Wednesday, August 8

Pubs and Bars ...

... I was lying in bed the other morning, listening to ABC radio, and heard the president of the Australian Hotels Association banging on about how Sydney folk didn’t want or need nice wee bars where you can SIT and CHAT at the same time you are having a drink!!! Not what Sydney wants according to this chap, sitting and talking.
It actually made me a little bit cross because this person who happens to live in Sydney actually does. I’m not a fan of pubs, they are noisy, you can’t chat and until July they were full of smoke. I’d always end up with a sore throat and reeking of 2nd hand smoke - yuck. I’d love a place to meet friends, have a drink and chat – I love to chat (but not on the phone).
Anyway, Dom Knight has put it very well, better than I could. I’ll only add, why not give it a go? If Sydney doesn’t want them, the bars will go broke & close down! Where’s the harm in that Mr president of the AHA?

5 comments:

Roo said...

Is he mad - everybody wants a decent small bar without too much fuss etc.

We hit on the idea of every last Sunday of the month, telling all our friends that we will be in one particular bar, with coffee, drinks and the papers, and whoever turns up. Then we sit and catch up. It's dead informal and some weeks it's just been me and Peter, but it's a real chill ;o)

Ms Brown Mouse said...

That sounds like an ideal set up, perhaps we'll be able to do it here one day - as it is it's cafes for that sort of thing, and they don't like you sitting around for hours and hours!
The hotel chap is a prat & is feeling threatened, doesn't like the idea of losing customers!

Roo said...

No-one does, but he has really missed the point about what the market is missing - he should be taking up the challenge instead of griping about it!

e said...

Neighborhood hangouts are great, and not so common anymore, at least not in LA. Who wouldn't want a neighborhood hangout?

Anonymous said...

this fellow is bonkers. what a presumptious arrogant statement to make. OF COURSE people love to go to wee bars to sit and chat - provided they're not full of big screen TV sets, blaring juke boxes, smoke and pokie machines.
I would give my eye teeth for such a place over here.
people here don't really meet after work for a bevvy at a wine bar or a pub - they go to a coffee shop. it's kind of wierd.
they have bars and clubs, but very very few informal and decent pubs that are within throwing distance of my house.