Why do British people drink so early in the day?

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Replies

  • iceqieen
    iceqieen Posts: 862 Member
    Now I COMPLETELY understand why my european counterparts are so set on when their work day ends... I would be too if I knew happy hour was around the corner. Truthfully if the state I lived in had happy hour I would engage in it pretty regularly probably, its a good way to decompress, socialize with friends, and network.

    Besides, not everyone who works full time is married with kids, I'm not and 99.9% of my friends aren't, so theres nothing wrong with going to have a few drinks (or more) after work, and my work clothes are a heck of a lot cuter/nicer than my weekend clothes, so I would be ok going to get drinks in them. And public transportation to get you home safely instead of driving...

    I think I need to move to Europe.

    You mean "the UK"? Or any of the countries where this is the habit? I think Germany might have that and the huge portions of food?

    Only move to Iceland if you want to drink late into the night.. or Norway if you want a really short workday and drink late in the evening.. or Denmark if you want to drink the whole day (disclaimer: that isnt true anymore since they implemented laws that forbid it.. thankfully)..

    Europe is not the same all over, there are huge differences between the south, north, east, and west.. not to mention within each of those quarters.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I don't know, but sometimes in college I drank during class. So whatever, who cares.
  • iceqieen
    iceqieen Posts: 862 Member
    When I want to eat at a pub when touristing in the UK I have to make sure I go super early or all the pubs are filled with drunk people.. what's up with that?

    Why do you just go straight to the pub? Shouldnt you go home first? Change clothes, say hi to the family.. you know, normal stuff!

    You must have lead a very sheltered life.......

    The Pommies don't have a monopoly on this, it's common pretty much throughout the world; and it's not just people living in large urban centres either......

    soooooo Iceland isnt part of the world? I guess we are so small that we dont count.. Norway though, they must have a say in this!
  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    because they have kids.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
    it's because their portions of food are so small. i know this is a universal truth, because i asked a friend from the UK and that's the answer she gave me just before she had to leave for a dentist's appointment to fix her crooked teeth.

    :laugh: :wink: :tongue:
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    it's because their portions of food are so small. i know this is a universal truth, because i asked a friend from the UK and that's the answer she gave me just before she had to leave for a dentist's appointment to fix her crooked teeth.

    :laugh: :wink: :tongue:

    On the plus side the dental treatment was free
  • superfox12082
    superfox12082 Posts: 512 Member
    What??? What part of America do you people live in that there is no Happy Hour and bars don't open until late?

    This. Bars here open at ten a.m. and there's always a happy hour!

    And yes, I live in the US.
  • EdTheGinge
    EdTheGinge Posts: 1,616 Member
    Bit of a sweeping statement that
  • bigphatcat
    bigphatcat Posts: 7,843 Member
    WHY NOT?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    You obviously haven't been to Ireland or Scotland.

    I'm wondering if they've ever been to America. Or I must have just lucked out and live in the fun section of America.

    That's at the corner of Maple and 53rd, right?

    It's every corner in my town.
  • pinkledoodledoo
    pinkledoodledoo Posts: 290 Member
    I did not know this... now I have a reason to put visiting London on my bucket list! :laugh:
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    it's because their portions of food are so small. i know this is a universal truth,

    Yeah, definitely this too.
  • iceqieen
    iceqieen Posts: 862 Member
    Drinking immediately after work happens in the USA too I imagine. Making sweeping statements about us Brits not going home and not seeing our kids is offensive. I often defend the American people when I hear derogatory comments from British people, however, individuals like you make me wonder why. I suggest you climb down from your pompous high horse and get real.

    Thank you for this. :flowerforyou:

    We cought one! :noway:

    ETA: Grats on being the first Brit to be offended by the statement.. Though I guess it is easier to be offended at a wall of text than a grinning face. Not sure why it is relevant that you defend Americans.. seeing as I am not one.

    Considering that page one is almost all people in on the joke/experiment, and this is the first post of page 2, I think the argument that people in any country don't like to be stereotyped or have people ask, "Where's the sense in that??" is gaining some merit.

    Hmm perhaps the mathematical formula to how many people will be offended will have the pagenr in it.. the third page has more people offended.. though as of yet noone is seriously calling me a xeno..wahtsitcalled? or a racist.. so.. there's that.. :laugh:
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Why do you just go straight to the pub? Shouldnt you go home first?

    No idea. The idea of going home first then returning to join work colleagues does seem... odd.

    :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    When I want to eat at a pub when touristing in the UK I have to make sure I go super early or all the pubs are filled with drunk people.. what's up with that?

    Why do you just go straight to the pub? Shouldnt you go home first? Change clothes, say hi to the family.. you know, normal stuff!

    You must have lead a very sheltered life.......

    The Pommies don't have a monopoly on this, it's common pretty much throughout the world; and it's not just people living in large urban centres either......

    soooooo Iceland isnt part of the world? I guess we are so small that we dont count.. Norway though, they must have a say in this!

    LOL I must confess I'm not familiar with the drinking habits of Icelanders but the Norwegians I know are a thirsty lot! (and it would be a pretty safe bet this doesn't happen in most Arabic countries either)
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Drinking immediately after work happens in the USA too I imagine. Making sweeping statements about us Brits not going home and not seeing our kids is offensive. I often defend the American people when I hear derogatory comments from British people, however, individuals like you make me wonder why. I suggest you climb down from your pompous high horse and get real.

    Crikey. You sound really bothered! *buys you a pint to help you relax* ;)
  • iceqieen
    iceqieen Posts: 862 Member
    I did no know this... now I have a reason to put visiting London on my bucket list! :laugh:

    Other reasons include: randomly chatting to people cause they are polite like that, and to visit the Underground.. honestly I am in love with that.. I dont know why.. and Cambdentown (spelling?) ..and just.. London.
  • Kimdbro
    Kimdbro Posts: 922 Member
    OK, I'll play this game!

    Several reasons I think.
    Firstly, there are a lot of pubs in cities, especially London. Up until recently (using a UK time frame), i.e. about late 19th century, it wasn't safe to drink the water in cities, so everyone drank ale, or beer.
    In major cities like London, it's common to leave work and stop off with your work-mates for a pint (or a bottle of lager, glass of wine) to relax before everyone heads off to their home towns, which are often a good hour away by train.
    Therefore, the pubs are busier between 5 and 7, than they are later on.

    Once you're home, you don't want to go out again! My OH probably goes out from work about once a month, it's not that common when you get to a 'certain age'!

    I'm not sure about the 'drunk' thing. That's usually the domain of the younger crowd who go out on a Friday/Saturday night to clubs and bars rather than pubs.
    They will then drink until they can no longer stand, then they crawl in the gutter to the nearest A&E department. :sick:

    But during the fantastic summer we've just had, it would have been great to sit on a wall outside an old traditional pub with a glass of beer, drinking in the atmosphere. Sadly, I'm the one at home with the kids!

    btw - "England was the land of plenty and they had to support their pubs." I think he was having you on with this comment!
    A huge number of pubs have shut in the last decade - mostly out-of-town ones, and I don't think anyone sees our country as a 'land of plenty' any more...

    Nail on the head I'd say... I'm hailing from Canada and we do the same. Get of work and head to the pub with co-workers or a friend, then home. Who wants to go home and then back out again?? When I get home, I"m there to stay. Also, the young College kids are everywhere and the places get loud and rowdy later. As for going home to family first, well my husband either meets me out, or is out with his own buds for a bit after work. Thankfully we don't have kids.
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    Drinking immediately after work happens in the USA too I imagine. Making sweeping statements about us Brits not going home and not seeing our kids is offensive. I often defend the American people when I hear derogatory comments from British people, however, individuals like you make me wonder why. I suggest you climb down from your pompous high horse and get real.

    PMSL. Spot the person that hasn't read the first thread.
  • RunWinterGarden
    RunWinterGarden Posts: 428 Member
    Because they are smarter than us.
This discussion has been closed.

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