Pubs. I don't think this will be 'Super Saturday' - I think it's more likely to be 'Stupid Saturday'. Seeing the recent moronic behaviour of football fans in Liverpool and the countless thousands of idiots crowding onto the beaches at Bournemouth I am only too well aware that these are the sort of people - amongst the worst that British humanity can offer. that will be cramming into the pubs today. I am not anxious to join them. Our (in)glorious Prime Minister has appealed to people to exercise their 'common sense ', but a large proportion of our modern day society have shown that they don't have any! It doesn't take a genius to figure out that any attempt (if any is even made by these people) at 'Social Distancing' will go out of the window after a few pints - it's human nature and pubs are meant to be social places. With the new restrictions they won't be.
'Going to the pub' should be in informal and spontaneous thing, but now you will have to book a table in advance. How is this going to work for the many people who go to the pub on their own just for a pint or two and to see who is around? And with reduced capacity inside you will probably find there are no tables left available if you ring to book one. And like restaurants tables may only be available for a limited time - so having a 'session' will be out of the question. Apparently if you are outside in the beer garden and it pisses down with rain you may be refused entry into the pub to take shelter due to social distancing rules. Doesn't sound like a fun day or night out does it? I have absolutely no interest in going to the pub under those conditions.
Also, with the increased staffing that will probably be necessary along with reduced capacity meaning less paying punters I suspect many pubs will struggle to just break even never mind make a profit - and with most having several months back-rent still to pay due to the enforced closure. It's not surprising that some pubs don't think it's even viable to open up for the time being - will they survive?
Pubs will become regulated 'No fun zones' with no standing at the bar or anywhere else. Queues for the toilets will be too much to endure for many - especially the old or those with medical conditions. Pubs may become old codger free zones as these valued regulars no longer feel welcome or find pubs provide an environment they can no longer remain in. I look forward to be being one of the 'old codgers' in my local one day, but now this may not be possible...
I am actually desperate to get back to the pub, but only if and when it get's back to something like it used to be before lockdown. Maybe it never will. To me pubs and the live music scene are a vital part of our culture, and I would be incredibly sad to lose those things as that is where virtually all my friends come from as well as most of my social life.
I have missed the pubs a lot over the last four months, but I know I can survive a few more months without them if I have to - and it will be hard not being able to go to the pub during the summer. But with all the current restrictions in place it doesn't look like being an enjoyable experience at all so I will give it a miss until things improve.
I think there is likely to be a spike in a few weeks time as a direct result of the latest easing of lockdown and idiots like we have seen in Bournemouth and Liverpool - so I don't think we will be getting back to anything like 'normal' any time soon. The dreaded 'R' number in London went up to 1.1 the day before the pubs were allowed to open again - so maybe we will have to wait for a vaccine before we can get back to normal - and that might be at least a year away...
