We Spoke To The People of Dudley and Their Memories of Pubs In The Area
We Spoke To The People of Dudley and Their Memories of Pubs In The Area
Transcript
00:00Hello, I'm Jazzyk Mirowicz. Behind me is the Courthouse here in Dudley. It's one of
00:04the traditional pubs within this town, there's plenty of them, but a lot of pubs
00:08are disappearing because of cost, because of changing times, they've turned into
00:12other businesses. So we've been out in Dudley today speaking to people about
00:15their memories of the pubs that they maybe have lost over time, the pubs that
00:19they've enjoyed drinking at, and what it is about them that they love, plus also
00:22what can be done to preserve pubs going forward. So let's go into Dudley and see what they have to say.
00:27The Angel Hook is on the corner, it's a British heart band actually, the pub that's up there, Yates' upstairs, and that's where they've got Yates' wine bar.
00:37So obviously when you walked around Dudley you knew a lot of pubs you'd go to.
00:40Yeah, there was a lot of pubs up in Dudley, there was wine bars, there was everything.
00:44And what were your memories of those times, what were the pubs like?
00:46It was great, great time then, when Dudley was Dudley.
00:50You mean the sort of place where you could go in and just catch up with old friends, have a chat?
00:54Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was it. I mean you could pick your pubs, now there was that many pubs.
00:59I mean at one time you could walk down from the Grange and walk down, there's different pubs here, different everywhere.
01:05And they've all changed to Indian restaurants now.
01:07How important in that case do you think it is to preserve older pubs?
01:11Yeah, absolutely, well, it's like the cook at Yates, I mean that was back then,
01:20I was down there when I was a kid, my mum and dad.
01:24Keeping pubs like the Courthouse, a place like that?
01:26Yeah, Courthouse, yeah, when the lad Brooks said that there should be a pub.
01:30Well I'm not actually a drinker as such, I'm a total drinker, weddings, christenings, things like that.
01:35But when I moved into the estate there was about seven public houses, now there's one, the Swan.
01:42I used to use the Artie Goodfellas, which is opposite the Tower Blocks, that's now a pizza place.
01:47I don't know why that's short, because it was always packed.
01:49But for my friends who do use the pubs, there's very little choice around it at the moment, and the choice is bad.
01:56What do you think has been the sort of change over time, do you think it's been a change in drinking culture, or what do you think the change has been?
02:01Cost, I think it's simply the cost.
02:03And also Blair, I don't like Blair, but one thing he did do is he got rid of licences and hours, Cameron brought them back again, which I think is a bad move.
02:11I don't know why, but we're now back in Shutton at eleven, nobody works nine to five anymore.
02:17I'm retired, but it don't bother me.
02:19But people work, when I used to work merry-o-lates, come out at twelve o'clock, I couldn't go for a drink, you can't anymore.
02:26And people say, who wants a drink at twelve? Well people finishing work at eleven do.
02:30Fair point. And what do you think can be done to preserve pubs going forward?
02:34I think the government need to give them more help.
02:36Probably suspend VAT on the... I don't know why we've still got VAT, didn't people drove Vexit? I never, but some people did.
02:43But we've still got VAT, which is a throwback to Europe, isn't it?
02:46Yeah, they could give them some help.
02:48And, see I don't like to pick on the minimum wage, because I don't think it's high enough, but if you're a struggling pub, then it's too high.
02:55So it's a catch-22, isn't it?
02:58My dad used to think he won't go to the water, but he was right.
03:01None of the children were allowed in the bar.
03:07There's a lot of pubs, a lot of tip-offs now. I used to think I was off.
03:11I suppose that's the question, from sort of then to now, how many of those pubs still exist?
03:16Off the top of my head. About half.
03:19Maybe less.
03:21What's changed over time, do you think they've just struggled to compete?
03:25Well, I can go in a supermarket and get four cans for four quid.
03:31You go in a pub and you can pay four quid a pint.
03:33With some kids.
03:35My local's fun, it's not that big of a difference.
03:38And what was the name of some of your locals back in the day?
03:42One sort of shut.
03:44Take the boat up the hill.
03:46Red Lion.
03:50Prince's End, I don't think it's...
03:52We've got a pub now. Prince's End and Tipper.
03:55And there's the upper street.
03:57And what do you think can be done to preserve pubs like those, if they're still open?
04:01Take the vat off the beer.
04:03You know, it's too expensive.
04:05It won't compete with supermarkets.
04:10I don't know what else.
04:12I'm turning them into restaurants now, which is...
04:15You like the idea of a traditional pub, basically?
04:17Yeah. A proper pub.
04:19Wetherspoons is great.
04:21But it won't be Wetherspoons.
04:23Box and toy, for someone double-diggering.