The Lost Pub
Never before have pubs around the world poured their last pint at such a staggering rate.
Watering holes that have kept punters hydrated for centuries are closing their doors forever around the world.
While new bars often replace some of these fine establishments, they’re usually branded or themed bars owned by big enterprise.
The authentic pub is, quite frankly, rapidly becoming extinct.
One can blame the economy, or cheap mass-produced beer available in supermarkets. The do-gooders, who want to ban anything to do with alcohol, certainly must carry much of the blame. So of course must the idiot drunks who ruin it for everyone when they have a night out.
Ultimately however, it is up to us to keep our local open.
Simply raising a few glasses there instead of buying cheap mass-produced brew to drink at home, will help keep the glorious invention called Pub alive.
And when we do have a few too many, having a laugh instead of an argument, will give the bleeding hearts no cause to introduce ever-more rules that seem to lead to a society drinking only gluten-free water and living in cotton suits.
If you need some motivation, these are some of the sad statistics:
- The UK is losing around 50 pubs a week
- In Ireland, a pub closes its doors forever every week
- 1 in 6 country pubs in Australia is up for sale
- A staggering 20,390 pubs are currently incl. on the Lost Pubs Project (for updated count, visit their website)
Several of the amazing places we’ve featured in World Thirst, including the world’s smallest pub and an epic rock bar in Thailand are no more.
Gone forever, because some guy with a clipboard somewhere decided we need a curfew, or they simply cannot compete with the trendy bars that appeal to the soft and are built only on the foundation of the bottom-line.
There are of course still countless amazing pubs and bars around the world that every thirsty traveller should add to their itinerary.
So when you find one, here is our advice: Do it now, travel to those fine places today. Don’t wait until “some day later”.
Because one day, they too will be gone.
by Kenneth Hart, Chief Swagman at Thirsty Swagman
