020 Alcohol

"Alcohol"

Last weekend pubs reopened their beer gardens in Scotland and this weekend its the turn of the pubs themselves- indoors. By all accounts not a lot of people are rushing back. As one guy put it saracastically: I can't wait to start paying £6 for a pint again. There isn't a lot of appeal at the moment with the two meter rule as that eliminates the social aspect and without that there is not a lot of benefit- especially for big groups of friends.

And it is the social side rather than the alcohol itself. I mean if someone wants to just get drunk then why spend £40 or whatever sitting in the pub all night to do it when it can be done on the street or at home for under a tenner? That has been the worry during lockdown. It has been reported that a large number of people have turned to alcohol more to get through it. Social drinking it is not. I fear sometimes about the grip it has on society here.

I've noticed more and more bottles of strong alcohol strewn about the place. At the top of the street alone on a patch of grass I counted 5 broken Buckfast bottles- the drink of choice in these parts. I've never tasted it so I can't judge its appeal on that merit but to me it looks like it would taste of Benolyn which is not for me. I tend to agree with the general consensus that it's cheap and gets you drunk quick. The bottle pictured is new to me. The first I had seen it. On further inspection in looks like a Scottish alternative to what the Monks make in their Abbey. On closer inspection its £6.95 for a 15% proof bottle. I can imagine that is appealing to a group of teenagers unfortunately. That is the culture. Even further promoted by a Scottish pop star swaggering about with the more popular tonic wine at a music award show.

It would be hypocritical of me to get on my soap box when I do like a drink myself. I do like that feeling of relaxation after a pint. I like the warm glow. But that is enough for me. I don't like feeling ill or not remembering things I have done or embarrassing myself. I don't like the bitterness and venom that surfaces when merry turns to too much. I think there is a place for it but the abusive culture concerns me and with all the woes coming our way as an island I fear things could get worse.