4K - The Last Five Pubs in Birstall - Fighting for Survival - Part One

This documentary, filmed in two parts (this is part one) examines the trend of struggling public houses in the UK.
Around 18 pubs a week are closing their doors. Some of the reasons are highlighted in this short film.
This first episode concentrates on the Birstall area of West Yorkshire and the five remaining pubs within the Birstall boundary are The Greyhound, The Black Bull, The Horse and Jockey, The Scotland Inn and The Old Wine and Spirit Vaults.
The interviews in this film were all set in The Black Bull on Kirkgate, one of the oldest buildings in Birstall and was once used as a courthouse.
A survey was undertaken by Batley & Birstall Civic Society members Megan James and David Stead and we spoke to pub goers Terry Hopkins, Geoff Camponi and Kevin McIntosh along with Management Debbie Kingsley of The Black Bull.
Great Music by AShamaluevMusic
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see part two: • 4k - Batley Pubs - Fig...
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Gear used:
Cameras and lenses -
Panasonic Lumix GH5 camera
Lumix 7-14mm G Vario Lens
Lumix 14-140mm G Vario Lans
Audio:
Sennheiser 416 Shotgun mic
Lighting:
Flo Light 4 tube soft light fluorescent
Viltrox L116 Portable LED light
Grip:
Manfrotto with 500 fluid hed
Editing:
Adobe Creative Cloud inc
Premiere, Photoshop, Lightroom and After Effects

[@tatsnneeps341]

Couldn't afford a television so had to watch the fa cup final in the pub.... next sentence i used to go out 7 days a week, there is the reason they couldn't afford a television... my days give it a rest 😢😢

[@MikeWalkerCamera]

lol, thanks for watching and for your comment, made me chuckle....

[@Wayland444]

I was born in 1955 and started frequenting pubs at 17 throughout Batley/Birstall/Dewsbury. Of course I went farther afield to various nightclubs/discos etc. I was a typical hard working hard drinking working class bloke and rarely missed a night at the pub from my teens to my fifties. Pub attentence started declining in the mid 80s so it had nothing to do with the smoking ban. Pubs around here were closing long before that was brought in. We used to go to the pub to meet friends and have natter because there were not many other options. Then in the mid 80s video players and cassettes appeared. "Tell you what love instead of going out why don't I go rent a video and bring back fish and chips? Then we got 24 hour television with hundreds of channels, crikey if one had spent thousands (in those days) on a large tv then one wanted to use it. And then we had CDs and DVDs .And by now we could dial out for pizza/chinese etc meals to be delivered to our door. Let's backtrack a few years to the 80s when these options became available and the attendence at local pubs was declining. What did the landlords do to attract custom? They started selling alcopops to kids (drunken 15 yr olds spewing everywhere) and having "Disco Nites". This further alienated what few regulars the pub still had, (those who spent money on a few pints every night) and drove them to the "staying in with chinese delivered to your door with a few cans from the supermarket. The youngsters meanwhile used to only use the pub at weekends before going to the disco. And in a vicious spiral downwards the pubs started to offer 24 hr video music channels (further alienating the regulars) and 24 hour sports ditto. People's habits change with a lot of external features causing said changes. I was there (every night, dear oh dear, I was there) and no one factor can be blamed for the way that society shifts in its search for entertainment. But landlords who rue the "old days" were more than partly to blame for their own demise.

[@MikeWalkerCamera]

I think you are absolutely spot on with your description of what has happened in our pubs and clubs. I am of a similar age to you (born 1956) and I worked in the pubs and clubs as a musician all through the '70s, '80s and '90s and I saw it first hand. The decline did start a lot earlier as you said. The blame lies, I think, with changing habits due to the introduction of new technology like, as you said video recorders, longer TV transmissions, rental of films on DVD etc. I think it was compounded by landlords adopting tactics to keep the tills ringing but had an adverse effect on the regulars who didn't like the changes. Thank you so much for your comments, I hope you enjoyed the short film despite the ommissions. sounds like you would have made a good contributer.......maybe next time?

[@harmer4245]

I had my 21st and 50th birthday party upstairs at the Black Bull in 1969 and 1998. I visit home (Birstall) every five years or so, and naturally miss the English pub culture which is completely different here in Australia, for a number of reasons. Unfortunately "off darn t pub" these days seems to be a trip to Wetherspoons in another locality. Also the local music scene has suffered as a result. I remember a time when there were trad jazz, modern jazz, traditional folk and contemporary folk clubs within striking distance.

[@MikeWalkerCamera]

Yes those days have disappeared now, probably never to return. A new age of social media and instant entertainment via smart phones and computers have killed off "the good old days" However, I hope a few good memories have been awakened via my video and thanks very much for your comment, Cheers, Mike Walker.

[@granvillebloor6569]

Singers whould bring them back in

[@MikeWalkerCamera]

Hi Granville, thanks for watching and for your comment. All the best Mike.

[@user-ks6py5ep1n]

Drinking is bad for you 🤪

[@MikeWalkerCamera]

It may well be bad if over indulgent, but both these participants in the film were 86 years old.....so, in moderation it's good

[@user-ks6py5ep1n]

I agree,the alcohol on sake today is too strong 9.5% cans ? It’s ridiculous

[@MikeWalkerCamera]

@@user-ks6py5ep1n Thanks for watching and for your comment.

[@psstblue]

It’s corporate greed that ultimately destroys

[@MikeWalkerCamera]

@@psstblue Thanks for watching and for your comment.