3 Ways Drinking Establishments and Communities Support One Another

3 Ways Drinking Establishments and Communities Support One Another

by Henry Moore | guest contributor

While you may not consider drinking establishments as the backbone of your community, you just may find how vital their role is when you take a closer look. Often located in the heart of a town, drinking establishments have long been social gathering places. Nearly everyone of age has their favorite local bar, and people often find it difficult to enjoy themselves as much in any other drinking establishment. Beer lovers know these local businesses are a place to meet friends and unwind, celebrate, or bounce back after a rough day. That’s why community members support their local drinking establishments when they host events to benefit the neighborhood and continue to visit time and again. We explore the ways local watering holes and communities support one another below.

1. Local Pubs Improve People’s Lives

A recent study by Oxford University found that people who regularly visit a local pub are happier, have more friends, have better life satisfaction, and are less likely to drink excessively. While it may be counterintuitive to think that living near a drinking establishment helps people, it is the case; researchers believe that people find it easier to socialize in small community bars than in larger establishments, and bartenders keep tabs on how much people drink and do not serve them in excess.

Neighborhood patrons appreciate having a welcoming, comfortable place to gather to spend time with friends, and they develop friendships face-to-face in relaxed venues. Tim Page, chief executive of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), explains: “Pubs offer a social environment to enjoy a drink with friends in a responsible, supervised community setting. Nothing is more significant for individuals, the social groupings to which they belong and the country as a whole as our personal and collective well-being. The role of community pubs in ensuring that well-being cannot be overstated. For that reason, we all need to do what we can to ensure that everyone has a ‘local’ near to where they live or work.”

People recognize the role their local drinking establishments play in their lives, and they continue to patronize them as a result. They also visit them more regularly when they fit their lifestyles, as dog-friendly bars do. Many watering holes have realized that patrons want to visit in the evening while walking their dogs but were unable to do so; they were losing business when people were standing on the sidewalk with their pets and talking to patrons rather than going inside and purchasing a drink of their own. By welcoming pets, many neighborhood bars have become even better members of the community.

2. Bars Provide Venues for Local Musicians

Local musicians often get their start in drinking establishments. They play to entertain patrons, and patrons pack the establishment and continue to drink as long as the music continues. Bar owners love finding popular local music acts to keep the people coming back, and they also draw new patrons who may have seen the band play elsewhere and follow them from gig to gig. Additionally, drinking establishment owners realize that giving local musicians a place to showcase their talents helps them grow their fan base and expand their career. The community appreciates that the drinking establishment provides entertainment and supports local artists, and the owners appreciate the boost in business they get by hosting the musicians.

3. Drinking Establishments Support Local Artists

Similarly, drinking establishments support the community by inviting local artists to showcase their work in the bar. It can be very expensive for budding artists to rent space in a gallery or find another location to display their art, but if they display it in a local drinking establishment, they get a great deal of exposure to potential buyers. Drinking establishments feature artists and host nights to meet the artists to draw business, and they also rotate artists to draw more interest in the art and keep art-loving patrons coming back to see the new displays every month or so. Again, patrons appreciate that the bar supports the local arts and view it as an upstanding member of the community for doing so.

Drinking establishments support communities by giving people a place to socialize and contribute to their well-being, providing venues for local musicians, and supporting local artists. In return, community members continue to patronize the drinking establishment and sing its praises for being such a community-minded business.

About our guest writer:

Henry is the co-creator of FitWellTraveler. The site blends two of his favorite subjects (travel and health) to provide readers with information about how to get the most out of both.

Image via Pixabay by tpsdave