Let’s be fair to pubs and not gloat when they are out of customers

The pub near my house in Ho Chi Minh City has seen a significant drop in revenues, based on the empty cans in their trash bins. The scrap collectors used to stop by every couple of days, now they wait one or two weeks.

The place is only crowded between 5 and 9 p.m.

That’s the only one on my street still opening, creating jobs for five waiters and waitresses, two cooks and a guard. Other pubs on the street closed after the drop in revenues made it hard for them to stay in the black.

Pham Van Dong, Truong Sa and Hoang Sa Streets have become quieter now as many busy pubs have closed.

Many people think it’s good news when recent anti-drunk driving campaigns by traffic police have scared people from going to pubs, causing them to lose customers and close.

I don’t support people getting wasted, and I don’t support drunk driving, but I think it’s fair to have sympathy for all these pubs.

People coming to these pubs need to have control over how much they drink and take responsibility for how they travel home afterwards.

Pubs are a business that create jobs for a lot of people and help those who do not have a college degree to find jobs. A pub also provides a venue for street food vendors to stop by and sell snacks to its customers.

It’s the holiday season and there will be many parties. I hope everyone drinks reasonably to ensure safety, and no one accidentally damages the pubs’ names and business through irresponsible behaviour.