Open All Hours?

[Tin basher]

Its the food sales that keep the pubs alive. There's not enough money in running an establishment that does drinks only.

Sadly you and Barch may well be correct as it appears the mark up on food keeps the beer side of a pub going these days.

 

[Wobbly_Jon]

I am sure that a Labour government relaxed the licencing laws in an attempt to introduce a 'Continental Café Culture' into the UK. All it has done is give the pissheads a longer play time in the 'drinking pubs' and reduce the last-order rush before closing.

I can't think of any drinking only pubs in my small town, all of the pubs that are still open serve meals from lunchtime until 9pm and seem to be in healthy states.

Do we deserve 'drinking pubs' or should we stick with 'food and drink' establishments?

You're bang on fella. A certain ex Liarbore PM who shall remain nameless relaxed the archaic licencing laws in place since WW1, just because he liked the continental ways he got used to whilst on jollies to his holiday pad in Tuscany

 

[Scaley brat]

I go out on a Wednesday for a meal and a beer with my lad, then on Friday with the girlfriend. It costs £21 for two meals and two beers. The foodless pubs are a little more pricey on the beer front but a lot of them have cocktail hours that seem to drag the punters in.
I am finding it harder to get a decent pint of IPA in Bridgend now, as less pubs are stocking it as "the kids" don't want to drink it. Spoons offers Greene King and that was "off"

 

[Tin basher]

I am finding it harder to get a decent pint of IPA in Bridgend now, as less pubs are stocking it as "the kids" don't want to drink it.

Similar here in Shropshire. I play (badly) in a local darts league and some of the trendy bar venues we visit often don't sell any draft beers only numerous oddly named lagers and a range of different colour ciders. You're right they don't stock what the youngsters don't want to drink. Last night was OK though Hawkstone IPA apparently from Mr Clarksons Diddly Squat farm. Drinkable but at 4.8 on the richter scale not a session beer for a lightweight like me.