[Food] So far this year we have served more free tap waters than any other drink…..

[portlock seagull]

This is the thing, people are just staying at home not just for food

People just don't seem that bothered about going out (I include myself in that) when you can just have people round for drinks / watch the football etc and spend a fraction of the cost.

Young people apparently are not drinking either.

Indeed. I’m not sure why people are surprised, the country has been on its knees for a long time now. People don’t have money or have other priorities whilst our changing demographic means pubs are less frequented.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Indeed. I’m not sure why people are surprised, the country has been on its knees for a long time now. People don’t have money or have other priorities whilst our changing demographic means pubs are less frequented.

If the venue in question failed because people were not actually going I’d feel more accepting of their closure. The point the owner made about people ordering free tap water nags though. I appreciate times are hard, but they’re also hard for restaurant owners as well.

I feel quite sad about this place going.

 

[Weststander]

This is the thing, people are just staying at home not just for food

People just don't seem that bothered about going out (I include myself in that) when you can just have people round for drinks / watch the football etc and spend a fraction of the cost.

Young people apparently are not drinking either.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

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That is a massive dip, must be a lot healthy that our age groups at the time!

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Indeed. I’m not sure why people are surprised, the country has been on its knees for a long time now. People don’t have money or have other priorities whilst our changing demographic means pubs are less frequented.

How much is a pint in Brighton now? Can't be much cheaper than £6 in some places?

Where before you used to be able to go out for a few beers on the cheap, with transport and everything else it's not really possible anymore

I feel bad for some of these places, but if it's not a viable business it's not up to us to keep them afloat.

 

[Weststander]

That is a massive dip, must be a lot healthy that our age groups at the time!

I’d be interested to see the 1985 stats. It seemed like the vast majority of young males one way or another loved a drink then, Brighton had about 20 clubs, it was said 400 pubs?

In 2025 …. water, RedBull, Monster or weed.

 

[Nitram]

I’d be interested to see the 1985 stats. It seemed like the vast majority of young males one way or another loved a drink then, Brighton had about 20 clubs, it was said 400 pubs?

In 2025 …. water, RedBull, Monster or weed.

It’s interesting how things have changed. 10/5 years prior to 1985 most of the restaurants visited were after a night down the pub for a Chinese/Indian or Italian after hours, or obligatory Uncle Sam’s.

Visits to a restaurant would be steak meal or a posh French place for special occasions. The thought of eating out on a regular basis did not occur.

Now when I go out with our wider family , which we do fairly regularly, hardly anyone drinks alcohol either because they drive but mostly because the younger people in the family don’t have the drinking culture we had.

Restaurants need to adapt to offer more interesting alternatives to alcoholic drinks. Serving sugary soft drinks is also a turn off for many nowadays.

 

[Weststander]

It’s interesting how things have changed. 10/5 years prior to 1985 most of the restaurants visited were after a night down the pub for a Chinese/Indian or Italian after hours, or obligatory Uncle Sam’s.

Visits to a restaurant would be steak meal or a posh French place for special occasions. The thought of eating out on a regular basis did not occur.

Now when I go out with our wider family , which we do fairly regularly, hardly anyone drinks alcohol either because they drive but mostly because the younger people in the family don’t have the drinking culture we had.

Restaurants need to adapt to offer more interesting alternatives to alcoholic drinks. Serving sugary soft drinks is also a turn off for many nowadays.

Late 70’s we started eating out as kids with our parents, literally a couple of times a year max. The Pickwick or Queen Anne (Schooner Inns) in Brighton, it really was prawn cocktail, steak or duck a l’orange, black forest gateau. Also in family holidays to Devon.

First started eating out with my mates at Italians in Brighton in about 1983, there was a Taverna Sorrento in part of the Hannington’s footprint. Pizza Hut and Deep Pan Pizza were a few years away. A bit later the original Topolino’s appeared in Hove, there was also a lovely Indian in the Wilbury or The Drive area of Hove, Swan Tandoori? The Preston Street chain steakhouses had always been there … not for our demographic of pissed 19 year olds.

Yes, it was rare, but rapidly changing in the 80’s. British food had been rubbish eg old heated pies in glass cabinets at the end of the pub bar. Almost overnight there was proper competition.

 

[Nitram]

Late 70’s we started eating out as kids with our parents, literally a couple of times a year max. The Pickwick or Queen Anne (Schooner Inns) in Brighton, it really was prawn cocktail, steak or duck a l’orange, black forest gateau. Also in family holidays to Devon.

First started eating out with my mates at Italians in Brighton in about 1983, there was a Taverna Sorrento in part of the Hannington’s footprint. Pizza Hut and Deep Pan Pizza were a few years away. A bit later the original Topolino’s appeared in Hove, there was also a lovely Indian in the Wilbury or The Drive area of Hove, Swan Tandoori? The Preston Street chain steakhouses had always been there … not for our demographic of pissed 19 year olds.

Yes, it was rare, but rapidly changing in the 80’s. British food had been rubbish eg old heated pies in glass cabinets at the end of the pub bar. Almost overnight there was proper competition.

The only restaurants I went to in Brighton in the seventies were either Pickwick or Henekeys, when trying to impress a girlfriend or the Great American Disaster and Browns with mates when it did spag Bol and salad. Uncle Sam’s on the way back to Worthing where I lived after a skinful.

When I moved to Brighton in the eighties the three Italian’s Al Duomo, Al Forno and Clems in Queens Road were visited regularly. The Swan Indian in the Drive always seemed very posh but was very good.

There was also a very good French Restaurant in Kemptown that we used to go to on special occasions, but I can’t remember its name.

The French Cellar was also a brilliant restaurant.

 

[Weststander]

The only restaurants I went to in Brighton in the seventies were either Pickwick or Henekeys, when trying to impress a girlfriend or the Great American Disaster and Browns with mates when it did spag Bol and salad. Uncle Sam’s on the way back to Worthing where I lived after a skinful.

When I moved to Brighton in the eighties the three Italian’s Al Duomo, Al Forno and Clems in Queens Road were visited regularly. The Swan Indian in the Drive always seemed very posh but was very good.

There was also a very good French Restaurant in Kemptown that we used to go to on special occasions, but I can’t remember its name.

The French Cellar was also a brilliant restaurant.

La Parisienne? Cafe De Paris the raucous bit downstairs.

Other notables in the 80’s. Prompt Corner in the Montpelier area, Crepes pancake house in the Clifton area, Dig In The Ribs in Preston Street, The China Garden.

When smashed at 3am …. Aqua Cafe near where the Revenge is now, Market Diner, Grubbs, the kebab place near the top of Queens Road.

 

[Nitram]

La Parisienne? Cafe De Paris the raucous bit downstairs.

Other notables in the 80’s. Prompt Corner in the Montpelier area, Crepes pancake house in the Clifton area, Dig In The Ribs in Preston Street, The China Garden.

When smashed at 3am …. Aqua Cafe near where the Revenge is now, Market Diner, Grubbs, the kebab place near the top of Queens Road.

No not the Cafe De Paris nor the Marinade. It was very high end. It will come to me eventually.
Still love the China Garden. The Crepes place was fun too. Market Diner or Buddies, you knew you were drunk by then!

 

[portlock seagull]

If the venue in question failed because people were not actually going I’d feel more accepting of their closure. The point the owner made about people ordering free tap water nags though. I appreciate times are hard, but they’re also hard for restaurant owners as well.

I feel quite sad about this place going.

Always sad to see businesses go, and it’s rarely a single reason. I’m sure the cumulative impact includes less purchased drinks but rising costs are the bigger nails overall.

 

[Triggaaar]

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The people over 40 who are drinking a lot, are the very same people who were drinking a lot in 1998

 

[Weststander]

No not the Cafe De Paris nor the Marinade. It was very high end. It will come to me eventually.
Still love the China Garden. The Crepes place was fun too. Market Diner or Buddies, you knew you were drunk by then!

Le Français restaurant in Paston Place, The Laughing Onion in St Georges Road, were others.

Late 80’s with an ex we went to a small nouvelle cuisine at the far east end of Kemp Town near The Rock pub. Incredibly expensive and I left hungry .

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Young people don't drink alcohol, nothing like they used to. Where I live (Bali) is just a mecca for juices, smoothies, detox drinks, all kinds of healthy fruit concoctions, lychee teas, iced coffees, coconuts, kombuchas, you name it. I was out last night with a bottle of bintang, because I'm a middle-aged Brit, and my wife had a few mojitos because she's a middle-aged Brit, and every single other person in our group, most of whom were younger, and certainly healthier, was having a fancy soft drink of some kind.

Outside of a few select establishments you just don't see as much of that back home. Yes it would be tricky supplying much of these ingredients, but any menu can be tailored for the locale. I reckon many bars and restaurants could dramatically increase what they are offering on the healthy juice and smoothie side of things and they would find a big clientele

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Young people don't drink alcohol, nothing like they used to. Where I live (Bali) is just a mecca for juices, smoothies, detox drinks, all kinds of healthy fruit concoctions, lychee teas, iced coffees, coconuts, kombuchas, you name it. I was out last night with a bottle of bintang, because I'm a middle-aged Brit, and my wife had a few mojitos because she's a middle-aged Brit, and every single other person in our group, most of whom were younger, and certainly healthier, was having a fancy soft drink of some kind.

Outside of a few select establishments you just don't see as much that. Yes it would be tricky supplying much of these ingredients, but any menu can be tailored for the locale. I reckon many bars and restaurants could dramatically increase what they are offering on the healthy juice and smoothie side of things and they would find a big clientele

House parties have changed a bit as well. The wife (Gen X) went to a Gen Z house party over Xmas….background music, a big pot of risotto and f***ing board games all evening; everyone seemingly worked for an NGO. Little booze, no loud music, no cigarettes stubbed out on plates, no shagging in the bathroom, no one racking up in the kitchen and no neighbours banging on the door to complain.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I was in a craft beer bar last night, and the table of 3 sat next to us had a bottle of sparkling water shared between the 3, plus one other drink, and played cards. This was over the course of at least 2 and three quarter hours.

I woke this morning, and read a social media post from a restaurant I like, which is now closing. They said average daily income had dropped but the thing which caught my eye was “So far this year we have served more free tap waters than any other drink”

No wonder restaurants are struggling if this is happening. I have nothing against people who don’t want to drink alcohol, but give your head a wobble and buy a soft drink or two at least.

Buy more drinks!

…and the rest of the day too.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Always sad to see businesses go, and it’s rarely a single reason. I’m sure the cumulative impact includes less purchased drinks but rising costs are the bigger nails overall.

Covid loans/being shut for pretty much 2 years.

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

No not the Cafe De Paris nor the Marinade. It was very high end. It will come to me eventually.
Still love the China Garden. The Crepes place was fun too. Market Diner or Buddies, you knew you were drunk by then!

One Paston Place?

 

[worthingseagull]

View attachment 197877

and this is another reason why number of nightclubs in the UK is now under 1000, whereas back in the 80's (my day) it was 36000