I have recently noticed it is probably the cosy country pub that has suffered the quickest demise. Any that have smaller clientele (obviously), plus have not been willing or able to diversify, to food or event hire etc. So the country pub with carpeted floor, low ceiling and alcoves, which I miss the most seems to be the hardest to find now.
No public transport (or the one-bus-a-week syndrome) anywhere but big cities has added to the problem.
But there's never been public transport to some of these places. I would suggest it's the change in attitudes towards drink driving that's a big cause of the issues for country pubs, on top of all of the other factors that have brought challenges to pubs as a whole.
Some of them Offy, I agree, but not all?
In the seventies when my dad's factory was in Watton-at Stone and we lived in Biggleswade, if my dad had a few after work, the village bobby would follow him to the motorway in his patrol car so he wouldn't get pulled up... He'd usually had a couple himself. Different world.
Where his mate the motorway copper would be waiting to pull him over ...... ! ;-)
I have recently noticed it is probably the cosy country pub that has suffered the quickest demise. Any that have smaller clientele (obviously), plus have not been willing or able to diversify, to food or event hire etc. So the country pub with carpeted floor, low ceiling and alcoves, which I miss the most seems to be the hardest to find now.
No public transport (or the one-bus-a-week syndrome) anywhere but big cities has added to the problem.
But there's never been public transport to some of these places. I would suggest it's the change in attitudes towards drink driving that's a big cause of the issues for country pubs, on top of all of the other factors that have brought challenges to pubs as a whole.
No smoking must have made a big impact. Pint and a fag was the norm for most men.
Yeah, but that goes for all pubs. What would make a country pub different from a city pub is that it's more remote and less people would probably live in walking distance. So on top of all of the other pressures/changes pubs have faced (smoking ban, cheap supermarket booze, higher taxes, change in culture, other things to do, etc) the average country pub would also probably have less potential punters on their immediate doorstep.
All true.
For a country pub to do well it has to attract people with a superior food offering for which people are prepared to drive (and not drink) - all the successful remote pubs within a five mile radius of us do just that.
I have recently noticed it is probably the cosy country pub that has suffered the quickest demise. Any that have smaller clientele (obviously), plus have not been willing or able to diversify, to food or event hire etc. So the country pub with carpeted floor, low ceiling and alcoves, which I miss the most seems to be the hardest to find now.
No public transport (or the one-bus-a-week syndrome) anywhere but big cities has added to the problem.
But there's never been public transport to some of these places. I would suggest it's the change in attitudes towards drink driving that's a big cause of the issues for country pubs, on top of all of the other factors that have brought challenges to pubs as a whole.
Some of them Offy, I agree, but not all?
In the seventies when my dad's factory was in Watton-at Stone and we lived in Biggleswade, if my dad had a few after work, the village bobby would follow him to the motorway in his patrol car so he wouldn't get pulled up... He'd usually had a couple himself. Different world.
Not sure we want to go back to those days!!
Simply the culture of drinking has changed over the last 40 years and will continue to, I do think those around in 60 years time will look back and think how mad we all were! Well, I gave up drink 15 years ago when I saw the light :-)
Not local to Charlton, but there is a new book about the pubs over the years in my village. We haven't had more than one pub for over a 100yrs, although there is a suggestion that we had up to 4 at one time.
They may well be closing down faster now than before, but it appears to not be new. There is a link to the book here if you're interested. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/136288055139
The way of the world now. When we moved to Halling in Kent in 1985 there were five pubs (a sixth had only recently been closed) - there are now two and both are struggling. We now live in a small village in Cheshire which had two thriving pubs when we moved here in 2008 - now just one and that is struggling. There were 60k pubs in the UK in 2000, now 45k and still falling - it's a simple case of supply and demand and very little that can be done to reverse it.
Thankfully, in nearby Nantwich it's a different story - more pubs than you can shake a stick at and a brilliant new sports bar has just opened.
Have been following the story of The Goat in Nantwich on Instagram....tbh, it's my personal idea of hell, but the owner seems a decent chap and am pleased it looks like it's doing well...we need some more good news stories when it comes to bars and pubs...
It's very good and the food offering is exceptional for a sports bar, and one of the owners is a real foodie. No idiots either (strict door policy) - there are a couple of other pubs with multiple sports screens in Nantwich that cater for them!
We went down there to watch our game against Leicester and the Man City/Spurs game was on as well - the place was packed with a really good atmosphere.
It's very good and the food offering is exceptional for a sports bar, and one of the owners is a real foodie. No idiots either (strict door policy) - there are a couple of other pubs with multiple sports screens in Nantwich that cater for them!
We went down there to watch our game against Leicester and the Man City/Spurs game was on as well - the place was packed with a really good atmosphere.
The foodie owner is the one I was originally following on Insta and how I found out about the bar.
Not local to Charlton, but there is a new book about the pubs over the years in my village. We haven't had more than one pub for over a 100yrs, although there is a suggestion that we had up to 4 at one time.
They may well be closing down faster now than before, but it appears to not be new. There is a link to the book here if you're interested. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/136288055139
The way of the world now. When we moved to Halling in Kent in 1985 there were five pubs (a sixth had only recently been closed) - there are now two and both are struggling. We now live in a small village in Cheshire which had two thriving pubs when we moved here in 2008 - now just one and that is struggling. There were 60k pubs in the UK in 2000, now 45k and still falling - it's a simple case of supply and demand and very little that can be done to reverse it.
Thankfully, in nearby Nantwich it's a different story - more pubs than you can shake a stick at and a brilliant new sports bar has just opened.
Have been following the story of The Goat in Nantwich on Instagram....tbh, it's my personal idea of hell, but the owner seems a decent chap and am pleased it looks like it's doing well...we need some more good news stories when it comes to bars and pubs...
It's very good and the food offering is exceptional for a sports bar, and one of the owners is a real foodie. No idiots either (strict door policy) - there are a couple of other pubs with multiple sports screens in Nantwich that cater for them!
We went down there to watch our game against Leicester and the Man City/Spurs game was on as well - the place was packed with a really good atmosphere.
Not local to Charlton, but there is a new book about the pubs over the years in my village. We haven't had more than one pub for over a 100yrs, although there is a suggestion that we had up to 4 at one time.
They may well be closing down faster now than before, but it appears to not be new. There is a link to the book here if you're interested. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/136288055139
The way of the world now. When we moved to Halling in Kent in 1985 there were five pubs (a sixth had only recently been closed) - there are now two and both are struggling. We now live in a small village in Cheshire which had two thriving pubs when we moved here in 2008 - now just one and that is struggling. There were 60k pubs in the UK in 2000, now 45k and still falling - it's a simple case of supply and demand and very little that can be done to reverse it.
Thankfully, in nearby Nantwich it's a different story - more pubs than you can shake a stick at and a brilliant new sports bar has just opened.
Have been following the story of The Goat in Nantwich on Instagram....tbh, it's my personal idea of hell, but the owner seems a decent chap and am pleased it looks like it's doing well...we need some more good news stories when it comes to bars and pubs...
It's very good and the food offering is exceptional for a sports bar, and one of the owners is a real foodie. No idiots either (strict door policy) - there are a couple of other pubs with multiple sports screens in Nantwich that cater for them!
We went down there to watch our game against Leicester and the Man City/Spurs game was on as well - the place was packed with a really good atmosphere.
All there to watch the mighty Charlton of course
There are 14 screens in there - one of them had us on! We had a great table right in front of it though.
I have recently noticed it is probably the cosy country pub that has suffered the quickest demise. Any that have smaller clientele (obviously), plus have not been willing or able to diversify, to food or event hire etc. So the country pub with carpeted floor, low ceiling and alcoves, which I miss the most seems to be the hardest to find now.
No public transport (or the one-bus-a-week syndrome) anywhere but big cities has added to the problem.
But there's never been public transport to some of these places. I would suggest it's the change in attitudes towards drink driving that's a big cause of the issues for country pubs, on top of all of the other factors that have brought challenges to pubs as a whole.
No smoking must have made a big impact. Pint and a fag was the norm for most men.
Yeah, but that goes for all pubs. What would make a country pub different from a city pub is that it's more remote and less people would probably live in walking distance. So on top of all of the other pressures/changes pubs have faced (smoking ban, cheap supermarket booze, higher taxes, change in culture, other things to do, etc) the average country pub would also probably have less potential punters on their immediate doorstep.
All true.
For a country pub to do well it has to attract people with a superior food offering for which people are prepared to drive (and not drink) - all the successful remote pubs within a five mile radius of us do just that.
Rural North Devon is a lot different from rural Kent, we almost never see police unless they are called out for something specific. Pub goers know this, so drive around at kicking out time and it's not difficult to make the assumption that the police could have a field day if with their little tubes.
Good food is essential for a thriving country pub, but attitudes to drink driving and lack of police undoubtedly have an influence.
It's very good and the food offering is exceptional for a sports bar, and one of the owners is a real foodie. No idiots either (strict door policy) - there are a couple of other pubs with multiple sports screens in Nantwich that cater for them!
We went down there to watch our game against Leicester and the Man City/Spurs game was on as well - the place was packed with a really good atmosphere.
The foodie owner is the one I was originally following on Insta and how I found out about the bar.
What puts me off of pubs locally. You can not go in on a Saturday night without some 20,something having a face full of gear and want to take on the whole world.
Or it being cliques and having to wait while some gobshites got served before you. Also couldn’t get Sunday lunch without a tribe of kids running riot and the parents oblivious to their offspring.
That’s why I don’t use pubs.
I am a member of a couple of clubs and enjoy my social drink there. Yes you get children but they are under control and don’t get the mayhem I have seen in locals.
What puts me off of pubs locally. You can not go in on a Saturday night without some 20,something having a face full of gear and want to take on the whole world.
Or it being cliques and having to wait while some gobshites got served before you. Also couldn’t get Sunday lunch without a tribe of kids running riot and the parents oblivious to their offspring.
That’s why I don’t use pubs.
I am a member of a couple of clubs and enjoy my social drink there. Yes you get children but they are under control and don’t get the mayhem I have seen in locals.
You should use a Wetherspoons mate, you do not get this sort of behaviour.......
It's very good and the food offering is exceptional for a sports bar, and one of the owners is a real foodie. No idiots either (strict door policy) - there are a couple of other pubs with multiple sports screens in Nantwich that cater for them!
We went down there to watch our game against Leicester and the Man City/Spurs game was on as well - the place was packed with a really good atmosphere.
The foodie owner is the one I was originally following on Insta and how I found out about the bar.
The Rising Sun in Eltham has closed for two weeks as it's refurbished as a sports bar.
Also in Eltham; the Bankers Draft has finally closed. It kicked off last week, turns out Gary is a massive creep.
Used to love The Rising Sun. Saturday lunchtime 30+ years ago proper old fashioned pub Also the Man Of Kent opposite. And the Greyhound further down the high street.
The Rising Sun in Eltham has closed for two weeks as it's refurbished as a sports bar.
Also in Eltham; the Bankers Draft has finally closed. It kicked off last week, turns out Gary is a massive creep.
Used to love The Rising Sun. Saturday lunchtime 30+ years ago proper old fashioned pub Also the Man Of Kent opposite. And the Greyhound further down the high street.
Does anybody remember the Man of Kent outside Lewisham station before the DLR was built?
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;-)
The foodie owner is the one I was originally following on Insta and how I found out about the bar.
There are 14 screens in there - one of them had us on! We had a great table right in front of it though.
Also in Eltham; the Bankers Draft has finally closed. It kicked off last week, turns out Gary is a massive creep.
Good food is essential for a thriving country pub, but attitudes to drink driving and lack of police undoubtedly have an influence.
Also couldn’t get Sunday lunch without a tribe of kids running riot and the parents oblivious to their offspring.
You should use a Wetherspoons mate, you do not get this sort of behaviour.......
Also the Man Of Kent opposite. And the Greyhound further down the high street.
Does anybody remember the Man of Kent outside Lewisham station before the DLR was built?