Pubs struggle as beer drinkers stay at home (From This Is Lancashire)

Pubs struggle as beer drinkers stay at home

9:20pm Sunday 5th September 2010 in

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PUB landlords in Bolton are suffering a slump in trade as new figures reveal the UK has seen its biggest fall in alcohol consumption in 60 years.

The British Beer and Pub Association said 2009 saw the sharpest year-on-year decline in drinking since 1948.

The figures, which are compiled from HM Revenue and Customs data for the amount of alcohol sold, come just days after it was revealed more than 12,000 people are taken to hospital in Bolton because of drink-related illnesses and that a third of people in the town are seriously risking their health by drinking to excess.

But pub bosses claim they are struggling to cope.

They blame what they say is the high costs of tied beer, rents and leases, cheap supermarket beers and changing drinking habits.

Neil Piper, who has run the Dog and Partridge in Bank Street for the last eight years, said he had had the worst year ever in terms of beers sales.

He added: “People are drinking much more at home before they come out, which we have no control over, but we have to pay for security on the door to look after them and then the pubs get the blame for them being drunk.

“If someone came into the pub and asked for 24 pints they would be laughed out of the door, but anyone can go and buy a pack of 24 cans from a supermarket at a price cheaper than it costs to produce and no one bats an eyelid.

“Everyone is suffering at the moment.

“I run a music pub and I have to pay £3,000 a year in licences and that’s before I pay the bands but we have to offer more to get people to come in.

“I’ve noticed a lot of pubs are only opening at weekends, but I open Sunday to Saturday and on Saturday afternoons as well.”

Licensee John Jewitt, who runs Ye Old Man and Scythe in Churchgate, said: “I’ve noticed the latest trend for many pubs now is to restrict their opening hours and there are many pubs now only opening for business at the weekend.”

But health bosses say excessive drinking is a huge problem in Bolton. Debra Malone, consultant in Public Health at NHS Bolton, said: “While the amount of alcohol being sold may have fallen, what we do know is that excess alcohol use is still a major issue in Bolton.

“In young people, for example, we know there hasn’t been an increase in the number of people drinking, but those who are drinking, drink more.

“Alcohol-related deaths in both men and women in Bolton are also above national averages.”