[throwawayarnty]

It saddens you that people now consume less alcohol?

My take on Netherlands and Uk culture is that the they (still) drink too much alcohol.

They rather drink beer all night than have a proper dinner at a restaurant, which still blows my mind.

The amount of alcohol some cultures consume is excessive, and I’m glad they’re reducing it.

[Woeps]

I agree that sometimes the drinking is a bit excessive, But I would be sad if pubs disappear and going our becomes more static.

The issue with a "proper" dinner in a restaurant is that (next to it often being to much food which lead to other issues) it feels more like a chore/lethargic/static. specially if done multiply times a week.

While going to a pub you can play a game of cards/pool/darts, walk around and more easily talk to a new bloke you have never seen before.

My point is, (regardless of the drinking) going to a pub is over all more social then sitting in a restaurant.

[throwawayarnty]

In some cities it’s common to eat out at restaurants every day (eg Shanghai). So I guess different cultures handle their after work social life differently.

My opinion has been that since you need to eat dinner anyway (although I’ve seen Dutch and English people skip dinner to drink), you kill two birds with one stone.

[Woeps]

"In some cities it’s common to eat out at restaurants every day (eg Shanghai)"

I didn't think of this... so thanks! Going to checkout a bit how others indeed handle the work social life.

[grahamm]

I think it is as much as where you consume it. Supermarket prices for alcohol have increased but no where nearly as much as in pubs and bars. So the drinking is happening somewhere else and not in pubs.

The increase in prices can probably mostly be laid on product cost and business rates. This is also being reflected in other retail sectors. There are many store closures in both the high street and in out of town retail parks.

[fleddr]

I said it saddens me that a physical social place is going extinct and you translate that to me thinking it's bad that people consume less alcohol?

What is this, Twitter? Stop putting words in my mouth.

[Engineering-MD]

I would point out that skipping a meal to drink is not the norm at all in the UK. I live in the UK and would think this behaviour very odd (particularly outside of student populations).

[whywhywhywhy]

You’re missing 80% of what the pub is for the 20% you have a personal issue with.