Falling out of love with your local?
30.09.2011
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Pub closures hit 53-a-week high. 50% fewer pubs than there were before the Blitz. The price of a pint rockets from 93p to £3.50 in just over twenty years. The statistics don’t paint a pretty picture as the future of that long-held British institution – the pub – remains increasingly unsteady.
And now the scales are tipping even further as, according to the British Beer & Pub Association, the number of people purchasing beer from supermarkets will outweigh the amount bought from pubs by the end of 2011 alone.
For us, there appears to be two killer factors – amongst others - that are forcing beer drinkers out of pubs and into the fluorescent austerity of the supermarket; the first being lack of choice.
Whether tied to a contract with one of the UK’s monolithic brrewers or stuffy pub operators or simply too scared to buck the trend, the variety of beers in our pubs has significantly dwindled since the 90s; a time when pub chains began buying up independent establishments in their droves and the popularity of all-you-can-drink spirit deals combined with lashings of microwaveable curry hit its peak.
Shelf space within today’s sprawling supermarkets has allowed the likes of Tesco and Sainsbury's to quickly seize upon this now well established lack of variety in a marketplace that is increasingly difficult to break into by offering beer fans an at first unlikely yet welcomed alternative source.
The second killer factor is the cost. With rising duty and prices that buck inflation, it’s no wonder that money-savvy consumers have begun looking elsewhere for a better deal.
With mass produced beer offering poor value for money as it is, the lure of multipack purchases or simple buying ‘whatever’s on offer’ at the supermarket is becoming increasingly economical for cash-strapped drinkers.
These two points on top of the back drop of both the recession and the smoking ban make for an increasingly strong list of reasons why staying at home to drink is now the logical choice. Lack of variety, poor value for money and the kind of prefabricated environment akin to many pub chains is something we are avidly trying to tackle with our growing fleet of BrewDog bars.
We've been overwhelmed with the reception that the BrewDog bars have received and mainly put it down to the experience on offer which includes a the world’s best craft beers, a laid back atmosphere, the odd bit of live music and some retro board games but also some truly awesome bar staff who take the time to explain the story behind each of our beers so your foray into craft beer - be it your 1st time or 1,000th time - is as informed and exciting as possible.
So far, we believe attention to detail coupled with a desire to share our passion for craft beer has allowed BrewDog to find a formula that is completely at odds with the current trends associated with pubs and pub-goers and for as long as it keeps working for us and for you, we'll be sticking at it.
What’s your reason for not visiting your local? Let us know.
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In my area, pubs serving good cask ale and quality food are thriving. I think a combination of fewer people going out and this surge in quality is driving the poorer establishments out of business.
Whilst drinking at home means I can enjoy more specialist craft beer available from supermarkets or mail order, it just isn't the same as being out in a pub with friends and family. It is a traditional so deeply ingrained in this country that I cannot imagine life without it.
One thing I would say is that I fear the cask ale pub market is becoming saturated, and Brewdog's more wide ranging outlook is a welcome addition to the market place. I hope we see more of this kind of thing to add a bit of balance and variety to our high streets.
w80 04.10.2011
frangilbert 04.10.2011
PeteM 03.10.2011
Pete Gerrard 03.10.2011
If the latter, then as Clinton said "it's the economy, stupid" (which perhaps makes your own success in the last 3 years even more impressive). Everyone is feeling the pinch.
I don't think I agree that "the variety of beers in our pubs has significantly dwindled since the 90s". Quite the opposite, I would say. Of course there are pubs that just sell Tennents and Guinness (and white wine for the ladies) because of their brewery/chain contract, but that's the been the case for many decades. Maybe I'm just lucky living in Edinburgh, but as far as I can see there's been an increasing number of pubs over the last 10 years trying to do something a bit more exciting with their beer range. There are many dozens of pubs in town with crap choice, and always have been - that's why I don't go in them. But while there are still a couple of dozen interesting pubs around, I won't shed a tear when the crap ones close. The variety is there (in cities, anyway) - you just have to look for it.
I'm sure the pub choice outside major towns and cities isn't so good, but of course you could say the same about restaurants, cinemas, theatre, museums, galleries... ad nauseum. Same as it ever was.
If you want to support local pubs against supermarkets, then I'm not entirely sure how this reconciles with your very lucrative deals with the likes of Tesco. I'd be interested to know what the profit margin is on a Brewdog beer you sell via Tesco compared to one sold directly at one of your bars.
On an entirely different note - I've got a free day in London next week, can anyone recommend any great pubs to visit?
PeteM 02.10.2011
sooooo different.
Steve 02.10.2011
Will. Be. Epic.
Stacey 02.10.2011
Max 02.10.2011
This was the one part of the bar we did not renovate, but we are about to put that right.
James, BrewDog 02.10.2011
sdehn 01.10.2011
fish supper 01.10.2011
brilliant, mate, brilliant. By offering people to the opportunity to drink the world's best craft beers that we import specially into the country for their drinking pleasure, beers you can't find elsewhere in Europe we are 'stifling choice'.
James, BrewDog 01.10.2011
Barm 01.10.2011
Sadly BrewDog are just as bad as those 'monolithic brewers and boring pub co's' in that they also want to stifle choice, they just want to stifle it to what they choose.
the anti-anti-establishment 01.10.2011
SashDog 01.10.2011
PeterG 01.10.2011
arobertson 30.09.2011
Marc R 30.09.2011
tom mann 30.09.2011
BringBackChaosTheoryAgain 30.09.2011
iprise 30.09.2011
In no other bar do you see people pick up q beer menu and peruse what's on offer like they were in a wine bar.
I've stood at the bar and compared recommendations from total strangers and been offered a taste of what they've bought.
I've never seen anyone 'bleazin' though I was pretty well on at tbe dark beer night. (next one soon please).
Drinking at home isn't the same, I like meeting new people and trying new stuff. Knocking back 12 cans of cheap Tennants/Carling/etc etc in my living room isn't what I'm after.
My local has a poor range of the usual suspects of beer. I'd rather pay for something different and get the taxi home.
DaveU 30.09.2011
I've become more obsessed with drinking bottled US and European imported beer, aswell as some of the more innovative UK brewers bottled stuff, and I'm just as happy sat at home with those, listening to the music I want to listen to.
Maybe too many years behind the bar has made me fall out of love with my local?
RichW 30.09.2011
Tobias 30.09.2011
grahamf4 30.09.2011
Will Mill 30.09.2011
tarcher 30.09.2011
Stephanos 30.09.2011
ScottMP 30.09.2011