24/7 Society

robschneider
Posts: 324
Joined: Wed 14 Aug, 2013 14.53

As more and more of us work shifts and different hours, why is it that the infrastructure of this country - in terms of services, retail and leisure - is still of the opinion that everyone works 9 to 5, Monday to Friday and goes to Church on Sunday?

Apart from our incredibly backward Sunday Trading laws (which, ironically, got their abolishment blocked by the SNP - when there's already free Sunday trading north of the border) things like shops, bars, cafes and clubs seem to ignore anyone who doesn't get up at 5am and is in bed with some Bovril by 9pm.

In my town, for example, the shops and services are all open from 6-6:30am, but many will shut by 2pm. Most pubs are shut midweek by 10:30pm. Infact I drove through my (fairly large) town at 11pm tonight, and it was like one of those horror movies where everybody is dead except you.

I used to often work weekends, and still sometimes do - so Monday and Tuesday will be my days off. Sunday night is therefore my Friday night, or it would be if anywhere was open long enough. No sooner do I get to the pub than they're shutting up shop and telling everyone to piss off. (The pub industry must the only industry I know where paying customers are told, often quite aggressively, to sod off. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.)

But then can I find any food? No, because there's no takeaways open and as I've had a drink I can't drive to the only open place, McDonald's. So I have to go hungry.

It's not just me... go into any Tesco Express or similar at 6pm on Sunday. It'll be rammed.

If we're going to have a 24/7 society, we need to cater for those people who are providing it.
Square Eyes
Posts: 630
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 13.38

Presumably for the same reason why Tesco scaled back the 24/7 opening of many of its stores. There just isn't the economic demand.
bilky asko
Posts: 1400
Joined: Sat 08 Nov, 2008 19.48

robschneider wrote:As more and more of us work shifts and different hours, why is it that the infrastructure of this country - in terms of services, retail and leisure - is still of the opinion that everyone works 9 to 5, Monday to Friday and goes to Church on Sunday?

Apart from our incredibly backward Sunday Trading laws (which, ironically, got their abolishment blocked by the SNP - when there's already free Sunday trading north of the border) things like shops, bars, cafes and clubs seem to ignore anyone who doesn't get up at 5am and is in bed with some Bovril by 9pm.

In my town, for example, the shops and services are all open from 6-6:30am, but many will shut by 2pm. Most pubs are shut midweek by 10:30pm. Infact I drove through my (fairly large) town at 11pm tonight, and it was like one of those horror movies where everybody is dead except you.

I used to often work weekends, and still sometimes do - so Monday and Tuesday will be my days off. Sunday night is therefore my Friday night, or it would be if anywhere was open long enough. No sooner do I get to the pub than they're shutting up shop and telling everyone to piss off. (The pub industry must the only industry I know where paying customers are told, often quite aggressively, to sod off. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.)

But then can I find any food? No, because there's no takeaways open and as I've had a drink I can't drive to the only open place, McDonald's. So I have to go hungry.

It's not just me... go into any Tesco Express or similar at 6pm on Sunday. It'll be rammed.

If we're going to have a 24/7 society, we need to cater for those people who are providing it.
I live in a town with less than 10,000 people. I can get a takeaway any night of the week until 12pm at the very least, and up until 2pm on Friday and Saturday.

I'm not sure which shops and services open 6-2 in your town - the supermarkets are both open 7am-10pm Monday-Saturday, the local newsagent is 6:30am-7:30pm (and frequently later), the pubs open until 11pm midweek, and I think the reaction from pub staff is more of a reflection of the sort of pubs you go to than anything else. Or perhaps your behaviour there.

If I wanted a pint of milk at 3am on a Thursday and a takeaway burger, I'd move to Hull.
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all new Phil
Posts: 1965
Joined: Sun 13 Feb, 2005 00.04
Location: Next door to Hell

robschneider wrote:No sooner do I get to the pub than they're shutting up shop and telling everyone to piss off.
Do you find that happens much when you go places?
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WillPS
Posts: 2456
Joined: Tue 22 Apr, 2008 18.32
Location: Carlton
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bilky asko wrote:If I wanted a pint of milk at 3am on a Thursday ... I'd move to Hull.
What are you, made of money?!
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robschneider
Posts: 324
Joined: Wed 14 Aug, 2013 14.53

all new Phil wrote:
robschneider wrote:No sooner do I get to the pub than they're shutting up shop and telling everyone to piss off.
Do you find that happens much when you go places?
Oh you're hilarious.

I find it happens when I rock up to the pub at 10pm of a Sunday.
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dosxuk
Posts: 673
Joined: Thu 07 Feb, 2008 21.37
Location: Sheffield

The people I know who run pubs and bars are generally quite happy to stay open late on a Sunday, provided people are actually buying drinks.

If there's just the odd straggler wandering in and getting a drink while everyone else just nurses the pint they bought 2 hours ago, then its time to close up for the night.

Besides, isn't it a bit "lefty" to expect services to be available for those who want/need them regardless of if there's any commercial interest in providing those services?
barcode
Posts: 1495
Joined: Wed 29 Aug, 2007 19.36

robschneider wrote: Apart from our incredibly backward Sunday Trading laws (which, ironically, got their abolishment blocked by the SNP - when there's already free Sunday trading north of the border) things like shops, bars, cafes and clubs seem to ignore anyone who doesn't get up at 5am and is in bed with some Bovril by 9pm.
Not this crap again? There is TORY MAJ gov which covers England, WHY did the Tory and Labour MPs help SNP to block it? OF course its not the tories fault its someone else... :?
bilky asko
Posts: 1400
Joined: Sat 08 Nov, 2008 19.48

Rob could always buy alcohol for a drink at home. Though I suppose a bottle of Haig Club might look a bit similar to the Versace Eau du Toilette he keeps in the fridge...
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robschneider
Posts: 324
Joined: Wed 14 Aug, 2013 14.53

dosxuk wrote:Besides, isn't it a bit "lefty" to expect services to be available for those who want/need them regardless of if there's any commercial interest in providing those services?
Yes, it is - but as we move to a 24/7 Society you have to be able to cater for people whose lifestyle clock isn't the one everyone had in 1972.
Jovis
Posts: 1454
Joined: Fri 25 Aug, 2006 20.08

Where do you live, Rob? Because I don't recognise it as a picture of a modern British town at all.
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