Sir, – Will we soon be calling “last orders” on the public house? The miracle of modern brewing and bottling processes makes me wonder if draught beer is an expensive swindle, because so many top-quality bottled and canned beers come at a fraction of pub prices. Sticking within the 14 or fewer units a week, as per current health guidelines, is often much easier when drinking at home. The pandemic may accelerate an existing tendency for many people to prefer moderate use of alcohol in the domestic setting. The Bible speaks of “wine to gladden the heart of man”, and someone else once said, “Beer is evidence that God loves us and wants us to be happy”.
“Proximity without community” describes a great curse of our age: zero sense of connection. Smaller social gatherings, meeting in home or garden settings, may represent an antidote to this sense of disconnection. Does a beer a day in the home beat half a dozen pints in any bar at the weekend? – Yours, etc,
JT HARDY,
Belfast.