Well to take them in order :

'Stick to soft drinks if you´re driving or use a cab'
A little impractical (and expensive) for long distances.

'Don't the drinking establishments make more profit on the soft drinks anyway?'
Undoubtably! They now dispense lime juice, for example by Optic !
(as though it's a 'Spirit'), although once freely poured.


Absolute rubbish!
Don't tell me pal ! Tell the inhabitants of Moston, Manchester, for example who have lost FOUR out of six local pubs: The Ben Brierely, Gardners Arms, Museum, and The Moston Arms.

And as far as: 'Why is it so difficult' ? and 'Pistol Whipping' is concerned you obviously chose to (deliberately ?) ignore the latter part of my post :
'Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating everyone get 'bladdered', then take control of what is potentially a lethal weapon'.
However if you really do feel I am a deserving case,of the above, having consumed a pint of lager, I'd better give you the name of my local hostelry, so we can satisfactorally resolve this.

Cheers
Fredthered

You could just multi quote but OK...

There is absolutely no EVIDENCE that the smoking ban has made a blind bit of difference. None.

Stick to soft drinks then, or dont go long distances, what about a designated driver? In any case, how difficult is it to go without a pint of lager??

Jo xxx

You know thats not true.


Jo xx

Actually I don't.
As you know Jo I am involved in the hospitality industry and the figures just don't add up.

What has happened since the smoking ban is that more families are going out to pubs and that is driving a food led boom, what is starting to suffer is the inner city pubs, but in truth how can you attribute that to a smoking ban when there has been an economic squeeze for longer than just last year...

What has happened is that the Anti-ban lobby has mobalised VERY fast and is using not only the recession but also a change in our drinking habits to prove that the ban is killing off the industry.

I think a lot can be said for price over service aswell. There are too many managed bars and pubs in the UK with total muppets who havent a clue.

They sell rank beer at more than half an hours minimum wage, I would go as far as to say the English independantly run bars in many parts of Spain are run no better.

I wouldnt say everyone is as fussy as me but I would feel there are people who have the same expectations of me and they are a percenatge who dont venture into some bars anymore.

As a comparision of where I live more rural but still small towns compared to Central London and suburbs of London where bars and pubs are far better run. My own opiniion of this is London being a more cosmopolitan city compared to say Essex on the whole, these cosmopolitan people have a higher expectation which the London bars commit to and wouldnt put up with the carp beer sold locally round here.

Having worked in a few bars in my time, its not a job I would want to go back and manage but if I did take on a inner city bar going downhill that was freehold im pretty confident I could implement some changes that would see customers coming back.

Well designed Inner city bars shouldnt be failing as Matt says as there is a lot more profit in that game than people truly make out.

lol - youre missing the point jo. going to a bar and having a soft drink?!?
thats like going to a bookies just to watch a race and not put a bet on, or going to a nice restaurant and saying 'oh, no thanks, i dont want to eat, i'll have a nice glass of water'
and i'd love to see you trying to get a cab here where i live.....

I think many factors contribute to the decline in pub trade.

The price of beer itself is getting a bit silly and relative to wages is much more noticable than many moons ago when even the average working class guy could have a few sessions a week without feeling it in his pocket too much.

The increased awareness of police drink-driving checks and their major consequences is another possible factor,many more ppl.needing cars for work as against many years ago.

Possibly the biggest factor is the huge increase in the amount of entertainment available in the comfort of the home including the ease of conversing with others at very little cost via internet and other benefits of the same,games consoles,bigger selection of tv channels,dvds and all the rest.

Not sure about the effects of the smoking ban having heard arguements for and against,some enjoying their cosy little groups,rooms and outdoor spots.

I agree, goto a cafe if you want that, as much as soft drinks are promoted here, I choose a licenced premises for alcohol.

jo, you need to distinguish between drink driving and drunk driving, id me more in favour of sobriety tests than that of breath tests. A zero limit is ridiculous and should not be punished whatsoever in any country

I dont drink, I dont seem to need to and I dont like the taste

Jo xx

I dont care. If you can have one drink and call that a good time then fine, drive, but does one drink make the difference??? if you´re talking about getting drunk to have a good time then are you up to driving???


Jo xx

Thats what I mean Jo, being clearly Drunk at the wheel I dont agree with one bit, if your going out for a session leave the motor, if your just meeting up for lunch and you can handle a drink or two then I feel you shouldnt be punished that harshly, many will disagree im sure !

Morally I feel there is a line and I guess in Spain that has been adhered to in some ways, however things change, I guess if people wish to carry on then maybe they should move to South America, where its as lenient as it was in Spain 6+ years ago

I have to agree with what others have said, you can hardly expect people to be good when the law is so liberal in itself. Why not have the limit at zero? That way if you go out there is none of this "I've only had a couple of drinks" crap.

I suppose what I´m trying to say is that does only one pint do anything to make you feel happier than say a glass of coke or lemonade?? is that one pint the desider on whether you have a good evening or not. if not then have the lemonade, if it does then does that same effect have an effect when you drive? I dont know. I do have the occasional glass of wine if I wnrt to get drunk and it tastes foul, but on the upside, I´m usually totally bladdered if I dare to have two!!!! No, of course I dont drive, I wouldnt trust myself. My drivings bad enough sober LOL


Jo xx