midlandsgrimpeur
Active Member
I think it is similar in a lot of places, small village pubs near me are now 6-10pm Tues-Sat with Sunday lunch opening. This planned change is probably only applicable to a smallish % of venues.
Starmer's vision quest
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I think it is similar in a lot of places, small village pubs near me are now 6-10pm Tues-Sat with Sunday lunch opening. This planned change is probably only applicable to a smallish % of venues.
Pblakeney
Über Member
Many around here are switching to Thursday to Saturday only.
Edit - Some Sunday opening, but closing early.
briantrumpet
Guru
I guess that all the people who said that they were going to give up drinking in pubs when beer reached £1 a pint have finally reached breaking point, a mere 35 years later, now it's crossed the £5 a pint barrier.
midlandsgrimpeur
Active Member
As a very minimal alcohol drinker I am more worried for when coffee breaks the £5 a cup barrier round my way!
bobzmyunkle
Über Member
Apparently we already have a productivity crisis due to alcohol. Paywalled article, I'm afraid.
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/work-hangover-call-in-sick-pjwx3t99x
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/work-hangover-call-in-sick-pjwx3t99x
First Aspect
Über Member
Oh I'd love a synopsis of that article. The Times on wider society...
briantrumpet
Guru
I'll admit I'm a less minimal drinker in France where I can get a 5L box of very drinkable Côtes du Rhône for 12.49€.
My purchase of a home espresso machine is looking like a good decision, the way café coffee prices are going.
bobzmyunkle
Über Member
Similar from independent, I think the telegraph had a similar article.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/workers-call-sick-hangover-alcohol-b2841473.html
briantrumpet
Guru
Taking you at your word... (not précised)
For many of us, post-work pints are an integral part of office life. But now they are being blamed for wrecking economic productivity.
“Workplace drinking culture” is driving sickness absences and harming the economy, according to a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), an influential progressive think tank.
One in three UK workers said they had called in sick during the past year while hungover after going out with colleagues. Meanwhile 22 per cent reported working while hungover, and 29 per cent observed colleagues being tired or sluggish after drinking.
The report, based on a survey of more than 2,000 adults, found that heavy drinkers were three times more likely to exhibit presenteeism — when they are at work but not being productive.
It warned that “alcohol poses a significant threat to the UK’s economic performance” due to this impact on workplace productivity. “This harm is especially concerning in the public sector, where taxpayers foot the bill for avoidable costs,” the report said. “Addressing alcohol-related productivity losses is not solely a matter of public health, but also a strategic imperative for economic growth and productivity in both the public and private sectors.”
Experts called for workplaces to do more to provide alcohol-free alternatives at social events, and for the government to introduce minimum pricing on alcohol.
Dr Jamie O’Halloran, a senior research fellow at IPPR who wrote the report, said: “We often think of alcohol harm as a public health issue, but this research shows it’s a national economic problem. When nearly half of young professionals are calling in sick after workplace drinking, it’s not just a hangover, it’s a productivity crisis. If the government is serious about growth, it needs to take alcohol harm seriously too.”
Sebastian Rees, head of health at IPPR, said: “Employers have a huge opportunity here. By shifting away from alcohol-centric cultures and offering real support, they can boost wellbeing, improve performance, and build more inclusive workplaces. This isn’t about banning drinks — it’s about giving people the choice to thrive without pressure. The evidence is clear: doing nothing is costing us all.”
The report found that senior executives and young professionals were the most likely to call in sick after drinking. Some 43 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds reported calling in sick after drinking at work-related events, and more than one in three said they felt pressured to drink to fit in or progress professionally.
Latest data show one in five of Generation Z, the term for adults aged 18-27, do not drink alcohol. Experts say workplaces should adapt to this shift in habits and provide more alcohol-free alternatives.
The survey also found that one in five workers have said something they regretted to a colleague while drinking or attending a work event. More than a quarter had overheard something they should not have, and 28 per cent said that drinking at work created cliques.
However, the report found that more than half of employees said their employer had not provided any guidance, training, or inclusive alternatives to alcohol.
Employers are being urged to build a healthy culture around drinking by engaging with staff about alcohol awareness and offering proactive support to those struggling with drink. Social events could be activities such as yoga, crafting or run clubs, rather than just drinking in a bar or pub.
midlandsgrimpeur
Active Member
Something tells me the office drinkers are unlikely to be swayed by a brisk run or a spot of crochet.
Pblakeney
Über Member
I must say that some of my most productive years were when working in a "work hard, play hard" environment.
Of course, key to that is being able to differentiate and act accordingly.
icowden
Shaman
Can't help feeling that there is a bit of a "were" missing here. Everyone who I know that does office work, does it from home.
First Aspect
Über Member
Imagine what you'd have achieved if you went for bubble tea instead.
