On 19/02/2009, Steve Haywood <[email protected]> wrote: > I think in some respects it's true. In the past on the cut, if you drunk at > all, you drunk at pubs. You might, God forbid, have a Watneys Party Seven on > board; and occasionally you might take a jug along for carry out. But beer > was the drink. Now, of course, we all drink wine. And gin and whiskey and I > don't know what else too. Part of it the fact we can afford it; part of it's > the social revolution in the country and the canals the last 25 years. Part > of it is just boaters being tight the way we always have been. For a couple > of pints in a pub you can get a half decent bottle of wine. > > Steve >
Steve's right - this is why canal side pubs have almost all diversified into food, perhaps with some loss of character, though I don't miss the smokers' fug. But the Nelson did food better than most. I must admit that it's rare that I visit a pub when boating without eating as well, and if we are in confession mode, often after a drink on board first. And despite endless binge drinking copy in the papers, I suspect that we drink less these days. -- Nigel Stanley
