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Some thoughts on the reopening of pubs. When they come back there will be two major changes: Seating only, with much reduced capacity, and table service. Ordering at the bar will no longer be a thing. 1/8
A consequence of the capacity reduction, along with terrible queues to get in, is that pubs will struggle to get enough revenue. 2/8
Some pubs will combat this with price rises. Popular establishments may hit the fabled £10 pint more frequently, but this will not work for all. 3/8
Another way pubs could increase their revenue is to stay open for longer. Fixed costs are fixed, so if a pub can stay busy enough to cover staff then even a small amount of revenue at 2am on a Tuesday night is extra profit for the owner. 4/8
Staying open longer will help with people getting into the pub too. Some folk will go early; some may turn up at midnight for a couple of hours before bed. It should have the effect of making the pub more accessible. 5/8
Given the choice between the liberalisation of licensing laws and the mass closure of maybe half of all pubs, it’s pretty clear in which direction government will go. 6/8
The UK pub scene will start to look much more like European café culture, which it turns out is a culture much better suited to social distancing during a pandemic. 7/8
Has European café culture unconsciously evolved over time as a social defence against infectious disease? 8/8
