Two-day benders, home in time for Eastenders

The reality of binge drinking and drug culture from hospitality workers perspectives

Drinking! A huge part of British culture and working around booze doesn’t help those in the hospitality sector. Going for a drink is a response to wins, losses and everything in-between. Booze is king for most Brits – boyfriend dumped you? Let’s grab a quick vino, footies on? Best we all get to the pub for the match, promotion at work? Celebration drinks are required. Even working in a pub, on your days off you would find yourself in a pub.

Tonight, will be an early one, ‘I’m just going for one’, the famous last words we have all spoken before. But there is always someone who convinces you to stay out for one more or whips out the Columbians finest powder. Then the night reaches no point of return, Britain’s drug culture is massive, and cocaine is used by as many as 3.4% of brits have taken class A drugs between 16-59, according to a 2020 study. The U.K is gaining a new reputation of being Europe’s drug capital. And many of those are in the hospitality sector.

 ‘a life of party isn’t much of a life at all’ Richard, 57, a pub landlord.

In an interview with a pub landlord, I discovered a new inside to London’s drug culture and sad reality. ‘After working in pubs I’ve seen a lot, you learn to see the signs, guys in suits coming out the toilets sniffling, people getting a bit rowdier and the most obvious gurning whilst ordering a pint.’

Cocaine has always been associated with drinking culture but is it getting more popular, many more young people are getting into drugs then before, drugs have been glamourised by TV shows and are somewhat seen to be cool. Is the media to blame for our new ‘session culture’.

I decided to quiz this reality and spoke to over 50 members of bar and waitressing staff in London and the results were shocking. Out of the 50 people 38 had taken cocaine, and all agreed the medias influence hasn’t helped and can be seen to glamourise cocaine particularly.

In an interview with a young barmaid, who didn’t want to be named I learnt the harsh reality of drugs and hospitality jobs. ‘if the shift was shit, we would always have a few drinks after work and then get a bag in, it started off as an occasional thing, but quickly turned into a weekly habit. I would go to work Friday evening and sometimes not get home till Sunday afternoon; we would always find a way to carry on.’

How did you afford this on a low-income hospitality job?

‘We didn’t, we would ask around borrow money fiend for it, friends of mine got in debts over it to dealers and friends. It was scary the lengths you would go to for

Did it ever get boring?

‘I’m sure sat around with colleagues and friends was probably not how my free time should’ve been spent and when talking about my weekend to other friends, they would describe it as sad, but we were drunk and high, nothing is boring’

Drugs can cause a lot of damage to your physical and mental health, when did you realise it was affecting your daily life?

‘I was physically and emotionally drained after a heavy few days, but I would still always go to work and have a hair of the dog as some may say, it was an unhealthy habit that I managed to kick before things got really bad. My mental health took a turn for the worst, on my days off all I would do is sleep and struggle to eat, life wasn’t as fun as it once appeared. I would get nose bleeds, always be hungover and the few times I woke up not hungover I think my body was in shock and I felt no different’

What made you change this lifestyle?

‘When I realised partying wasn’t fun anymore, it was just a part of my routine, everyone noticed I had changed and not in a good way. I realised I could’ve been on the edge of addiction, and I didn’t want to take away the rest of my young years. It was hard to teach myself to say no, to go home straight from work to fight the urge, but I did’

Final question for you, do you still party?

Yes! I’m only in my twenties, I love to party but it’s not part of my day-to-day life anymore it’s a special occasion, I learnt my boundaries the hard way and I will never go back! I can finally leave when I’m tired not just because I can’t afford anymore cocaine to keep me going, I wake up refreshed most days of the week, I pour my last pint of the evening at work and go straight home.’