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June 23, 2005
Pubbing vs snubbing after hours...
Conducted another one-day session yesterday for Managing Directors for the same company as last week in London, this time in Manhattan. Nothing particularly noteworthy (same issues, same interests). But I did have a fun conversation with a couple of their folks who had spent time both in the UK and NYC - about the "pub" culture vs the "NY grind." I was commenting how much I really like London in the summer - the pubs just open their doors and (though it's illegal I understand) all the after-hours crowds just ooze out into the streets and for the long daylight evenings it's really quite a buzzing social event around the neighborhoods. There is a little bit of that in the U.S., but nothing like the Brits. The "I'm working then leaving" thing seems to be an American city syndrome, particularly true in New York. Obviously exceptions to all this, but there was consensus that pubbing in the UK was a unique institution, quite different than on the Yank side of that pond...
Posted by David at June 23, 2005 12:12 PM
Comments
Which company?
Posted by: Ed at June 23, 2005 02:42 PM
Ed, CreditSuisse - David
Posted by: David Allen at June 23, 2005 06:47 PM
This has been a minor topic among my collegues (US & EMEA). Lot's of pubbing when on the road, but back home it's work & quit working. Or, pub when away from family & snub to go home for dinner when back in town. Having lunch at my desk is a variation on the snubbing theme: "I have soooo much to do, I don't have time for people." Along the way, I forget that good ideas and trust spring out of those random social occassions. BTW, my wife recently came out in support of reasonable after work pubbing. Guess she wants me to work out the job stress over a pint with collegues rather than bring it home to the dinner table.
Posted by: Dave at June 24, 2005 08:12 AM
I work in the Financial District and I can assure you, there is quite a lot of pubbing going on. Come down to Stone St!
That said, a few other things to consider:
What is the average commute in London? (I've only stayed at a hotel minutes from the office, so...)
Many colleagues, especially those who have families / own homes, live in the suburbs and have a 1.5-2+ hr commute. What's worse, the later they stay the longer the commute gets - trains run local instead of express and run less frequently. This, combined with young children and the fact that many have to drive, tends to discourage late nights.
Again, my experience is relatively limited in London, but the NYC bar scene seems to happen later. Bars here are open until 4am. If I remember correctly, many of the London pubs are closed (or at least dying down) by 11pm / midnight - about the same time things start picking up here.
Posted by: Tim Marman at June 24, 2005 11:07 AM
A few points.
Firstly, this is generally a London thing rather than a UK thing.
Secondly, the point Tim makes is true - the average commute is long in London. This tends to mean that the socialising takes place from about 5pm to 9pm, as it's too far to go home first to see family or whatever and come back into the city for a meal and drinks. So most folk go straight from work and then have to catch the 'last' train home.
I worked in London for a few years and HATED it. I've moved to one of the northern cities and have a much better quality of life. I live close enough to work to be able to go home, freshen up and then come back into town to socialise.
Posted by: mel* at July 14, 2005 09:14 AM
