A rebuttal: We're here, we're drinking less, get used to it.

I am constantly astounded by the immediate defensiveness of some full-strength drinkers when it comes to the world of low/no-&-light.

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I just don’t get it.

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What is it that you’re so worried about that you feel the need to attack those who choose to drink less and the people, places and brands that aim to facilitate that?

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In a New Statesman article published earlier this month titled. “Humanity’s need for booze will never die: The closure of Manchester's only alcohol-free bar shows the fashion for sobriety is a passing trend“, Henry Jeffreys reported with what can only be described as schadenfreude as he delighted that:

“Manchester’s only alcohol-free bar, Love From, was going out of business after eight months.”

Misinformation?

First of all, as the kids say, ‘let’s have it right’. Love From was always supposed to be temporary. It was an extended pop-up that always had an end date. But that does not mean that they’re done by any stretch. Having worked with brands like Pretty Little Thing, BooHoo and even Amazon to help them better serve their teams, founder Karl Considine has said in a post on LinkedIn,

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“When I opened Love From in January the original plan was to be a pop-up alcohol-free bar until the end of March. Then we got extended until the end of April, and THEN we got extended again until the end of August! Add to that corporate events, festivals, our own drink and all the other stuff - we have done loads!”

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Have alcohol-free-only bars struggled? Of course they have!

It’s a new concept in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis that’s hit many of us hard. But hospitality as a whole is struggling. With 80 pubs closing every month in the first quarter of 2024 (a 51% increase year-on-year), let’s not take joy in any of our adult social spaces going away (and the livelihoods they support) just because we might not like what they’ve got on draught.

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Secondly, Love From is not Manchester’s only alcohol-free bar; run by three friends and nestled uniquely underneath the Manchester Buddhist Centre is Hinterland. Opening its doors in June 2022, Hinterland is an alcohol-free bar & café open to 11pm serving food, friendship and alcohol-free drinks “Whatever your reasons for skipping the booze.”

(I don't get to Manchester, so if you've been, let me know what you think of it)?

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€25m madness

Misinformation aside, Jeffreys' reporting that the world has essentially ‘gone mad’ due to the emergence of a sector that actually serves a purpose reminded me of a certain Mr Morgan’s incredulity at Greg’s vegan sausage roll.

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Now, I’m not a big fan of Greg's myself, but I don’t think it’s physically possible for me to care any less about the fact that a few thousand people who don’t eat meat choose to pop in every day for their meat-adjacent hot pastry.

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So why-oh-why are the Jeffreys of this world so concerned that some of us choose to drink in the outside lane?

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Describing the likes of Guinness 0.0 as ‘nonsensical’ seems wholly misguided when the drinks behemoth behind the brand, Diageo , has recently invested €25m into its St. James’s Gate facility in a move that will allow them to increase production by 300% as a direct result of increased demand. Diageo’s share price may be taking a tumble at the moment, but it’s certainly not because of 0.0.

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Friend not foe

What I find most interesting, though, is the choice of language,

“Let’s not forget that alcohol has faced greater adversaries than a “sober curious” generation.”

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Since when were we adversaries?

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Speaking to Everleaf Drinks | B Corp founder Paul Mathew on the Low No Drinker Podcast last week we aptly discussed this very concept. The idea that those who drink or produce low/no-&-light are somehow gearing up for a David & Goliath-esque showdown with big alcohol is absurd.

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"It's not a them and us thing. We're not trying to get rid of any alcohol; just trying to be incremental. [...] We're not eroding anything, we're creating value. We're creating a healthy, diverse marketplace where, hopefully, loads and loads of brands can succeed."

The vast majority of producers I speak to are simply looking for a share of the market and are not part of some elaborate scheme to take down a centuries-old sector that they themselves may still occasionally partake in. I’ve yet to speak to a single low/no-&-light brand founder or industry expert who feels that we’re on our way to overthrowing ‘big alcohol’ with pitchforks and machetes in hand.

Are there some who would like to see the end of alcohol? Of course.

But there are opposers for every niche, and with low/no sales equating to only 3% of UK beverage sales overall what’s the big threat, really? That you may have someone sitting opposite you with a pint of AF beer on a night out, and you’d never know? I’m pretty certain your night would still unfold unchanged.

I hate to break it to you, booze-nation, but here in Low No Nation, our choices to drink less are not about you. It’s not about ousting alcohol from every occasion, bringing down our public houses and turning the nation into teetotal, slipper-wearing hermits who never leave the house and shy away from bright lights.

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On the contrary. The low/no-&-light industry exists for one reason: to offer a choice where before there was none.

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You like your pint of ale, glass of wine or whisky sour when your down the pub? Well so do we. We just don’t always want ours to come with booze. Why does this cause such offence? Whatever happened to live and let live?

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When is a trend not a trend?

“I can’t help thinking that the current trend for sobriety is just that, a trend, and one that the closure of institutions like Love From seems to show is buckling.”

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When is a trend, not a trend? I’d say when it’s been growing steadily for 10 years.

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The first non-alc spirit was launched in the UK 10 years ago with the birth of Seedlip and, with it, the birth of a category. But Seedlip were not the first out of the gate. Brands like Crodino have been producing alcohol-free adult drinks since 1965, and, of course, lest we forget the Becks Blue years (although the less said about those, the better for some people).

The vast majority of people who consume low/no-&-light are still consuming full-strength drinks. We are not buying less booze, we are simply buying more choice.

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The IWSR reports that the “no/low-alcohol segment showed volume growth of 47%, 2022 to 2023, with forecast volume CAGR of +19%, 2023 to 2028. The no/low-alcohol segment is expected to add incremental value of ￡0.8bn by 2028.” What does that mean? It means that low/no-&-light is not a threat to your alcohol imbibing habits but an accompaniment.

I can assure you that this ‘trend’ is far from “buckling” and why would you wish it to be?

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Mr Jeffreys argues that alcohol was possibly the spark to ignite all of human society as we know it. As someone who has worked for 24 years bringing people together over food and drink, I can confirm that booze is a great party starter, but the question is, what do we give those who want to party with all their faculties still intact? The belief that you’re unable to socialise, participate and contribute to a society as a whole without a drink in hand is absurd. Don’t believe me, just visit any A&E on a Friday or Saturday night (and yes I say that from experience - 6 screws and a titanium plate in my right ankle from a night of socialising to the nth degree).

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Even Arsenal FC are getting in the game, signing Athletic Brewing as their first ever non-alc beer partner who themselves have just raised US$50m in equity financing

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Low/no-&-light drinks allow people to participate socially, to be a constructive part of their local ecosystem and not a detriment to it-which is not to suggest that people are incapable of 'drinking responsibly' even though many find that to be an oxymoron of epic proportions.

No low/no-&-light is not a trend; this is a culture shift.?

One for the road

Let's not ignore that these drinks encourage innovation and development, driving ￡380m into the economy and placing the UK at the forefront of a movement that is doing no harm to anyone. As moderation and balance sweep the globe, I, for one, am proud that the UK is at the front of the wave and doing it with such grace and humility, not to mention style and creativity!

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I promise you, Mr. Jeffreys, no one is going to spike your pint with a non-alc pour. You drink your way, and let us drink ours. Perhaps we can raise a glass together and acknowledge everyone's right to do what serves them best without fear of judgement or ridicule from those who don’t ‘get it’.

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The article closes by quoting, “a Sumerian proverb from around 2,000 BC: ‘Not to know beer is not normal.’ Let’s raise a glass to normality.”

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It’s 2024! Surely, understanding and reason have come on some way since then? And as for raising a glass to normality… moderation is the new normal; just ask the 75% of the UK population who practice it every week.

Should you be in any doubt as to the continuation of the low/no bar scene, here are a few others to check out:

Club Soda London's premier bar, tasting room, bottle shop and event space for low/no-&-light drinks - https://joinclubsoda.com/

Café Sobar An innovative and vibrant alcohol-free cafe and venue in the city centre of Nottingham - https://www.doubleimpact.org.uk/cafe-sobar

YADA Collective CIC Re-imagining Derby’s nightlife, YADA Collective is an alcohol-free environment, community and experience for everyone - https://yadacollective.co.uk/

Raven Records A heavy metal record shop, coffee shop and alcohol-free bar in the heart of Camden Town, London - https://ravenrecordshop.com/

Hinterland A new way to socialise. We provide a space for people to foster friendships and enjoy good company without the need for alcohol in Manchester - https://hinterland.bar/

Exhale Conscious Bar Birmingham's health-conscious, alcohol-free bar, where we're dedicated to promoting a vibrant lifestyle that allows you to live life to the fullest - https://www.exhaleconsciousbar.com

SipSin A sober curious bar & bottle shop in Liverpool city centre - https://www.sipsinliverpool.com/

House of Happiness A monthly queer-led and delivered London clubbing extravaganza - https://www.thehouseofhappiness.co.uk/

?You can read Henry Jeffreys' article here: Humanity’s need for booze will never die. The closure of Manchester's only alcohol-free bar shows the fashion for sobriety is a passing trend.

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