Just had a meeting on Churchgate. Sad to see the Bolton News offices empty. And in a week or two the Travel Counsellors building opposite will be empty. Another 200+ people spending approx £20 per week on parking and lunches in the town... plus whatever other services they spend their hard-earned on - all being lost. Very sad state of affairs.

 

When will it get better? Should these empty offices be turned into apartments?

Given the general public are fucking dickheads why the fuck would I want to spend anymore time with them than I have to.

Amount of stuff to do at home compared to the old days probably plays a massive part in the decline of nightlife venues.

Speak for yourself!😁

Certainly true though that there are/were plenty of cock ends around looking to spoil a decent night.

Problems for pubs were around before covid too; it's easier to sup at home, and cheaper too.

That said, there are more (small) breweries around now, which is good. Going direct and getting bottles or a small pin etc again provide the opportunity to miss out the pub.

Cost, and cultural change, perhaps with fewer youngsters supping- too much arsing about on phones rather than gathering for a pint and social discourse. 

5 hours ago, Sweep said:

Time moves on sadly. The pub will be a thing of the past in around 25 years. Young folk just don't seem interested. There are a few come into our village club, to play snooker and pool, and none of them drink alcohol, and just don't seem interested in doing so

Few years back when we played Leicester midweek in the championship, I thought I'd try and blag my way into the student union bar at the Uni

I'd studied there and wanted to go back there for old times sake and see what it was like

Did manage to get into the uni but no student union bar, apparently you can't buy alcohol anywhere on the campus

Could be that with fees then going out getting shitfaced on a grant most nights as I did is no longer an option 

Or maybe they just don't fancy alcohol

36 minutes ago, DirtySanchez said:

Few years back when we played Leicester midweek in the championship, I thought I'd try and blag my way into the student union bar at the Uni

I'd studied there and wanted to go back there for old times sake and see what it was like

Did manage to get into the uni but no student union bar, apparently you can't buy alcohol anywhere on the campus

Could be that with fees then going out getting shitfaced on a grant most nights as I did is no longer an option 

Or maybe they just don't fancy alcohol

Bolton uni pulled the SU bar down when they built the swimming pool don't think they had any interest in replacing it even back then.

Burger and a pint was the dinner time staple for the day release civil engineers. Apart from the semester where we had the most boring lecturer in a warm lecture theatre straight afterwards and falling asleep wasn't a good look.

My lad is 17 now and he and all his mates just aren’t interested in alcohol.

He’s had a couple of pints with me and went to a house party the other week where they all maybe had a couple of beers each, but I suspect weed is more appealing because of the price and lack of aggro it brings.

He’d sooner go to the gym than out on the piss. Says he isn’t all that keen on being drunk and hangovers. There’s no peer pressure either, which is a massive factor.

Im pretty chuffed if I’m honest. Was expecting him to be on the cider down the park at this stage.

Times are a-changing. £4.50 a pint will speed that up.

23 minutes ago, frank_spencer said:

Bolton uni pulled the SU bar down when they built the swimming pool don't think they had any interest in replacing it even back then.

Burger and a pint was the dinner time staple for the day release civil engineers. Apart from the semester where we had the most boring lecturer in a warm lecture theatre straight afterwards and falling asleep wasn't a good look.

Us Geography students finished lectures at twelve on a friday and piled into the union bar 

Would stay there till about six, go home, washed and ate then back out down the nightclub till 2am

And now the radio has played Underworld - Born Slippy and bringing it all back

22 minutes ago, Spider said:

My lad is 17 now and he and all his mates just aren’t interested in alcohol.

He’s had a couple of pints with me and went to a house party the other week where they all maybe had a couple of beers each, but I suspect weed is more appealing because of the price and lack of aggro it brings.

He’d sooner go to the gym than out on the piss. Says he isn’t all that keen on being drunk and hangovers. There’s no peer pressure either, which is a massive factor.

Im pretty chuffed if I’m honest. Was expecting him to be on the cider down the park at this stage.

Times are a-changing. £4.50 a pint will speed that up.

My local the other day posted an offer on Instagram 

"Thirsty Thursday, 2 Pints for £10" 

That I presume is a special offer these days

1 minute ago, Zico said:

My local the other day posted an offer on Instagram 

"Thirsty Thursday, 2 Pints for £10" 

That I presume is a special offer these days

I've never been that thirsty. And I've been thirsty.

6 hours ago, Lt. Aldo Raine said:

There'll always be pubs but I expect it's going to become more and more difficult to run a pub that doesn't serve food

Yeah, or have a special interest (award-winning for ale), is a brewtap, or actually a community centre. Definitely has to have more strings to its bow than just being a pub.

Edited February 26, 20242 yr by jmjhb

37 minutes ago, Spider said:

My lad is 17 now and he and all his mates just aren’t interested in alcohol.

He’s had a couple of pints with me and went to a house party the other week where they all maybe had a couple of beers each, but I suspect weed is more appealing because of the price and lack of aggro it brings.

He’d sooner go to the gym than out on the piss. Says he isn’t all that keen on being drunk and hangovers. There’s no peer pressure either, which is a massive factor.

Im pretty chuffed if I’m honest. Was expecting him to be on the cider down the park at this stage.

Times are a-changing. £4.50 a pint will speed that up.

Same with my eldest. Sensible as fuck, but still has a great time. Find it quite amazing really. Wish I'd had that sense when I was 18.

My lad is 18 and likes a pint every now and again but is much more sensible than I ever was. If he does have a good drink he then goes a few weeks without a drop. I wish I had his will power and mindset.

Most Unis still have a booze culture.

Coincidentally, my youngest had this published this week... https://razzmag.wordpress.com/2024/02/26/university-drinking-culture

6 minutes ago, Cheese said:

Same with my eldest. Sensible as fuck, but still has a great time. Find it quite amazing really. Wish I'd had that sense when I was 18.

I'm glad I didn't 

18 is not the time for being sensible 

 

12 minutes ago, DirtySanchez said:

Few years back when we played Leicester midweek in the championship, I thought I'd try and blag my way into the student union bar at the Uni

I'd studied there and wanted to go back there for old times sake and see what it was like

Did manage to get into the uni but no student union bar, apparently you can't buy alcohol anywhere on the campus

Could be that with fees then going out getting shitfaced on a grant most nights as I did is no longer an option 

Or maybe they just don't fancy alcohol

They’re all in ‘Spoons during

the day charging stuff up and supping cold coffee!

2 minutes ago, Zico said:

I'm glad I didn't 

18 is not the time for being sensible 

I know exactly what you mean, but when it comes to my kids I'd fucking hate to think they were doing the daft shit I was lucky enough to survive.

12 minutes ago, Cheese said:

I know exactly what you mean, but when it comes to my kids I'd fucking hate to think they were doing the daft shit I was lucky enough to survive.

Certainly wouldn't want my lad bumbling down the tram tracks at 3am pissed as a fart walking from Manchester to Bury after missing the last tram so stopping out hoping for some pokey wets.

Was in town yesterday. Thought the Post Office near the train station had closed at first glance since there's a big fuck off 'Vape Shop' sign above it wtf 🤦‍♂️

12 minutes ago, deeane Koontz said:

Was in town yesterday. Thought the Post Office near the train station had closed at first glance since there's a big fuck off 'Vape Shop' sign above it wtf 🤦‍♂️

Remember when there was a spell of Post Office’s closing branches and moving in to moody corner shops to become more accessible with later opening times etc? This appears to be the next stage.

Mrs went in our local corner shop where there’s a Post Office desk, and they said if it’s a collection it’s being kept in the vape shop next door. Goes in there and was given the hard sell on all their shite they’re flogging before they would hand over the parcel!

9 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Remember when there was a spell of Post Office’s closing branches and moving in to moody corner shops to become more accessible with later opening times etc? This appears to be the next stage.

Mrs went in our local corner shop where there’s a Post Office desk, and they said if it’s a collection it’s being kept in the vape shop next door. Goes in there and was given the hard sell on all their shite they’re flogging before they would hand over the parcel!

Haha, that's proper grim!

On 26/02/2024 at 19:03, Spider said:

My lad is 17 now and he and all his mates just aren’t interested in alcohol.

He’s had a couple of pints with me and went to a house party the other week where they all maybe had a couple of beers each, but I suspect weed is more appealing because of the price and lack of aggro it brings.

He’d sooner go to the gym than out on the piss. Says he isn’t all that keen on being drunk and hangovers. There’s no peer pressure either, which is a massive factor.

Im pretty chuffed if I’m honest. Was expecting him to be on the cider down the park at this stage.

Times are a-changing. £4.50 a pint will speed that up.

 

On 26/02/2024 at 19:46, Cheese said:

Same with my eldest. Sensible as fuck, but still has a great time. Find it quite amazing really. Wish I'd had that sense when I was 18.

don't let them fool you, they'll be tooting those balloon things 

3 hours ago, L/H White said:

 

don't let them fool you, they'll be tooting those balloon things 

If he takes an interest in cake decoration he’s on hippy crack.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/m6-m61-link-road-could-28724900.amp

Thoughts?

1 minute ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/m6-m61-link-road-could-28724900.amp

Thoughts?

It’s needed 

Just called into town and had a walk around the food market. It’s brilliant. From a full deer at £140 to pigs snout at £1 each. Something for everyone. 😊

Just now, royal white said:

It’s needed 

Wiganers gradually living closer to the Tough sheet... 🤣