Entertainment For Lively Minds
Drink Prices At Venues
Posted by David Wright on 5 October 2010 - 11:29am.
Just wondered what people's thoughts were on drink prices at venues? I was at Manchester Apollo on Sunday night (Level 42 review up) and although expected, was appalled at the bar prices. There was no beer on tap and three cans of Calsberg cost over £11!! This just isn't on is it? I'm pleased to report that after one drink we fled from the bar and I'm pleased lots of other punters did too. It will surely reach the stage where people just won't be prepared to pay these prices anymore, this on top of your ticket price, hotel, train costs etc. Apart from this, I had a great night with a real slapper!
- More from David Wright.
- Login or register to post comments
-
You held up better than me David...
I would have just sat on the floor and cried if they charged me £11 for 3 tins of beer that cost 50p each at the offy.
Mate of mine went to Wembley a year or so ago and got herself a plastic glass of white wine for something silly. When she complained that it was warm, the barman rolled his eyes and offered to put an ice cube in it for her, for an extra 50p!
I want more info
about the slapper
Slap Fest
He'd put on a bit of weight, but I'm sure he'll lose it during the percussion break each night! What work out, check it out:
Drat!
I had a feeling that was your definition of a 'slapper'
Could it be a good thing?
Whilst I think that the prices are outrageous (I tend to have a bottle of water these days at gigs because it's easier to make it last and harder to spill when applauding - normally about £2!) I can't help thinking that people drinking less at gigs could be good thing. Reduced drinking would result in reduced barging through to go to the toilet, reduced barging through with four pints slopping on everyone, lower volume levels for the non-stop conversationalists.
Reduced drinking....
....would immediately result in higher prices for food, merchandise, parking and everything else. The drinks are priced the way they are because they're one of the few prices that the venue has control over. The more the band wants to keep for themselves the more the venue will try to get their share out of your pocket.
Fair Enough
There were fewer people going to the toilet during the gig, I only went once myself which can't be a bad thing and there was less chatting during the gig too, which I can't abide. There were indeed fewer blokes with pints in hands, they just had gaffer tape on their thumbs!
The prices are bad
but what really gets my goat is waiting at the bar whilst everyone pays by credit/debit card for 2 drinks !
You're going to a gig, how hard can it be to make sure you have 30 quid in cash on you ?
Try Toronto
About $12 (8 quid) for a large beer at big rock shows. A tip is expected too!
I am pretty sure that the UK is the cheapest place to drink out when you consider generally affluent countries.
Sounds like NZ all the time!
Dunedin is way down on the South Island - i.e. a long way from Auckland, so you might expect prices to be equivalent to somewhere like Liverpool - but a 'handle' of beer costs you $8 in a pub here. This is little more than half a pint and, at current exchange rates, equates to about £3.50. Bearing in mind that my salary is also about half what it would be in the UK, this is some expensive drinking!
Most of the local brews taste like cold piss n'all.
The other end of the scale
I went to south Africa with a pop group once. They were playing sports halls. One night in Joburg (do you see how I got the lingo?) I went to the bar. Beer only sold in (ice cold) 6 packs. One of them and two large GnTs cost the equivalent of £3. There was fresh BBQ too.
I'm moving
to SA
Knocked all that on the head
about three years ago.
Probably something to do with having a bladder the size of pea. A very small pea.
Saved loads of money and can always remember the whole gig.
Top Tip
Hip flask of gin in the handbag. Choice of the poor and the miserly alike x
Went To See An Unsigned Band Play...
..at an O2 in Liverpool - they were expected to bring and did - 50 people. Band played their set then left because their fans couldn't afford the bar prices. 50+ people decamped to the pub on the corner where they settled down for the night and drank a fair amount. Good revenue for the pub but loss for the O2.