Pub Closing times

[Michael Booth 7,364]

The late night levy on pubs and clubs came into force today. How has it effected your drinking place and do you agree with it?

http://www.nottinghampost.com/orders-getting-earlier-117-cases/story-23877924-detail/story.html

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

I totally agree if problems arise in the city centre caused by people who have been drinking in the bars which open late serving the alcohol which

gives the need for extra policing the the bars should pay towards that extra policing.

P.S. I'm an old fogey who has not been in a pub late at night for at least ten years.

[Michael Booth 7,364]

And here's me thinking you were a wild child, Bubblewrap.

[FLY2 10,108]

I don't see the need for late opening. If you start early enough, you can be smashed by 10 !

[Trevor S 2,003]

But as the article states....If the problem is in the City centre and the pubs in the Nottingham Business District are exempt from this tax............What is the point?

The outer pubs are closing, more people gravitate into the City and the town problem just gets bigger...

Then again, I can only go by what I read.

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

I don't see the need for late opening. If you start early enough, you can be smashed by 10 !

Most watering holes are open at 11am & are open all day if you cant get tanked up in normal time?

[Annesleyred1865 137]

Tanked , I like that one Bubblewrap , not heard it for ages

[ChrisB 150]

In the beginning (well as far back as I can remember) pubs closed at 10.30pm except on Fridays and Saturdays when it was 11.00pm.

At weekends, you decided at 11pm whether you were going home or going on to a club, even clubs only went on till 2am.

Progressively though, club hours were extended till 3am, then 4am and later even 6am. but they were always full and busy before midnight.

Then along came Tony Blair and it was his government which allowed "24 hour" drinking (which never was) This largely killed the regular club trade because people were staying in bars till 2 and 3am for free rather than paying admission to a club.

I'm afraid I don't hold with the idea of penalising bars (or clubs) for the actions of it's customers, as long as (some) people have money and want booze, they'll get it. Didn't prohibition prove that?

It makes me angry to hear stupid politicians talking about the importance of the night time economy and then doing everything they can to wreck it.

Yes I agree that binge drinking is a problem but the fact is they havn't got a clue what to do about it. Does anyone really believe that people will start reading the labels on their bottles and cans when they go out? There is an offence in law which is as old as the hills, it's called being 'Drunk and Disorderly' why don't they use it - perhaps because they want to cut police numbers to such an extent that this law, any law is uninforcable.

It saddens me to see the British pub trade in decline today, the smart bars in town will pay the levy because they can afford it but it's another blow to the traditional pub. Change the hours if they think it will do any good but don't start imposing levies.

When will people realise, you won't stop people drinking, ever!

[FLY2 10,108]

I never agreed with clubbing. In the mis 60's there was the Palais and another couple of clubs. Why pay a fiver entry when you've already had lots to drink. You may as well have another few pints in pubs. I hated dancing, and the beer in most of these establishments was crap.

Get out early, get pi55ed, Chinese or Indian, then get off home. Sod the clubs !

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

And most of the pubs that serve decent beer close early anyway.(by midnight.)

[MelissaJKelly 2,120]

My thinkimg exactly BasfordRed!

[colly0410 1,181]

Do they still do pub crawls? My mates & I used to start at the Bestwood Hotel then the Swinger on Bulwell hall & work our way into Bulwell, we were all blotto by the time we got to the Horse & Jockey. Most of the pubs have gone now though..

[FLY2 10,108]

Was it you rough beggars that got them shut down. LOL

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

I wonder if other cities have this levy.

[Michael Booth 7,364]

I understand the point you are making, basfordred and Melissa and I don't disagree with you but It's not everyone who will go out at night to get legless. Most people go to the pubs to meet up with their friends, have a drink and round the night off at a club for a drink, dance and maybe pull someone nice.

[FLY2 10,108]

Don't get me wrong Michael. I didn't mean legless. I meant get out, have some beer, then a steak or something.

Don't forget, I've not been let out without close supervision since about 1985.

The point I was making was I never felt the need to go clubbing in the 60's or 70's. I begrudged paying some grubby ar5ed swarthy character good money, to be only in there an hour so so. I've always hated dancing (waste of energy) and already had someone nice.

Nowadays, the 'music' is utter rubbish, the beer crap (Red Stripe), the women aren't the beauties there were in the 60's. Plus most folk either want to fight eachother, or 5crew each other.

I do agree about a nice evening with friends and a meal though.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

When I lived in Scotland pubs shut at 10PM on the dot and were closed on Sundays. Literally seconds after last orders they would be telling you to drink up and get out. I've seen bars with several inverted pints on the table, using a beer mat to get them there. Boy can't Glaswegians swear.

[catfan 14,793]

Late night levy, just another brainless idea dreamed up my this Loony Labour council. Those bars who pay will put up their prices to cover added costs.

We were the first council to be hit by the WPL, Sky high car parking charges & draconian camera enforcement across the city. 24 hour bus lanes when we don't have 24 hour bus service.

Have a wander in to the library on Angel Row & notice the majority of Housing Benefit & Council Tax claimants are mostly eastern European new arrivals.

This late night levy is just another device to get the council more money to waste,

Roll on the revolution.

[Rob.L 1,088]

Would you prefer city tax payers fund the extra police needed to deal with the late-night drunks, as well as the council workmen who have to clean up the mess the drunks leave behind?

[catfan 14,793]

Would you prefer city tax payers fund the extra police needed to deal with the late-night drunks, as well as the council workmen who have to clean up the mess the drunks leave behind?

But city council tax payers are already funding the police & council workers in their council tax now, aren't they ?

[Bubblewrap 3,815]

Yes but this is about extra policing.

Don't forget both Forest & County contribute to the cost of policing on match days.

So why should the late bars escape similar contribution?

[ChrisB 150]

But like I said earlier, why should bars be penalised for the actions of their customers.

My solution would be to reduce the hours of bars, cut back the closing time to 1am.

This wouldn't affect traditional pubs because they wouldn't want to stay open later than that anyway.

People would begin to drift away after midnight or decide whether to go on to a club without being pissed before they get there.

But it's a problem which is insoluble really, it's the British way and people have to accept it.

And the thing I resent most of all is the government telling me how to run my life!

[DJBrenton 738]

And the thing I resent most of all is the government telling me how to run my life!

How is the government telling you how to run your life in this issue?

[Michael Booth 7,364]

I disagree that the problem of drunks and the trouble that's caused is insoluble. Anyone who is drunk and disorderly should be hit with a big fine, say £300. For a second offence it will be £600 and a third £1,000. I doubt many people would be getting the second fine because they'd start behaving themselves. Some of you will think this is a silly idea but it's the only way to cut it out. We have to start somewhere. I also think that anyone who has to go to hospital through alcohol related problems should be made to pay.

[MelissaJKelly 2,120]

I would have to agree with you there Michael, some of the sights you witness on a Friday/Saturday night from drunk folk is just God awful!