Could an 'alcohol-free pub' succeed?

graham wrote:

'If you abstain: Get out' is the message I get.
Shame 'coz the profit margin on soft drinks exceeds that on alcohol.

Yes. Landlords must be stupid. I expect that they work all hours just because of their devotion to peddling the demon drink, rather than because they think of it as a business.

Either that, or you're making it up.

I can't think of any pub I've ever been into where they would look down their nose at me if I wanted a soft drink. And I've been in one or two pubs...

You're right, man in crowd on BBCQT was indeed wrong.
Police superintendents reckon it's more like 50%. (2004 figures)
The Crime and Society Foundation, October 2004, [hosted by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, University of London , King’s College]
Re: the treatment of drivers and non-drinkers by bar staff, I can only speak from personal experience, I wouldn't recommend testing it tho'.

as someone who grew up in a different country, i never got the appeal of pubs (similarly to jan the old one, the 'social' aspect of pubs was totally lost on me, as socialising=shouting at each other to get heard; the drinking 'aspect' was as lost, as i don't drink and watching your friends go from 'communicable' to 'amaaaazing' four pints later never was much fun :S)
there's a whole range of herbal teas for those who like tea. there's coffee. there's water and fresh juices. i'd like to see a space where you can go and have a choice to have a non-alcoholic drink if you want one, and/or vegan food, but not a space whose primary purpose would be even more consumption. and there just aren't any places like that in southwark (not counting squatted social centres which come closest to this idea).

Pubs dont' have to be noisy. They can serve a good range of non-alcoholic drinks. And people who have a drink don't have to drink so much that they can't communicate.

Is this just my experience?