Ain't that Peachy Keen

This town ain't no good for a girl or a boy

Are more people visiting pubs during weekdays. I mean, are they REALLY?  The Morning Advertiser seems to think so. People seem to eating out as a family more often. And offers and events are apparently drawing people to the pub on what would otherwise be quiet days. I personally have seen no evidence for this, so I decided to test out this theory on a Monday here in Preston.

Pub #1 - around 3pm. The local Wetherspoons. A smattering of customers. Big group of drinkers in the middle, but mostly couples eating meals. Probably counts as reasonable trade on Mondays. If the above hypothesis is true, a Spoons would be the most likely place you would see it in action.

Pub #2 -  4pm. Historic pub owned by family brewery.  About four customers and two staff, one of whom seems to be shifting about a massive CRT TV for no discernible reason. The very fact you can do this in a pub as narrow as this shows how few customers there are. The beer I'm drinking (or at least attempting to drink) is closing in on acetic, which probably isn't helping the pub's cause.

Pub #3 - around quarter to 5. Recently refurbished free house on the outskirts of the town centre. Three people in here, me included. I stay for a while, but I am the only person who has more than one drink. 

Back to Pub #2 - 7:30pm.  Bar area now occupied by four sixtysomething alcoholics alternately finding events hilarious or slumping morosely into their pints. I choose a different beer this time, which isn't vinegar but is less than inspiring. As is the company and the conversation. Back home it is. It's not even 8pm.

So, not a very convincing demonstration of increased trade outside typical hours. In fact several of the pubs precluded me testing this, as they remained steadfastly shut. One had it's door still closed at 4pm, despite advertising an opening time of 11:30. Another, which certainly was open on Friday, never actually opened at all.

It could be that Preston, in the immortal words of Pamela Blue, is as dead as the flies on the wall. It's also outside term time, which wouldn't help as the students from the exponentially expanding UCLAN will mostly be out of town. But would anyone, save for a really special event, actually choose to drink in a town pub early in the week?

If you want to feel miserable, then OK. This is for you. But if you want anything approaching a good time, then stay at home and watch satellite TV with the beverage or substance of your choice.