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I was just in newcastle for four days and I was literally shocked at seeing how much everyone drinks.... I decided to take a walk around and you'd see kids the age of 12 already with a beer in their hand, and gangs of youngsters including very aggressive women sort of vandalizing private property completely drunk.... upon sunset I was told by the locals to be careful because stabbings are very common due to fights and the high number of drunk people.
I also noticed it was cold and women dress mini skirts, tiny shirts... no sweaters or coats (you can see the pink rash on their arms because of the cold)
sunday morning is bad, you actually go out and there are beer cans and vomit EVERYWHERE!!!! even drunk girls laying on the pavement with their legs spread apart completely passed out at 9 am trying to get home....
according to some, hey its having a good time (but having a good time to me doesnt mean getting intoxicated to the point i can't move and i pass out on the street covered in vomit, under the november rain with my legs spread out and half my genitalia showing!!)
I also noticed a lot of people with yellowish eyes, cirrhosis I imagine.... my host told me it's quite common for young people to already show symptoms of cirrhosis and the female population of the UK tends to drink the most, they actually surpass men in the drinking department.
I was also told its widespread and common all over the UK
it is shocking, but why drink so much!!! is there a reason?
It's because of their culture, it places heavy emphasis on alcohol and drinking, the UK is one of the worst places for it I believe. British people are generally not very religious as well compared to other countries, so they don't care as much about what they do as long as it makes them feel good. Clubbing and partying are also very big in the UK culture because of this. Have you seen the show, "World's Strictest Parents", pretty much every bad kid on that show is British or Australian being sent to the US, Africa or Asia etc. to get disciplined.
I don't know about the stabbings but Newcastle has always had a reputation as a 'party loving' city.
Sadly many see having a 'good time' as getting drunk and it is also seen as almost a uniform to dress as you mentioned, despite the weather when cold and/or wet.
For a while my head office was near Newcastle and I was surprised at how they would party mid week!
I would tend to avoid any town or city centre on a Saturday night as unfortunately many young Brits, not all by any means I hasten to add, don't know how to control their alcohol intake.
For once Irene cd I agree. I've tried alcohol and its rotten. People in this country can't cope without it. Its a very homogeneous society in that matter, pretty much everyone has a beer or wine.
Personally can't see excitement. People force themselves to like it.
For once Irene cd I agree. I've tried alcohol and its rotten. People in this country can't cope without it. Its a very homogeneous society in that matter, pretty much everyone has a beer or wine.
Personally can't see excitement. People force themselves to like it.
If you don't drink you are odd.
I agree- it seems to make some drinkers nervous if you are sober.
I don't need alcohol to have fun, but as to the question as to why so many drink to excess, I'm unsure.
I wouldn't introduce any religious arguments into the thread.
Our west of Scotland drinking culture is awful... more with young people now out clubbing at the weekend, but I remember as a child in the 50s seeing drunk men staggering and falling in the street frequently and not seen that for a long time ..I think a lot drank back then because of the appalling living conditions and too many children.. not that its an excuse but maybe a way of coping with not getting anywhere in life and making it even worse by spending the little money they had on booze.
The relaxation of licencing hours to create a 'European cafe culture', as was the stated aim at the time, have proved to be a failure.
This has also lead to a massive rise in clubs and stretched the police even more, having to cope with the (literal) fallout in the small hours of the morning.
It's the only reason I wouldn't like to live in the UK. To see people lying on the ground, drunk even in daylight, is strange and disgusting. I will have a glass of wine every once in a while but over there drinking was forced on me, as in--someone buys a round of drinks and then you are expected to reciprocate. It is unending.
My English friends are always having another glass of wine or going out drinking--even on facebook. That's what they talk about.
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