British consumers will visit the pub more than 6,000 times during their lifetime, enjoying 7,786 pints of lager and 5,579 packets of crisps along the way. They’ll hear time called on 1,728 occasions, and those who generously tend to buy a round will do so almost 12,000 times — that doesn’t include the 21%t who never get the drinks in.
The information comes from a survey conducted by OnePoll for the Licensed Trade Charity, which also found that pub-goers will attend 696 pub quizzes, getting a respectable 39 per cent of questions correct. And they’ll belt out a total of 769 numbers during their lifetime, across 719 karaoke nights held at their local.
The study of 1,000 pub-goers found four in 10 had been counting the days until their local opened up again. In fact, recent events have left 69% fearing for the future of the industry, amid concerns they wouldn’t be able to drink there again.
Forty-four per cent admit they’ve been completely lost without their local, with 62% arguing they are the heart and soul of local communities.
Worryingly, the charity, which also polled 100 pub workers, found two-thirds of staff members have had sleepless nights due to the current plight of the industry. Seven in 10 revealed their mental health has suffered for the same reason.
James Brewster, chief executive of the Licensed Trade Charity, said: “The research highlights just how important pubs and pub workers are. Pubs are truly the heart of the community for so many and have been sorely missed over the past few months.
“As such, it has been an incredibly challenging time for the many pub workers in this country — and we are here to support them.”
The study also found the typical pub-goer usually spends around four hours a week down their local — across a typical year this works out to be around nine days in total. In their lifetime, they will enjoy 6,131 pints of cider, 3,372 pints of shandy, and 6,499 pints of real ale, not forgetting the pork scratchings — they’ll tuck into 3,433 packets of those.
‘This study goes some way to shining a light on invaluable service hard-working pub workers provide’
Those polled will also savour 612 Sunday roasts, with all the trimmings. Additionally, they head down their local to watch football on 2,144 occasions and rugby a further 1,691 times.
While their affection for the pub is clear, 47% admit they don’t tend to appreciate just how hard bar staff work. Further to this, 70% think the industry needs greater support — a view shared by 89% of workers. Indeed, seven in 10 members of staff admit they find it hard to get their voice heard when it comes to the future of the pub industry.
Ultimately, though, three-quarters of workers have been champing at the bit to get behind the bar and serve customers once again.
But there is more to their role than simply pouring drinks and serving food. The study found three in 10 pub-goers have confided in bar staff about personal matters.
James Brewster added: “Every year we provide practical, emotional, and financial support to hundreds of people working in the pub industry, and that includes those working in breweries too.
“People who manage or work in pubs give a lot of time, energy, and often compassion to their customers, but they don’t necessarily get the recognition they deserve.
“However, this study goes some way to shining a light on invaluable service hard-working pub workers provide — it’s so much more than pulling pints.”
