Not me asking the question. The title of a BBC article. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyjv38q978o
Without looking at the article, I would say deprivation will be the key factor. Large parts of the city and surrounding areas are highly deprived. This leads to less opportunities in industry and education (or the will to seek them out) and then the cycle of alcohol) becoming a daily thing more common.
It's low wages / income from the state. So less people have excess income to seek out the better things in life. So use what they have to buy cheap alcohol. There are lots to be bought for cheap if you wanted to drink all day in your flat. These individuals are not going to Keel Tavern or the Fire Station on a Saturday night. It's a different type. I would say it's deprivation and a culture aspect.
I work fulltime as does my wife we couldnt afford to drink and smoke 7 days a week so it baffles me where the workshy get the money to drink & smoke themselves to death from. Monday - Friday take a walk up and down the pubs of Concord front street and the same workshy, bone idol drains on society are sat in the same seat day after day drinking and smoking outside. Assume these plonkys drink 10-12 pints a day and the majority smoke I would say thats at least £50 per day they are draining from the benefit system, it makes me sick.
Aye it does me too. That's what I am saying. It's a different crowd doing it and the majority are class as deprived. Lower income than most and of rely on state benefits. Me and the Mrs are the same. After the kids, bills and house, no way could we do what they do! That said, they won't have to spend their money on those things and me and you spend it on.
I agree culture aspect. If they are short of money they must have better things to spend it on. If some of the comments on here are true then those people drink too much.
That's the issue, when it's heavy booze and low wages with no education or opportunity, it's just the cycle of doom. That's the only thing that they have and just rinse and repeat.
Many people,when they're low,depressed,feel they have no purpose in life and have no optimism for the future,turn to comfort.....it can be junk food,drugs or booze,or a combination,and when some get addicted into it,it's very often a downward spiral. There's no doubt that,for many,prospects in Sunderland have been historically low. However,with the redevelopment currently under way and planned for the future,I'm hoping the younger generation here will see a brighter future ahead,and the problems of now and in the past will significantly decrease. A successful football team also will definately help with a feeling of well-being!
Hope so mate. The investment into infrastructure, industry and education is absolutely huge across the city!
You’re not wrong mind, Concord spoons always has the same blokes in early doors but remember they drink whatever’s cheapest normally and that’ll be about £2 a pint. Since COVID I started working from home and ended up on the drink most nights because I’m a bit of a nerd and go on my gaming PC with friends so it felt almost like a social thing (even though it’s ironically the opposite). Some nights it was only 3 or 4 cans but the later I stayed up the faster I’d drink and I often woke up next morning and there was 10+ cans on the kitchen side. On a weekend I’d drink anywhere between 6-12 cans each day. Missus likes a drink but nowhere near as much as me mind. We’d normally pick up 3 crates of 10 on offer on the Thursday shop and say it’s to last the weekend yet I’d always find myself going round the shop for some pint tins on a Sunday because I was going to run out. That’s with being at the match on a Saturday and having 7/8 pints anarl. Reckon it was probably costing us an extra £50 a week on the shopping just to drink beer in the house. That’s without the £50 alone I’d spend on drink on matchday and probably the same again the pair of us going for a few pints after work midweek. But when you take into consideration for that £50 I’d be getting more than 60 440ml cans.. That’s probably why so many people choose to drink in the house now. Now I’ve cut right back and go to the gym 6 days a week our shopping bill has gone up because of all the heathy bait!
I sometimes drive through concord on my way to work on a morning and they are waiting outside to get in, thats around 7.40 in the morning !!
Totally agree,for the vast majority. There are some though who are bone idle scroungers ,whose only mission in life is to grab the most they can from the system, whilst putting in as little effort as possible. They don't look for purpose....they look to play the victim....if they get it right, life's a doddle. If our city gets its' regeneration right,they're the ones who should be called out.
I totally agree with that although I'd say that, to an extent, people have been gradually pushed into being scroungers and they're stuck in that mentality for life. Governments don't always provide the investment for proper sustainable employment because benefits are a quick and easy solution. Part time, minimum contract or call centre type jobs aren't going to tempt people off benefits especially if they're unsociable hours or short term contracts. I've always worked but sometimes it would've been easier to go down the council house/benefits/work on the side route ... ... it's only my pride and upbringing that's always made me work, some people don't have either of those things and it'll just get worse.
Totally agree,opportunity for people to be productive and,thus, to enable them to look after themselves and their families, is a priority for any Govt.,and one in which consectutive administrations have continually failed. It's the backdrop to our times,I suppose.
Those that go down that path tend to go for the cheap hit and prefer it to 3 square meals a day. It’s difficult to comment on it truthfully as I’ve never been anywhere near to being in a life like that but it must be a vicious circle all their mates will be the same so their universe knows no different. There but for the grace of god and all that.
I was once told off, by my in-laws for giving an old homeless fella a few quid ... ... so I gave him some more. They said, 'He'll only spend it on drink' ... I said if I was living in a shop doorway I'd endeavour to be pissed 24 hours a day
My first comment on the thread I started. Totally agree. Academically I didn’t shine at all, despite, in part, a private school education. I left school in 1982 with exactly the same amount of qualifications I started school with in 1972. I was also a lazy get in my teens but had enough about me to know I wasn’t going to be a drain on the state. It’s why I joined the army. So I don’t buy into the excuses that some come out with about not having the best start in life. It’s all about personal pride and drive. I’ve never asked for a thing and everything I’ve achieved is due to my own work ethic (and marrying someone who understood money a lot better than I did). I like a beer but hardly drink. It’s more of a social thing. Two is my limit these days.
I've read with interest. Can I ask,how was your home life during your further education? PS: If it's too personal,please ignore.
