Uk Barblog

Uk Barblog is Moving

Uk Barblog is Moving

That's right readers, UK Barblog is moving over to a new address for 2008. From 12th January 2008 UK Barblog will be living at http://www.barblog.co.uk

For all the latest news and reviews please head over there now since http://barblog.lastminuteliving.com will no longer be updated. Redirects from all posts will shortly be included in all posts.

Why have we moved? Barblog has been steadily expanding over the last two years and as we reach 700 venues expansion is required beyond the the restrictions of this blogging template. On the new site you can expect some sleek technology upgrades and a lot more content. For a full list of all the new things we are offering our readers for free please go to the new site now.

If you are currently advertising on UK Barblog we will move all your ads over to our new platform before the big day so dont worry :)

Please update all your links and thanks for bearing with me.

Greg

Wetherspoons isn't Smoking now

Wetherspoons isn't Smoking now

Wetherspoon's shares fell by almost 20% this week in light of the fact that because of the smoking ban Wetherspoon's were unable to sustain usual seasonal profit margins. Not a massive surprise you would think yet thousands of pounds have been wiped off of the value of the company simply on this fact. I call the move irrational and unjustified.

How can something expected caused such a ruckus a brand which has clearly innovated and adjeusted to try and compensate for the obvious fact that Wetherspoosn and all pubs are clearly going to lose some money because of the fact they now are a few feet further from the bar than before and on a night out that means fewer drinks and over crowded streets.

The good news is that shares are expected to return to full profit and continue or their path of growth in 2008 - probably a year after this apart crash. My personal opinion is that the stocks will continue to rise following this fall and although Magners has taken such a hard hit I think vintage ciders will play a role in next years growth as it sits alongside Perry as a lower class champagne. Wetherspoons are already the only supplier of Perry in the consumer market for alcohol in pubs and with the innovation of wines on tap I think they are set to flood out of this dip for this season and smash a few records this Christmas.

Check out the current share price on Wetherspoons shares here.

Smoking is BANNED in all UK Pubs

Smoking is BANNED in all UK Pubs

Its official, it's being enforced as we speak - its the UK ban on Smoking in all enclosed public spaces. This author decided to get the point of view of the UK smoking public to see how they feel about the ban which affects all Bars Pubs and Clubs in the country as well as the space 10ft from the front door of these establishments - train stations, bus stations, depot's, shopping malls and restaurants. So, how do the smokers feel?

Dhruv R, London.
Status: Smoker

How do you feel about the smoking ban?
the smoking ban is probably the best thing that has happened to smokers . Its human nature to disregard something that is diffcult

Are you going to quit smoking following the ban?
No

Do you think the ban will have an impact on how much alcohol you drink?
Yes. I think it will lead to me drinking more alcohol

One Week til the Smoking Ban

One Week til the Smoking Ban

Who would have imagined it came round this fast. A few years ago this was but a thought on the mind of one or two politians and Saturday 30th June 2007 smokers will be able to take their last lung-full's of poised air and remember the good old days when their habit was not under threat.

From personal experience i would say that the majority of people see it as a good thing. If you are wearing you liver into a pulp you may as well have healthy lungs at the same time (although this author is sure they will find some link between Cider consumption and lung damage..) but many smokers are complaining about the right to kill themselves if they like. And of course with the late development of the " smoking jacket " passive smoking does not have to be the curse that it remains.

Of course it's too little too late - the smokers will attempt to avoid the banned smoking places and retire to the haven of thier living room for a drag while the rest of the world matures and moves on. However I have heard rumours that in Ireland and New York where this ban has already been enforced- those clubs where people were literally swimming in the soot from cigerettes are now enjoying blissful inhalations of vomit and old beer stench with a side order of old-man-musk.

For better or worse its the end of an era but as I see it barmen will now live longer and that will mean more interesting stories for them to share in the nursing homes of Birtan which would have become nonsense plagued minefields of pointless conversation without them.

Cider is as good for you as a Glass of Red Wine

Cider is as good for you as a Glass of Red Wine

Well thank the heavens, finally some serious boffins have experiemented with the apple nectar and realised what the cider drinkers have known all along - that its bloody good for you!

Apparently the antitoxidant: phenolic is present in the fermented juice of the apple and is used to ward off heart disease and cancer. Dr Serena Marks, one of the project staff, has claimed that the phenolic levels in Cider are comparable to red wine. the key is in the growth techniques used including the apple's exposure to light and expert soil composition.

This will mean great news for organic supporters who have long argued the case for rich natural growing conditions for fruit and just as in the case of organic wines this finding is likely to bring more traditional cider brewing techniques to the bars and pubs around the country and around the world.

Bulmers in particular as likely to see a surge in sales as cider continues to increase in the market share for alcohol consumption across the UK and on the continent.

For more info on this story checkout the Daily Mail website: "Drink up thy cider, it could be good for your health"

Off Licences & Liquor Stores - UK vs US

Off Licences & Liquor Stores

About two days ago I went into my first ever Liquor store in America in the sunny city of Tampa in Florida and I was totally amazed at the difference between the alcohol available in American liquor stores as opposed to what is available in my local "Offy".

1. Cider - Yes Cider is available in America but it's not very popular, only one in every five liquor stores and supermarkets apparently stocks in and currently only in bottled Strongbow form. Of course this is not real Cider but its leaps ahead from my first attempt to find a bottle of the stuff wherein I was asked by the assistant manager if I was after the liquid or the powered kind!

2. Beer - Being so far away from the European continent the only beers available are rather dodgy looking watery lagers and "light beers"...

Pubs in London (Holborn Soho Piccadilly)

Pubs in London

Looking for inspiration for new places to go out? Here is a list of the best bars pubs and clubs in the west-end of London (Holborn, Soho, Piccadilly, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street):

1. Strawberry Moons - 9/10
2. MoMo's Shisha Bar - 9/10
3. Waxy O' Conners - 8/10
4. Cheapskates - 8/10
5. Vodka Revolution - 8/10
6. The Green Man - 8/10
7. Sketch - 8/10
8. The Cittie of Yorke - 8/10
9. The Play Room - 7/10
10. The Bierodrome - 7/10

This list is based entirely on the bars i have visited. There maybe better ones and this list is likely to be updateed within the next few months. This posted was created due to high demand.

Please don't forget to comment if you disagree or if you would liek to see more lists like this.

Jagex promotes Alcohol to Kids

Game Promotes Alcohol to Kids

Hanging an arms length behind World of Warcraft, Jagex's MMORPG Runescape is one of the fastest growing virtual worlds in existence. Its world is fruitful, engaging and educational yet despite the dynamics of the game there is an underlying controversial element owing to the drinking of alcohol.

In the world of Runescape a character can indulge in drinking Beer by the pint glass or Wine by the jug, even Rum by the bottle. The effect of "drinking" alcohol in the game makes your character less perceptive but ultimately stronger and more healthy.

Barblog Nominated for Brit Blog Award

Barblog Nominated for Brit Blog Award

Hello all readers,

Just a quick note to let you know that UK Barblog has been nominated in the Metro Youth Category for a Brit Blog - Best Blogs in Britan award. You can register your vote for me (not that I'm convincing you to use your precious vote to fuel my blogging obsession...) here: http://tinyurl.com/2wpzl6  Not sure what the incentive would be for you as a reader but.. please please vote for me (was that incentive enough??). All votes will be very gratefully accepted.

More pubs to come (hopefully I find a few goodies soon since i'm getting fed up with hitting 3/10's and 2/10 pubs venues) so please continue reading and of course leaving those comments...

Greg

Barblog 2007 - (One year on)

Barblog 2007

It has been exactly one year since I first signed up to this service and improved my existing blog. It has grown from a measley 35-odd venues to an impressive 400 so what have I got in store for 2007?

• Mapping for all venues
• Entry costs for all venues if relevent
• Last Visit date - to give a more accurate perspective of my movements
• 100's of new bars pubs and clubs in Reading, Leicester & Hertfordshire
• Coverage of the Bar '07 event in June

Yes indeed that is all that is in store- well perhaps a few treats along the way. Please keep suggesting improvements and offering link exchanges as Barblog continues to grow (see growth since start of measurements March 2006).

Thanks for reading

Greg

Supporting the UK Smoking ban

Supporting the UK Smoking ban

Its official - July 1st 2007 sees all the pubs in the country suffer the might of the fist of the law and succumb to a destiny of smoke free pubbing.

Unfortunately the query is of economic importance- with 30% of the population of the UK being smokers the government has come down hard on the side of the minority and there has been little struggle to defend it.

Now why would I support such a cause? I have my Nan in one ear saying its an attack on her human rights but I for one am not a smoker and I look forward to getting rid of the smell of tobacco smoke replacing it with the waft of vomit and bad wine linguring in my local.

The "For" arguement:

The Hangover Cure

The Hangover Cure

I cannot pretend to be any kind of an expert on hangover cures but I have had my fill of hangovers (there can be no doubt about that, just read the rest of the blog). I have tried a lot of ways to put that thumping headache, churning stomach, ill, tired feeling in the ground for good and I can now claim to have found as close to a cure as I ever think I am going to get so heres my tips:

Before Drinking
Preparation is key, yes go all out on a night out, visit a thousand bars if you will but remember the cardinal rules of the bottle-

• Don't mix wine with beer or spirits, it will get on the floor quickly but you will be there for 48 hours
• The rule of colours - don't mix colours, especially with wine
• Be consistent, if your on the spirits to start, stay there, the same with beer...

Sneaking alcohol into Bars - Belly Device

Sneaking alcohol into Bars
People are getting cleverer all the time and so are gadgets and with the price of alcohol rising as much as it is in the UK the old punter is fighting back and fighting back in style. This week we'll look at:

The Beer Belly

The Beer Belly is the ultimate cool gift to get any heavy drinker- essentially one of those "feel what its like to be pregnant" uniforms strapped over the shoulders and under the clothes and it looked HILARIOUS! This is simply a mammoth belly which the punter fills with booze and can drink from using a supplied plastic pipe as the fluids are transferred from one Belly to another. Okay its a bit expensive but i'm sure if you slipped a bottle of vodka inside everytime you'd get away with sneaking alcohol into a club without issue. I just want to see the look on the bounchers face when he frisks you for knives at the club entrance and feels up the worlds most jiggley belly and a pipe which is seemingly coming out of your backside "I had a colonic this morning!" or "Dang my colostomies out again!". Who gets kicked out for that?

Buy The Beer Belly

News: Safe taxi cabs for girls only

Safe taxi cabs for girls only

After a great night pubbing and clubbing the last thing a girl wants to do is to face the journey home alone, even facing the drunken world among friends can be threatening and daunting when the only choices are dodgy cabs and night-buses. The risks or rape and assault are on the rise once again ans as the government cracks down it appears that one woman in Warrington has set up a company which might prove to end every Girly night out with smiles all round instead of tears. The 'pink ladies' cab company offers girls the opportunity get home safely and in style in the pink taxis.

News: The Secret to drinking more alcohol

The Secret to drinking more alcohol

Want to get totally bladder ed but can't keep the alcohol down? then mixing caffeine with drinking appears to be the latest way to go. It appears that by taking several pro plus on a night out alcohol consumption can spiral dangerously as far more can be taken on board without realising thus giving the effect of many drunk revellers actually being on drugs.

This break-through in understanding alcoholism comes as alcohol users begin drinking more and more of popular caffeine drinks such as Red bull. The BBC reports a startling number of Red Bull users are able to easily consume double the level of alcohol as before without much effort after a few hundred milligrammes of caffeine: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4826920.stm .

News: Getting in to bars Underage

Getting in to bars Underage

Since alcohol became a popular blood-sport back in the sixties and seventies kids have been trying to break into the liquor cabinet. Knowing how they do it can be the post pro-active approach to preventative methods but it also helps understand the teenage mind.

I will be the first to admit that I have an underage sibling at the moment who continuously claws to get himself into establishments. Talking to him reveals the most dynamic laid plans of the boozy night out for today's UK teenagers...

News: Bouncer Bounties

Bouncer Bounties

Under threat from the odd drunk punter who cannot even throw a punch means that working as a bouncer at a club is never too difficult but unfortunately as well all know things can be a little more sinister than this. The culture of drugs and gangs which has reared its ugly head over the last few years in certain hotspots accross the country have pushed up the salary for our burly bouncers but also has pushed up the risk on their lives.

Recently the BBC reported that a Bouncer was shot dead just for asking a hooded punter to remove his headwear at the door of a pub (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4805024.stm). The fact that this individual had a gun and used it is a hard enough fact to comprend- after all bouncers can hardly be equipped with weapons of such force when they are in fact illegal.

News: Drink Driving to work

Drink Driving to work

Its the classic story of the best evening out in ages and then a long drive somewhere the next day. But be it long or short if you had a bit of a binge the night before its still in your blood and many people will claim to be a bit wobbly on their feet the morning after and will get in the car feeling just as such. 'Morning after' drink-driving could soon be followed by a crackdown by the police even though most people do not realise they are even breaking the law.

It has been suggested that the police have a job to do to make people more aware of the dangers heavy-drinking, is having on our weekend driving and in many cases can cause accidents in hazy hours of a Monday morning.

News: Luminar Leisure drop the Deity

Luminar Leisure drop the Deity

Thats right EROS is officially closed although it appears not closed down forever. Luminar Leisure have announced that they plan to focus on brand image and in doing so have sold off Eros as one of their venues.

Unfortunately this means that for many clubbers who enjoy the convieiance of a club which sits just outside london and next to the A10 will be forced to trek into town for a similar weekend or weekday experience. Many club nights have been migrated to other clubs although since the venue makes the evening for some clubbers, going that extra mile just wont be worth it.

News: Terrorist threat to Drinkers

Terrorist threat to Drinkers

Today sees the prosecution of a gang of terrorists who plotted to blow up Pubs and Clubs in the UK. How can we be expected to relax with a pint in our local with the the threat of such actions only around the corner?

Attacking clubs is not a new idea for terrorists, pretty much any crowded place can be a target because it can do the most damage and cause the most disruption. With a drinking culture like ours Brits can always be expected to fill out most drinking holes in the country at the weekends and in the evenings after work. This makes them a threat to not only bombings but also hostage situations and shootings.

News: New Category

New Category for Barblog = News

UK Barblog will carry news items from today about the UK Bar Industry. This important feature is currently the only portal on the web for Bar news so if you are a punter, landlord or member of bar staff this section will allow you to keep tabs on the shifting industry in the UK.

Enjoy reading.