGo08aqNQHo/s1566/Dry%20January.jpg)
I’ve written, at length, about Dry January, on severaloccasions in the past, with particular regard to the deleterious effect that abstainingfrom alcohol has on the nation’s pubs. Apologies then if you’ve heard thesearguments before, but whilst I might be repeating myself, the truth remains thatso-called Dry January is causing serious damage to the licensed trade. With Christmas behind us, andpubs experiencing the usual post-festive fall in footfall, January isthe worst month possible for people to abstain from drinking. Worse still January is often the month which breaksa publican’s business, by undermining all the hard work of the year before and,the ones prior to that as well.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRUvP0KiXjaiYceF9vjdx3AfCwNutlcGKbLjPKTuHB-RCqOnU_uQBVbWu7A3rJktFEAIozq_C-Eb1exVQJi56x8mvQy6Meg5euODtpJBwSA-nUoLeh2yjYGVHSVMzXNAYwyRL6BKz8E1mcwW8eI9ygRRXv6oaO gjmESLB2OTgcjjSzCjzoOe8Ph3dkaE/w400-h225/imgly_37221770723739354.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRUvP0KiXjaiYceF9vjdx3AfCwNutlcGKbLjPKTuHB-RCqOnU_uQBVbWu7A3rJktFEAIozq_C-Eb1exVQJi56x8mvQy6Meg5euODtpJBwSA-nUoLeh2yjYGVHSVMzXNAYwyRL6BKz8E1mcwW8eI9ygRRXv6oaO gjmESLB2OTgcjjSzCjzoOe8Ph3dkaE/s4000/imgly_37221770723739354.jpg)
Anyone withexperience of the licensed trade knows this, and the effects of a poor January oftenrun over into February and March, providing proof that thefirstquarter of the year can often be the most testing time for many pubs.A combination of post-Christmas blues, poor weather andcustomers reassessing their leisure budget, clashes head on with licenseespaying the same overheads, and struggling to keep their businesses openwhile. The last thing the trade needs is Dry January, suppressingtheir trade even further, and with so many obstacles to overcome, sadly, some pubsdo not manage to stay afloat, and find themselves going under.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEZtaTVy9fX5UcvVzu-yb9Xy42SxH3u_FLEXO20Gjp_wkwtmET3fx1pNy6oTPGvvZDe5-01KZqMz1tYMcURkJeOKuDZYElNxvZlOZpKwCPNTBvIB_Ce0jzi Jdc_DsG7otg0Qsgg4CTt21AuiRB6HSZ5QozQmB5aSfyzXy-H4ymMQlO7W2pz1cg2uMBXk/w400-h225/Fuggles%20interior.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEZtaTVy9fX5UcvVzu-yb9Xy42SxH3u_FLEXO20Gjp_wkwtmET3fx1pNy6oTPGvvZDe5-01KZqMz1tYMcURkJeOKuDZYElNxvZlOZpKwCPNTBvIB_Ce0jzi Jdc_DsG7otg0Qsgg4CTt21AuiRB6HSZ5QozQmB5aSfyzXy-H4ymMQlO7W2pz1cg2uMBXk/s1584/Fuggles%20interior.jpg)
Because of this effect, a growing number of publicans aresuggesting that Alcohol Change UK, the charity behind the January abstinencecampaign, should find a better way to raise money without hitting localbusinesses, but with over five million people in the UK reportedlygoingwithout a drink during this month, this virtuous, “look at me”stance is having a disastrous effect on an already struggling hospitalitysector.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGxDpSKEQBfhyYUrtFk-QDQ9CHol_CLprJ6LP7FMxnH65Mg_Ks-EcUBhyxJ_azJ98RgiyBmXY_oA1gzyvUszD9y_hsi6M8ZG5IxNh 5pjO-x9SZTR8DKl684v4Z45Smk7e2L87Lzm0sjQL2Hi_Tt4SdVxqMKi 5-oDxg6zomXglPF8U-TUT15oFiTAwIek/w400-h225/Marble%20Arch%20Int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGxDpSKEQBfhyYUrtFk-QDQ9CHol_CLprJ6LP7FMxnH65Mg_Ks-EcUBhyxJ_azJ98RgiyBmXY_oA1gzyvUszD9y_hsi6M8ZG5IxNh 5pjO-x9SZTR8DKl684v4Z45Smk7e2L87Lzm0sjQL2Hi_Tt4SdVxqMKi 5-oDxg6zomXglPF8U-TUT15oFiTAwIek/s4000/Marble%20Arch%20Int.jpg)
Alcohol Change UK was formedfrom a merger of Alcohol Concern and Alcohol Research UK, both well-known,anti-alcohol campaign groups, and neither exactly friends of the licensed trade,or the drinks industry as a whole. Amongst their aims is an outright ban onalcohol advertising, and tighter restrictions for the trade, such as minimumpricing, plus restrictions on alcohol promotions within stores. Dry Januaryshould therefore be viewed as a cynical ploy by this anti-alcohol group todamage the drinks trade by persuading people that they will benefit from stoppingdrinking, using evidence that lacks proper scientific scrutiny.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu48OfFlgVET6J5YBlxBIPWEoMgfmxjaEvj2gCICEs6H ZT9qLzn5uz8dkLpfBF3MKL0QkFotO07V8rrb04xtFTj4HGHTlb aLhN7NzJ85ky9HvI3d_LziOyyG-WTX_37um1ZN4yfX6gv-H0DU1UdbFnRCOc5vQAYwriCqIhDrsWzaLm0-5GoyXPGMTwLZc/w400-h225/Scottish%20stores%20int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu48OfFlgVET6J5YBlxBIPWEoMgfmxjaEvj2gCICEs6H ZT9qLzn5uz8dkLpfBF3MKL0QkFotO07V8rrb04xtFTj4HGHTlb aLhN7NzJ85ky9HvI3d_LziOyyG-WTX_37um1ZN4yfX6gv-H0DU1UdbFnRCOc5vQAYwriCqIhDrsWzaLm0-5GoyXPGMTwLZc/s4208/Scottish%20stores%20int.jpg)
Unless, one has a serious drink problem or is a registeredalcoholic, there is no proven health benefit from giving up alcohol completely,but this is not the message Alcohol Change UK are putting across, and it is notthe one being received by well-meaning, but rather naïve people who think theyare doing the right thing. This NewYear is starting off from a position that is even lower than previousyears, with many pubs, and even breweries, struggling to cope with anunsustainable dip in trade.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjth1XyyeNAWCpxJu1g1HXWfh2nQOszAEq9Gz6bL77UK5 lm1g46SEYk5Kc1X0TLERcUdBape6GtFWQNdcKXKZ5JZL4sPqO-u0GMoIkkZ7v4z0krkYxuAIdBQ2c8vQ6ZDm4a2PpYJ9LKXBEynj fDCPcmD6mPngpBx-K2_yj4ms7YkHfQKQVLQSJCtbOeLU0/w400-h225/Fordwich%20bar%20close%20up.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjth1XyyeNAWCpxJu1g1HXWfh2nQOszAEq9Gz6bL77UK5 lm1g46SEYk5Kc1X0TLERcUdBape6GtFWQNdcKXKZ5JZL4sPqO-u0GMoIkkZ7v4z0krkYxuAIdBQ2c8vQ6ZDm4a2PpYJ9LKXBEynj fDCPcmD6mPngpBx-K2_yj4ms7YkHfQKQVLQSJCtbOeLU0/s3891/Fordwich%20bar%20close%20up.jpg)
There is nothing wrong with people who, for genuine healthor indeed personal reasons, wish to abstain from drink for a period of time, ifit genuinely makes them feel good, but why choose the worst time of yearpossible for the pub trade and inflict even more damage on hard-pressed localbusinesses? Even worse are those self-satisfied, smug individuals who feel theneed to plaster their “achievement” all over social media. So, rather than look at the downside of the drinks trade -as Alcohol Change UK would have us do, why not consider the many positiveaspects that pubs, in particular, contribute to social cohesion and a well-balancedsociety, particularly from a mental health point of view.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSEm4PhWdOW5Oo176hLAYlyGd9hP2czO7U3UVjGomLD KNHezdhkcEqi-_LzLFcVAGyK2qnpC2WqgqxNz-K8P-xh_XFAF-tDKoBkyx0UboipRIr8vrrTDqUrP_xYfae2rHmwf0dghHdLYW4N _qksGC7BShu1OgfcB5u3ZhDNZVmOpedJkYzSgpigJlPSY/w400-h294/Flying%20Horse%20Int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSEm4PhWdOW5Oo176hLAYlyGd9hP2czO7U3UVjGomLD KNHezdhkcEqi-_LzLFcVAGyK2qnpC2WqgqxNz-K8P-xh_XFAF-tDKoBkyx0UboipRIr8vrrTDqUrP_xYfae2rHmwf0dghHdLYW4N _qksGC7BShu1OgfcB5u3ZhDNZVmOpedJkYzSgpigJlPSY/s2812/Flying%20Horse%20Int.jpg)
Pubs areone of the few remaining places where people can meet in a relaxed, socialenvironment outside of the home, thereby taking an important role in tacklingloneliness and isolation. Loneliness can affect anyone at any time in theirlife, and many people experienced the pain of isolation for the first-timeduring the lock-downs caused by the pandemic. Since that unfortunate time, a nationalconversation around loneliness has opened up, like never before. Pubs havealways been places of refuge, where licensees and their staff provide stabilityand regular conversation for many who experience loneliness and socialisolation.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLyVEnj-S34QFUAEpw7AC3fUFujgZodHur7xmhaYEWuzBI7YBkKkSd-RwvOog1vTlYCXsYHDw_sHqvZ0pj6MJ1As5x1dvJH3DK-XFOA5p2KttzT-gKnlE7uzFbCR98F2xw0Bh9ZcHbQ0TprcmF78EeA-n0JN35Zcxz4kWCrSOdhvrWQ7XPQ706vFdw-o/w400-h209/Trades%20House%20Int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLyVEnj-S34QFUAEpw7AC3fUFujgZodHur7xmhaYEWuzBI7YBkKkSd-RwvOog1vTlYCXsYHDw_sHqvZ0pj6MJ1As5x1dvJH3DK-XFOA5p2KttzT-gKnlE7uzFbCR98F2xw0Bh9ZcHbQ0TprcmF78EeA-n0JN35Zcxz4kWCrSOdhvrWQ7XPQ706vFdw-o/s3533/Trades%20House%20Int.jpg)
They also providea vital hub for locals to get together as a community, and this is particularlyevident in rural settings, where pubs are stepping in to fulfill services, such aspost office and library facilities, that may be lacking in the local area. Insome instances, the local pub has even doubled up as the village shop, going waybeyond the act of just pouring pints. More than ever pubs find themselves, atthe heart of the local community, and whether you plan to catch up with an oldfriend or get to know someone new, there’s no better venue than your local pubor social club.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVF29Sg0fLE2ETCXlcr72ZI91tHiVY_rKdikQfDpbuL dsFNWOVCITxJbsK3Zb21n0JSYTFQkP13L4RtCxfWmufOg9sc-R8Y8FPRU6rzQfrOdXY20gaV1HYyG6h4WIGjq5fLt90rLMy6ZpB wn4XS-RG3GeLf4C_HLmCq6RtMPUkideWplz1Ux53KVuEZA/w400-h225/Bullfinch%20handpumps.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVF29Sg0fLE2ETCXlcr72ZI91tHiVY_rKdikQfDpbuL dsFNWOVCITxJbsK3Zb21n0JSYTFQkP13L4RtCxfWmufOg9sc-R8Y8FPRU6rzQfrOdXY20gaV1HYyG6h4WIGjq5fLt90rLMy6ZpB wn4XS-RG3GeLf4C_HLmCq6RtMPUkideWplz1Ux53KVuEZA/s4000/Bullfinch%20handpumps.jpg)
A similar situationapplies in urban areas too, with High Streets across the UK changing, as moreand more services and transactions take place online. Opportunities for social interactionhave lessened and shared public spaces increasingly lost. This trend wasapparent even before the advent of COVID-19, although control measures such as lock-down and social distancing, accelerated it further. This is why it’s moreimportant than ever that we continue to campaign to protect, support andcelebrate the local pub.So, if youreally care about pubs, January is definitely NOT the month to begoing dry, and whilst I don’t always get out to pubs as much as I usedto, or indeed would like to, there is still nothing finer than, “A pintamongst friends.”
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https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKk6FKSVWWSapgBYqT8uPWOmhJifFMQytE6oempBHBz jn5w2RqsVXye8raUeVyO2vPMouIOfN0NIM-fZm2mOjxEKX4G95bqt54DEhxVGxuW3QnexG5wkbIzStqhDNg2N zO7k13bfck0MS-pVhEF20AmfnuJSJoi9Bvf0SqezK0MrbPw3bMGo08aqNQHo/w318-h400/Dry%20January.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKk6FKSVWWSapgBYqT8uPWOmhJifFMQytE6oempBHBz jn5w2RqsVXye8raUeVyO2vPMouIOfN0NIM-fZm2mOjxEKX4G95bqt54DEhxVGxuW3QnexG5wkbIzStqhDNg2N zO7k13bfck0MS-pVhEF20AmfnuJSJoi9Bvf0SqezK0MrbPw3bMGo08aqNQHo/s1566/Dry%20January.jpg)
I’ve written, at length, about Dry January, on severaloccasions in the past, with particular regard to the deleterious effect that abstainingfrom alcohol has on the nation’s pubs. Apologies then if you’ve heard thesearguments before, but whilst I might be repeating myself, the truth remains thatso-called Dry January is causing serious damage to the licensed trade. With Christmas behind us, andpubs experiencing the usual post-festive fall in footfall, January isthe worst month possible for people to abstain from drinking. Worse still January is often the month which breaksa publican’s business, by undermining all the hard work of the year before and,the ones prior to that as well.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRUvP0KiXjaiYceF9vjdx3AfCwNutlcGKbLjPKTuHB-RCqOnU_uQBVbWu7A3rJktFEAIozq_C-Eb1exVQJi56x8mvQy6Meg5euODtpJBwSA-nUoLeh2yjYGVHSVMzXNAYwyRL6BKz8E1mcwW8eI9ygRRXv6oaO gjmESLB2OTgcjjSzCjzoOe8Ph3dkaE/w400-h225/imgly_37221770723739354.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcRUvP0KiXjaiYceF9vjdx3AfCwNutlcGKbLjPKTuHB-RCqOnU_uQBVbWu7A3rJktFEAIozq_C-Eb1exVQJi56x8mvQy6Meg5euODtpJBwSA-nUoLeh2yjYGVHSVMzXNAYwyRL6BKz8E1mcwW8eI9ygRRXv6oaO gjmESLB2OTgcjjSzCjzoOe8Ph3dkaE/s4000/imgly_37221770723739354.jpg)
Anyone withexperience of the licensed trade knows this, and the effects of a poor January oftenrun over into February and March, providing proof that thefirstquarter of the year can often be the most testing time for many pubs.A combination of post-Christmas blues, poor weather andcustomers reassessing their leisure budget, clashes head on with licenseespaying the same overheads, and struggling to keep their businesses openwhile. The last thing the trade needs is Dry January, suppressingtheir trade even further, and with so many obstacles to overcome, sadly, some pubsdo not manage to stay afloat, and find themselves going under.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEZtaTVy9fX5UcvVzu-yb9Xy42SxH3u_FLEXO20Gjp_wkwtmET3fx1pNy6oTPGvvZDe5-01KZqMz1tYMcURkJeOKuDZYElNxvZlOZpKwCPNTBvIB_Ce0jzi Jdc_DsG7otg0Qsgg4CTt21AuiRB6HSZ5QozQmB5aSfyzXy-H4ymMQlO7W2pz1cg2uMBXk/w400-h225/Fuggles%20interior.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFEZtaTVy9fX5UcvVzu-yb9Xy42SxH3u_FLEXO20Gjp_wkwtmET3fx1pNy6oTPGvvZDe5-01KZqMz1tYMcURkJeOKuDZYElNxvZlOZpKwCPNTBvIB_Ce0jzi Jdc_DsG7otg0Qsgg4CTt21AuiRB6HSZ5QozQmB5aSfyzXy-H4ymMQlO7W2pz1cg2uMBXk/s1584/Fuggles%20interior.jpg)
Because of this effect, a growing number of publicans aresuggesting that Alcohol Change UK, the charity behind the January abstinencecampaign, should find a better way to raise money without hitting localbusinesses, but with over five million people in the UK reportedlygoingwithout a drink during this month, this virtuous, “look at me”stance is having a disastrous effect on an already struggling hospitalitysector.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGxDpSKEQBfhyYUrtFk-QDQ9CHol_CLprJ6LP7FMxnH65Mg_Ks-EcUBhyxJ_azJ98RgiyBmXY_oA1gzyvUszD9y_hsi6M8ZG5IxNh 5pjO-x9SZTR8DKl684v4Z45Smk7e2L87Lzm0sjQL2Hi_Tt4SdVxqMKi 5-oDxg6zomXglPF8U-TUT15oFiTAwIek/w400-h225/Marble%20Arch%20Int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIGxDpSKEQBfhyYUrtFk-QDQ9CHol_CLprJ6LP7FMxnH65Mg_Ks-EcUBhyxJ_azJ98RgiyBmXY_oA1gzyvUszD9y_hsi6M8ZG5IxNh 5pjO-x9SZTR8DKl684v4Z45Smk7e2L87Lzm0sjQL2Hi_Tt4SdVxqMKi 5-oDxg6zomXglPF8U-TUT15oFiTAwIek/s4000/Marble%20Arch%20Int.jpg)
Alcohol Change UK was formedfrom a merger of Alcohol Concern and Alcohol Research UK, both well-known,anti-alcohol campaign groups, and neither exactly friends of the licensed trade,or the drinks industry as a whole. Amongst their aims is an outright ban onalcohol advertising, and tighter restrictions for the trade, such as minimumpricing, plus restrictions on alcohol promotions within stores. Dry Januaryshould therefore be viewed as a cynical ploy by this anti-alcohol group todamage the drinks trade by persuading people that they will benefit from stoppingdrinking, using evidence that lacks proper scientific scrutiny.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu48OfFlgVET6J5YBlxBIPWEoMgfmxjaEvj2gCICEs6H ZT9qLzn5uz8dkLpfBF3MKL0QkFotO07V8rrb04xtFTj4HGHTlb aLhN7NzJ85ky9HvI3d_LziOyyG-WTX_37um1ZN4yfX6gv-H0DU1UdbFnRCOc5vQAYwriCqIhDrsWzaLm0-5GoyXPGMTwLZc/w400-h225/Scottish%20stores%20int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu48OfFlgVET6J5YBlxBIPWEoMgfmxjaEvj2gCICEs6H ZT9qLzn5uz8dkLpfBF3MKL0QkFotO07V8rrb04xtFTj4HGHTlb aLhN7NzJ85ky9HvI3d_LziOyyG-WTX_37um1ZN4yfX6gv-H0DU1UdbFnRCOc5vQAYwriCqIhDrsWzaLm0-5GoyXPGMTwLZc/s4208/Scottish%20stores%20int.jpg)
Unless, one has a serious drink problem or is a registeredalcoholic, there is no proven health benefit from giving up alcohol completely,but this is not the message Alcohol Change UK are putting across, and it is notthe one being received by well-meaning, but rather naïve people who think theyare doing the right thing. This NewYear is starting off from a position that is even lower than previousyears, with many pubs, and even breweries, struggling to cope with anunsustainable dip in trade.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjth1XyyeNAWCpxJu1g1HXWfh2nQOszAEq9Gz6bL77UK5 lm1g46SEYk5Kc1X0TLERcUdBape6GtFWQNdcKXKZ5JZL4sPqO-u0GMoIkkZ7v4z0krkYxuAIdBQ2c8vQ6ZDm4a2PpYJ9LKXBEynj fDCPcmD6mPngpBx-K2_yj4ms7YkHfQKQVLQSJCtbOeLU0/w400-h225/Fordwich%20bar%20close%20up.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjth1XyyeNAWCpxJu1g1HXWfh2nQOszAEq9Gz6bL77UK5 lm1g46SEYk5Kc1X0TLERcUdBape6GtFWQNdcKXKZ5JZL4sPqO-u0GMoIkkZ7v4z0krkYxuAIdBQ2c8vQ6ZDm4a2PpYJ9LKXBEynj fDCPcmD6mPngpBx-K2_yj4ms7YkHfQKQVLQSJCtbOeLU0/s3891/Fordwich%20bar%20close%20up.jpg)
There is nothing wrong with people who, for genuine healthor indeed personal reasons, wish to abstain from drink for a period of time, ifit genuinely makes them feel good, but why choose the worst time of yearpossible for the pub trade and inflict even more damage on hard-pressed localbusinesses? Even worse are those self-satisfied, smug individuals who feel theneed to plaster their “achievement” all over social media. So, rather than look at the downside of the drinks trade -as Alcohol Change UK would have us do, why not consider the many positiveaspects that pubs, in particular, contribute to social cohesion and a well-balancedsociety, particularly from a mental health point of view.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSEm4PhWdOW5Oo176hLAYlyGd9hP2czO7U3UVjGomLD KNHezdhkcEqi-_LzLFcVAGyK2qnpC2WqgqxNz-K8P-xh_XFAF-tDKoBkyx0UboipRIr8vrrTDqUrP_xYfae2rHmwf0dghHdLYW4N _qksGC7BShu1OgfcB5u3ZhDNZVmOpedJkYzSgpigJlPSY/w400-h294/Flying%20Horse%20Int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOSEm4PhWdOW5Oo176hLAYlyGd9hP2czO7U3UVjGomLD KNHezdhkcEqi-_LzLFcVAGyK2qnpC2WqgqxNz-K8P-xh_XFAF-tDKoBkyx0UboipRIr8vrrTDqUrP_xYfae2rHmwf0dghHdLYW4N _qksGC7BShu1OgfcB5u3ZhDNZVmOpedJkYzSgpigJlPSY/s2812/Flying%20Horse%20Int.jpg)
Pubs areone of the few remaining places where people can meet in a relaxed, socialenvironment outside of the home, thereby taking an important role in tacklingloneliness and isolation. Loneliness can affect anyone at any time in theirlife, and many people experienced the pain of isolation for the first-timeduring the lock-downs caused by the pandemic. Since that unfortunate time, a nationalconversation around loneliness has opened up, like never before. Pubs havealways been places of refuge, where licensees and their staff provide stabilityand regular conversation for many who experience loneliness and socialisolation.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLyVEnj-S34QFUAEpw7AC3fUFujgZodHur7xmhaYEWuzBI7YBkKkSd-RwvOog1vTlYCXsYHDw_sHqvZ0pj6MJ1As5x1dvJH3DK-XFOA5p2KttzT-gKnlE7uzFbCR98F2xw0Bh9ZcHbQ0TprcmF78EeA-n0JN35Zcxz4kWCrSOdhvrWQ7XPQ706vFdw-o/w400-h209/Trades%20House%20Int.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLyVEnj-S34QFUAEpw7AC3fUFujgZodHur7xmhaYEWuzBI7YBkKkSd-RwvOog1vTlYCXsYHDw_sHqvZ0pj6MJ1As5x1dvJH3DK-XFOA5p2KttzT-gKnlE7uzFbCR98F2xw0Bh9ZcHbQ0TprcmF78EeA-n0JN35Zcxz4kWCrSOdhvrWQ7XPQ706vFdw-o/s3533/Trades%20House%20Int.jpg)
They also providea vital hub for locals to get together as a community, and this is particularlyevident in rural settings, where pubs are stepping in to fulfill services, such aspost office and library facilities, that may be lacking in the local area. Insome instances, the local pub has even doubled up as the village shop, going waybeyond the act of just pouring pints. More than ever pubs find themselves, atthe heart of the local community, and whether you plan to catch up with an oldfriend or get to know someone new, there’s no better venue than your local pubor social club.
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A similar situationapplies in urban areas too, with High Streets across the UK changing, as moreand more services and transactions take place online. Opportunities for social interactionhave lessened and shared public spaces increasingly lost. This trend wasapparent even before the advent of COVID-19, although control measures such as lock-down and social distancing, accelerated it further. This is why it’s moreimportant than ever that we continue to campaign to protect, support andcelebrate the local pub.So, if youreally care about pubs, January is definitely NOT the month to begoing dry, and whilst I don’t always get out to pubs as much as I usedto, or indeed would like to, there is still nothing finer than, “A pintamongst friends.”
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