OV9

Anyone else hesitant to be back out there?

I've turned down a bar meet later this week

I’m not in any rush, happy to wait until things settle down. Still not going to be the same as it was for a long while. It’s been so long I don’t really miss it to be honest

Can someone just confirm for me that it's impossible to enjoy any form of socialising outside of your own four walls without drinking in the UK?

Just checking...

Would have loved to have been out an about yesterday for the carnival atmosphere, but between work and baby it's not that straightforward. Got us booked in the local for a swift one after work on Friday (very swift as missus and baby in tow) but headed into London on Saturday for beers with some friends so super excited about that.

KiwiDave wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 4:20 am Can someone just confirm for me that it's impossible to enjoy any form of socialising outside of your own four walls without drinking in the UK?

Just checking...

Apart from very occasional car based meets*, I can confirm that to be the case, yes.

* - Edit: Actually I tend to have a pint with my lunch on those too!

duncs500 wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:57 am Apart from very occasional car based meets*, I can confirm that to be the case, yes.

* - Edit: Actually I tend to have a pint with my lunch on those too!

Last time I came back to the UK (2013) the bit that surprised me was obesity was more obvious in Britain than in Texas where I went straight after. Now, I'm seeing peeps on my Facebook from back home acting like their brains are gonna explode if they can't get a pint of wifebeater in a beer garden soon.

As a certified craft beer wanker, I like the odd shandy myself, but FFS it's just a pub

Easy to say when your pubs have been open most of the pandemic!

For many people, certainly I'm one of them, their social structure is built around sitting and having a beer with friends. Even just with the wife we used to go and have maybe one or two beers in the pub, we can and do it at home, but somehow being in a different environment we tend to talk more and catch up on different things than we would at home.

Don't forget we've not even been allowed to see friends for a long time, a lot of people are missing social contact, that might manifest in a joy for going to the pub, but I think there's more to it than just that. I know some people don't understand that.

Actually, it is an interesting point that was argued on Twitter.

Anyone disagreeing that it was possible to socialize without being in a pub was ridiculed.

Nathan wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:21 am
Anyone disagreeing that it was possible to socialize without being in a pub was ridiculed.

My early morning brain had to read that eleventeen times before I got it.

It initially read like : Anyone not disagreeing that it wasn’t impossible to socialize without not being in a pub wasn’t ridiculed.

<drinks another slurp of coffee>

I'm attempting to go sober at the moment. Non alcoholic beer has been a revelation (a beer with no hangover!?) and the lack of several days of anxiety from said hangovers very welcome. First real test is pub attendance this Saturday!

mik wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:40 am

Nathan wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:21 am
Anyone disagreeing that it was possible to socialize without being in a pub was ridiculed.

My early morning brain had to read that eleventeen times before I got it.

It initially read like : Anyone not disagreeing that it wasn’t impossible to socialize without not being in a pub wasn’t ridiculed.

<drinks another slurp of coffee>

First time I read it I got the gist, but now you've made me confused. I assume people were ridiculed for saying it was possible to socialise outside of a pub.

speedingfine wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:59 am I'm attempting to go sober at the moment. Non alcoholic beer has been a revelation (a beer with no hangover!?) and the lack of several days of anxiety from said hangovers very welcome. First real test is pub attendance this Saturday!

Tastes just like dark fruit cider

Nathan wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:21 am Actually, it is an interesting point that was argued on Twitter.

Anyone disagreeing that it was possible to socialize without being in a pub was ridiculed.

It's perfectly possible to socialise without being in a pub, or indeed without drinking. Coffee shop, lunch, walk. I've done all these things. Not as much fun though!

jamcg wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:00 am

speedingfine wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:59 am I'm attempting to go sober at the moment. Non alcoholic beer has been a revelation (a beer with no hangover!?) and the lack of several days of anxiety from said hangovers very welcome. First real test is pub attendance this Saturday!

Tastes just like dark fruit cider

Cheers, but fruit cider's not my thing! Brewdog Punk AF and Free Damm are doing the trick so far. Both taste much better chilled though.

Well I spent the afternoon in a pub (garden) and had a great time. I've somehow escaped a hangover so far too, which is good!

duncs500 wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:03 am

Nathan wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:21 am Actually, it is an interesting point that was argued on Twitter.

Anyone disagreeing that it was possible to socialize without being in a pub was ridiculed.

It's perfectly possible to socialise without being in a pub, or indeed without drinking. Coffee shop, lunch, walk. I've done all these things. Not as much fun though!

I honestly don't see any of my friends beyond meeting at bars/pubs

Nathan wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:37 am

duncs500 wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:03 am

Nathan wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:21 am Actually, it is an interesting point that was argued on Twitter.

Anyone disagreeing that it was possible to socialize without being in a pub was ridiculed.

It's perfectly possible to socialise without being in a pub, or indeed without drinking. Coffee shop, lunch, walk. I've done all these things. Not as much fun though!

I honestly don't see any of my friends beyond meeting at bars/pubs

The main place I socialise with mates is mountain biking - we head out and meet other groups (not actual organised groups, just other bunches of mates) whilst out. Sometimes we'll organise a bigger session at a particular bike park.

And these days (with kids) we see more people at their/our houses/gardens than at pubs.

If you want to see friends in different settings, then it's down to you to make it happen. Do you suggest anything other than pubs?

speedingfine wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:27 am

jamcg wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:00 am

speedingfine wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:59 am I'm attempting to go sober at the moment. Non alcoholic beer has been a revelation (a beer with no hangover!?) and the lack of several days of anxiety from said hangovers very welcome. First real test is pub attendance this Saturday!

Tastes just like dark fruit cider

Cheers, but fruit cider's not my thing! Brewdog Punk AF and Free Damm are doing the trick so far. Both taste much better chilled though.

I’ve been aff the booze for a bit more than a year. Brooklyn Brewery’s alcohol free beer is really good. I’ve also got really into Kombucha.

It's pubs or nothing sadly with two separate groups of friends

Apparently some excitable 18 year olds were windmilling outside one of the locals last night

Before the lockdown I only visited a pub every couple of months or so and I'm in no great rush to get back to them. Same as Rich, most of my socialising is done MTB-ing.