We Spoke To The People of Dudley and Their Memories of Pubs In The Area
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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.