"People, including Government Ministers, keep saying we need to move to some kind of continental cafe culture in this country when what we really need is to support traditional pub culture.You will often find Greg in his local, the Minister and Aardvark.
"Real community pubs, where people meet to socialise with friends and neighbours, provide an environment in which people can and do enjoy alcohol responsibly.
"If there was more emphasis on this genuine pub culture in this country, we would not have many of the problems associated with excessive drinking."
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Greg Mulholland: Save local pubs
The Lib Dem MP for Leeds North West is quoted in the Bradford Telegraph & Argus regretting the closure of community pubs and talking good sense:
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4 comments:
I really detest when people try to obliterate culture. Its akin to completely demolishing a great landmark instead of using the existing materials to renovate it or add to it... There's not much respect for culture especially when there's money to be made by a few power brokers.
Agree entirely. The rise of large pub chains and supermarket alcohol are to be deplored. People do this sort of drinking solely to get hammered, whereas in a real pub the drink is if anything secondary to the social life.
I'd say, maybe controversially, that our inclination now to run everyone out of pubs and bars from an early age doesn't exactly foster the relationship between community and the local.
We've pushed hundreds of thousands of kids out from pubs and bars with licensing law tightening up, yet over-all the amount kids drink hasn't drastically dropped with those numbers. I have to wonder whether them drinking unsupervised on the street is better than with a cautious eye of a landlord or local pub staff?
Either way, until supermarkets have to play ball on pricing the problem for locals will unfortunately not be reversed.
Yes, Lee Griffin, blanket bans on under-18s entering pubs don't help at all. Only people who have never had a night out in their lives could bring in legislation like that!
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