Is that the reason you asked about drinking in the meeting place?

I suspect that the economy is the real reason that sales are down. Most people are struggling financially, and booze is a luxury for most people. As for possible tax cuts all I suspect will happen is that the brewers will put their prices up by the same amount.

It was in my mind, yeah.

Its also that there are less young people and an older population does not drink as much (although may drink better quality) as they dont go out ona Fri / Sat and get blathered

I think that there are still a far proportion of youngsters about and they drink just as much. I think that the issue of front loading is even more of a problem than it was in the past. There are also loads of alcoholics and they drink more at home where they get more for their money. I think the local Wetherspoons does well from the local alcoholics. It could be down to the trade moving to the cheaper establishments. The big breweries are now more property companies with a brewery attached. So they are pricing themselves out of the market. My local even has switched to higher prices at the weekend to cash in.

I didn't think it was terribly clear from the article whether this was total alcohol sales or just those in pubs and restaurants. If it doesn't include sales from off-licences and supermarkets then it's going to be an incomplete picture.
If it is just sales in pubs and things then I can't say I'm surprised tbh.

I think that this is the pubs that are suffering. I think that other drink sales such as at supermarkets are doing reasonably well.