Nottingham’s growing micropub community could help the city deal with its problem drinking culture, an addiction specialist has said.
Nick Tegerdine, an addicition consultant and campaigner, said the current crop of tiny taverns are a step in the right direction away from venues that he says promote binge drinking behaviour.
Often set up in small buildings such as former shops, and typically only one room, mircopubs often focus on real ale and conversation, shunning cheap drinks promotions.
Several have opened in Nottingham since 2011 in a period when the city has been tackling its reputation for hard drinking and a rise in the number of people with serious health problems related to alcohol.
There were 110 deaths from chronic liver disease in those under 75 in Nottingham between 2008 and 2010.
This equates to a mortality rate of 16.23 deaths per 100,000 people, significantly higher than the England average of 9.99 per 100,000.
Mr Tegerdine said: “There are obvious problems in terms of antisocial behaviour in Nottingham, but also the health consequences in Nottinghamshire historically have been higher than average.
“But the big harms that people see are what they see in the street – people messing about outside their houses, the fear of violence the perception that things are going wrong.
“Those problems tend to emanate from a small number of very large pubs.”
“In a micropub if anyone has had too much to drink, the staff will deal with it properly, and probably wouldn’t serve them too much in the first place.
“And people enjoy conversation in these places – men and women, young and old, gay or straight black or white. These places are contributing to responsible, sensible drinking and not doing anything that makes a problem in their local community.”
Dan Hancocks, landlord of the Doctor’s Orders, a former pharmacy and micro pub on Mansfield Road, Sherwood, says the venues promote a close-knit and sensible approach to beer.
He said: “It’s going back to the traditional style of pub – they are community hubs and we do tend to know the people who drink in our pubs. We know their families and we know them, they talk to us about what;s going on in their lives.”
Other micropubs include Room With a Brew, Derby Road, and the Abdication in Daybrook.
Andrew Ludlow, from the Nottingham branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, said: “Most of the micropubs are really designed for the local community. The people that have established them have looked around the local area and thought about what people really want.
“They then produce a small, environmental, friendly location, so when you come in it’s a little haven, an oasis of peace, and a chance to chat to your friends. It’s just a real, great social experience. ”
