Dry January is unpatriotic. Here’s why
6 January 2025, 12:32
Thank you to all the patriots shunning Dry January this month. The pub is a British institution under threat and stupid gimmicks like this aren’t helping.
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Pubs are shutting down in the UK at a rate of 20 a week. What they absolutely do not need is some sort of smug boycott.
Spending money is a patriotic act. It supports businesses, stimulates the economy, and the tax paid improves public services. So keeping that money in your pocket and sipping on tap water is inherently anti-British.
But perhaps you’re doing Dry January for all the right reasons? Maybe you’re looking out for your health. Can I then suggest Dry July? Or Dry November? If everyone spreads out their moderation, the gut-punch to pubs might be less severe.
But in reality, most are simply trying to justify a December of bingeing with a January of restraint. If you’re truly looking out for your health, spread that discipline over a full year, don’t just cram it into one month.
Because with tax rises for businesses on the way, all Dry January will do is either force more pubs under, or make them increase prices to stay afloat. When the day comes where pints are over £10, we’ll know who to blame.
If you’re doing Dry January this year, you might be feeling a bit defensive right now. You’re planning to continue supporting pubs, but just buying a non-alcoholic drink, right? Well unless you’re going to sink eight pints of diet coke and get a kebab on your way home, I’m afraid your intentions are misguided.
A solitary Lucky Saint and then off to bed is not going to cut it.
The selfishness of Dry January cannot be ignored, and true patriots are now forced to go to the pubs in January twice as often in order to compensate.
So I’ll end with a message to all those embarking on this misguided fad: Reconsider… or at least delay it until February.
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