The Local Pub

Scotland’s relationship with alcohol has been the subject of much debate and discussion of late, with differing opinions on the scale of the problem, and the appropriate solution.

A recent Alcohol Focus Scotland study, has reported that the overall estimated costs of alcohol-related harm in the Aberdeenshire Council Area stands at a shocking £64.31 million, or £262 for every person in the year 2010-11. Further, a previous Scottish Government study indicated that the costs associated with alcohol misuse across Scotland as a whole could total £3.6 billion a year.

It goes without saying that this is a very serious situation for our country, one which is totally unsustainable in both human and economic terms. Ultra-low-cost off sales alcohol is holding many people in our communities back and doing irreparable harm to individuals and families throughout Scotland.

Discount and loss-leading supermarket promotions, which aim to make alcohol prices so cheap, are costing our country dear in terms of NHS, Police and loss of productivity. The Scottish Government’s minimum pricing policy will have a positive impact but it will not on its own fix the entire issue.

We need to be aware of the scale of the threat and act now to modify our perceptions of what is, and what is no longer, acceptable in our relationship with alcohol.

One hope is to encourage reverting to traditional behaviours of social drinking in the local pub with friends, neighbours and colleagues, which offers a more sustainable prospect and a safer, more enjoyable environment for all.

The local pub is a social and responsible environment in which we can enjoy a drink, which drastically cuts the risks of over-consumption. Regulated opening hours, and behaviour policy as well as an onus on the licensee not to serve alcohol to those who have already over-indulged ensure many pubs are family-friendly environments.

This contrasts starkly with discount off sales of strong spirit or white cider, mostly consumed at home, which is about creating and maintaining alcohol dependency among our people.

Sadly, however, as well as excessive consumption we are suffering the parallel trend of seeing many local pubs dying out across the country.
Research published by brewer Molson Coors reveals that since 2007, 700 pubs have closed across Scotland (including 4 in the Banff and Buchan Coast constituency area alone!) with very few new establishments opening, resulting in a 18% decrease in pub numbers.

Moreover, with over 50,000 jobs and £1.5bn of our national GDP dependent on the twin industries of beer and pubs, pub closures damage an important industry during a challenging time for the economy.

However, it is well known how valued Scottish Pubs are to the communities they serve. Indeed, this same study shows that, after the local shop, pubs were the most frequently visited amenity, with a third of Scots visiting the local at least twice a month.

Most of us will have, at some point, enjoyed a trip to the local - be it to enjoy a meal or a drink with family or watch the football with friends. It would be, therefore, not just sad if we were no longer able to take advantage of a local, but also an unhappy indicator of the way drinking culture in Scotland has changed for the worse.

Like many small business owners, publicans are currently finding trading tough and I greatly admire the level of innovation that is taking place to overcome these challenges in many instances. The tenacity and creativity of many pub owners is in fact changing the perception of the local pub, attracting new customers and injecting renewed vitality into the sector. This has created a whole new market for local publicans, who now see more women and young people visiting their premises, as a wider repertoire of food and drink nurtures a convivial, family atmosphere. This commitment to sustain the industry has wider implications for the Scottish economy.

We should, if we are able, take advantage of these local institutions and ensure that they are able to trade and provide jobs, fun and a place to socialise long into the future.

Slainte!