Sober October? Not on your nelly down at the Welly

So, how’s your Sober October going? If you’re anything like me, nine days in and I haven’t even started – come on, someone’s got to keep the pubs and bars of Britain going…

Like many of the country’s ills, the blame must lie with those pesky GenZers. After all, according to the NHS Health Survey for England, about 25% of people aged 16 to 24 don’t drink alcohol. Among young women in this age group, non-drinking sits around 31%, while up to 39% of young men report abstaining.

Meanwhile, data from Drinkaware shows that nearly half (49%) of young adults choose no- and low-alcohol drinks to moderate their intake.

I guess they’re all far too busy bullying each other on social media to get a few drinks down them. Brain rot anyone?

Naturally, when you work at Decision Marketing it helps the day go faster and smoother if you have a few bevvies at lunchtime, especially these days when agency liquid lunches are about a rare as Donald Trump making sense…

However, even we are lightweights compared to some.

One old contact of mine used to work at that fine institution The Brewers’ & Licensed Retailers’ Association back in the day in the compliance department. The first day she turned up, everything appeared to be normal until it came to “elevensies” when there was a loud cheer as the workforce cracked open cans and bottles en masse to celebrate that they had done a couple of hours’ toil. The rest of the day was a blur. Nice work if you can get it.

Still, for those of you who have the willpower to do Sober October, there are plenty of benefits, allegedly. You see, according to one beauty expert, reducing alcohol can lead to clearer skin, fewer wrinkles and a noticeably thicker head of hair.

Naturally, that advice is all a little too late for the old soak – that’s the esteemed editor of this august empire to you lot – although he seems to be defying medical science by still being alive.

In fact, last week one of his rather fitter friends claimed that his GP had told him he had the heart of a 25-year-old, to which the old soak responded: “I can beat that, I have the heart of three 25-year-olds!”

Anyway, enough already. With October also being European Beer Month, it’s time to pop to The Wellington, one of the South Coast’s finest hostelries which just so happens to be our local. So many European beers, so little time…

Cheers!

Foxy has ditched X but is still on Instagram,  just don’t get too excited as she’s never there