Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Pub Cacophony

"Hey, let's get together for a beer!" No finer invitation from a pal could reach my ears. Meeting friends at a local pub is always a fun way to spend time. But usually the point of the meet up is to talk while enjoying that beer. That's where so many pubs are lacking. It's hard to talk to the person next to you if you both have to shout to be heard. Great tunes playing in the background are welcome. Too bad you have to go into the bathroom to hear what's playing. Having a quality beer selection is a laudable goal for a pub, and many establishments go all out in that area. Why not put some forethought into noise abatement as well? Put in some sound partitions, or install sound absorbing materials on the wall. That hardwood looks great, but it bounces and amplifies noises. It's no surprise that a room will get loud when it's full of people drinking and having fun. So why not plan for it?

No one expects a pub to be as quiet as a library, nor should it be. Certainly some effort to diffuse the inevitable sound of fun is certainly warranted. What do you say? Are pubs too noisy for conversation? Does it matter to you?

4 comments:

  1. Beer Run, here in Charlottesville, is the great escape from all of that. There's usually some sort of jazz or otherwise "appropriate" music playing in the background, it's wonderfully easy to have a conversation, and the they have a great selection of draft choices on. If none of them are to your fancy, there's always the chiller with some single bottle offerings.

    If you ever wander down to these parts, make a point of mentioning your plans. There's a few of us down here who would be more than happy to grab a pint and enjoy some good beer and conversation!

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  2. In general yes, pubs are still noisy. Some local brewpub still does things like ladies nights and $1 plates of wings, despite also having good beers. I suppose this is just because "they have to make a living" and appealing to the "Bud crowd" as well as the craft beer fans. But this may alos just be the way Americans drink.

    When I was in Scotland there are many more pubs which are dark and library quiet. Some seems to cater solely to the "over 50 crowd" with people chatting and sharing a few drinks.

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  3. I simply refuse to patronize pubs that blast music too loud. I just can't enjoy myself in a noisy environment. Money talks and I take my money elsewhere, good beer or not.

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  4. I'm with Chipper Dave. I do not understand why the music has to be so loud that everyone has to shout to be heard, especially when everyone's trying to talk. I hate to sound like an old fart, but I go to pubs to talk to friends, not listen to music I may or may not like.

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