'Apocalypse when?' Says pub trade body

A YouGov poll for the British Beer & Pub Association shows that licensing law change has not encouraged people to go to the pub more or resulted in pub goers drinking much later into the evening.

According to the poll, 85 per cent of pub goers say the licensing change has made no difference to how often they go out.

The survey also found more than one in five pub goers (23 per cent) are now more likely to stay in a 'favoured local pub' rather than going into a town centre, late-night bar.

In the younger 18-29 year age group, this trend is even more pronounced, with 36 per cent saying they were now more likely to stay local.

Twenty-four-hour pubs and drinking remain one of the great urban myths - what we are seeing is an extension of choice for adults and people are responding to that choice positively​Rob Hayward, BBPA chief executive.

And 21 per cent of people say they now feel under less pressure to drink quickly

Rob Hayward, BBPA chief executive, comments: "This survey shows that in contrast to the apocalyptic predictions of the doom and gloom merchants, the change in our licensing laws has not unleashed a free for all.​

"Just as the pub trade has responded responsibly to reform, so people are behaving reasonably and rationally as it beds down.

"There has been no dramatic upswing in the amount we go out or how long we spend out.

"What is most encouraging from this survey is what it has revealed about changes in some underlying patterns of socialising and pub going that have started to evolve - people feeling under less pressure to drink rapidly, staying local rather than rushing into town centres for a late night drink and starting to go out a bit later in the evening.

"These evolving trends are all taking pressure and pinch points out of the typical night out and helping make it a more leisurely, relaxed and pleasurable experience.

"Twenty-four-hour pubs and drinking remain one of the great urban myths - what we are seeing is an extension of choice for adults and people are responding to that choice positively."

The YouGov survey also shows the range of reasons people go to the pub in the average week:Drinking 68%Meet friends 66%Have an evening meal 40%Have lunch 27%Meet work colleagues 19%Live music 16%Having a soft drink 14%Compete in pub quizzes 13%