Is it acceptable to drink during your working day?

[Peterheid Loon]

I have noticed a huge difference in the drinking habits of folk in Edinburgh since i have moved up the road from Liverpool. Most notebly the amount of folk who have a good scoop during their luch break. Few examples:

- Guy who holds a senior position in a high street bank and comes in 3-4 times a week at dinner time and thinks nothing of having 4-5 double gin and tonics.

- Guy who works in a well known sandwich bar and has 4-5 pints couple of times a week at lunch time.

- 2 girls who work at a high street store and have two bottles of wine during there lunch break normally come in once a week.

 

Just a few examples but you get the jest of it. There are loads more i could mention to be honest! This has shocked me quite a lot to be honest as when i was down in Liverpool i had regulars coming in during their lunch break but didnt really see them ever drink on a scale like this. One maybe two at a push and that was it. I know its not a significant amount if it were a night out but these folk go back to work after drinking this??!! Some dealing with the public. :drink:

 

Its the same with the folk i work with in the bar. They HAVE to go to the pub for a drink during their break (which is againt the rules but they dont give a monkeys) are things really that bad in society up here that it has come to this? :drink:

 

 

Now before folk start telling me to "lighten up" or call me a "square" those that know me know im nothing like that in the slightest!!! but im really intrigued about this. Is it a common thing for folk to have that much to drink during their lunch break? Do many of you go to the pub for your dinner? I have set up a poll just out of curiosity to see what the results are like and would appreciate any serious comments (i realise this may stop a few folk answering) folk may have on the subject.

 

My own stance i have made clear and have only ever had a pint whilst working a couple of times but that was because i was out researching other bars. Even in a s*itty job like when i was working in the fish in Peterheid i never got pished during work.

[Sneckie]

I don't think it's acceptable to be honest.

 

I don't expect to go into a shop and be served by someone who has been drinking/has alcohol on their breath. I wouldn't like to think a manager of my business was drinking during their working day. Would you think it's acceptable for a lawyer to turn up to defend you in court, after having a few drinks at lunch time, or glasgow sheep in A&E treating you after a car accident?

 

I think it depends on the attitudes of people really. I wouldn't consider it, in fact I remember when I worked in Debenhams in Sneck people getting sent home who'd been drinking at lunch time. It was only once or twice, although one of them was sacked as a result of it. It's not professional to do so, it doesn't matter what your job is. I'm sure plenty people will disagree, it's nothing to do with being drunk though, it's just the principle behind.

 

(Although I was drinking behind the bar on Christmas Eve, but as they conned me out of all my tips at Christmas I feel that was the least I deserved!)

[glasgow sheep]

It was acceptable in the 80s

 

apparently

[Guest LondonScottish]

Some of the best "business" is done over lunch. Unortunately that regularly can start at 11am-ish and still be going late into the night. Usual rule that if you're out on lunch drinks then you don't come back that day. Makes life easier for everyone.

[Nespa]

Had a pint on ma last 15min break today and yesterday! just made me want to get drunk after work!!

[Sneckie]

Had a pint on ma last 15min break today and yesterday! just made me want to get drunk after work!!

 

If you can't go a 15 minute break at work without a drink that's concerning...

[10MenWent2Mow]

i think i've only ever done it once and that was because the manager and the deputy manager had both done it, everyone was just having a massive skive that day.

 

In fact, twice, I once worked the new year function at a hotel and all the staff got champagne at the bells, wasn't even legally old enough to drink then.

 

Dont think that it's acceptable if you're dealing with the public but in other cases then maybe its fine.

[Sheep#1]

I don't really do it myself, as every job I've had involves driving to and from work and driving to site visits. But at my last job sometimes on a Friday, I'd have a bottle of miller at lunch (some of my colleagues would regularly have 4 or 5 pints!) Also makes you sleepy drinking at lunchtime and I have a hard enough time staying awake at work

 

There should be an option for turning up still steaming from the night before, which I do EVERY Monday!

[Nespa]

If you can't go a 15 minute break at work without a drink that's concerning...

 

ma final break is at 6.30 and the pub is across the road!! ...whits a pint anyway!

[Slim]

If I could afford to have 5 pints every lunchtime, I'd be right into that.

[Nespa]

If I could afford to have 5 pints every lunchtime, I'd be right into that.

 

id run riot in work if i had to have 5 pints at lunchtime. once had 3 pints and 2 shots and was talking mince the rest of the day!

 

A lassie in ma work done a couple of lines at lunchtime last year and took here shirt off and was walking about in her bra!! funny as f*ck!! she got the bullet right enough!!

[Guest El Padre]

id run riot in work if i had to have 5 pints at lunchtime. once had 3 pints and 2 shots and was talking mince the rest of the day!

 

A lassie in ma work done a couple of lines at lunchtime last year and took here shirt off and was walking about in her bra!! funny as f*ck!! she got the bullet right enough!!

 

 

Is that what you're calling it these days?

[Nespa]

Is that what you're calling it these days?

 

prick!

[Sheep#1]

once had 3 pints and 2 shots and was talking mince the rest of the day!

 

So what's new there?

[Madbad]

I think it's changed over time.

 

I know when I was at school (70s - early 80s) some of the teahcers used to nip out for a pint and a pub lunch (esp cos my mother worked part-time in one of the hotels and would see them)

 

Nowadays I wouldn't consider it for a second. Partly because I don't think its fair to breath alcohol fumes all over the kids and partly just comes across as a bit unprofessional. Had a look and it's not expressly forbidden in my terms and conditions, but all it takes is a child to complain nowadays.........

[BobbyBiscuit]

I don't think it's acceptable to be honest.

 

I don't expect to go into a shop and be served by someone who has been drinking/has alcohol on their breath. I wouldn't like to think a manager of my business was drinking during their working day. Would you think it's acceptable for a lawyer to turn up to defend you in court, after having a few drinks at lunch time, or glasgow sheep in A&E treating you after a car accident?

 

I think it depends on the attitudes of people really. I wouldn't consider it, in fact I remember when I worked in Debenhams in Sneck people getting sent home who'd been drinking at lunch time. It was only once or twice, although one of them was sacked as a result of it. It's not professional to do so, it doesn't matter what your job is. I'm sure plenty people will disagree, it's nothing to do with being drunk though, it's just the principle behind.

 

(Although I was drinking behind the bar on Christmas Eve, but as they conned me out of all my tips at Christmas I feel that was the least I deserved!)

 

I don't work with the public and my job doesn't involve driving, so if i had ONE pint of a lunch time you'd deem this unacceptable?

[Sneckie]

I don't work with the public and my job doesn't involve driving, so if i had ONE pint of a lunch time you'd deem this unacceptable?

 

So does what you do in your job benefit only yourself? You aren't carrying out the work for anyone else?

[BobbyBiscuit]

So does what you do in your job benefit only yourself? You aren't carrying out the work for anyone else?

 

And you think ONE PINT would impair my ability to do my job properly?

[Sneckie]

Nope, I was asking. The end product of what you are doing is for someone else though, you should at least be able to complete it without the need for a pint.

[baku-red]

Is drinking throught the week (to excess) as bad if not worse than having a few jars during lunch hour? Your reaction times are worse with a bad hangover than when slightly pished. I can sort of operate after a few beers however with a hangover i just sit at my desk groan.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Nope, I was asking. The end product of what you are doing is for someone else though, you should at least be able to complete it without the need for a pint.

 

I don't need a pint. I actually only take half an hour for lunch and this half an hour is spent in the bookies, generally. But, a pint of a lunchtime wouldn't make a difference to my ability to do the job i'm asked to do. Have you ever gone into work hungover?

[Sneckie]

I don't need a pint. I actually only take half an hour for lunch and this half an hour is spent in the bookies, generally. But, a pint of a lunchtime wouldn't make a difference to my ability to do the job i'm asked to do. Have you ever gone into work hungover?

 

Occasionally when I was worked weekends when I was at school. But as most of my jobs have been Monday to Friday I tend to not go out on schoolnights.

 

On the days last summer I've been at the football and gone back to Inverness to work evenings at weddings, I decided it wasn't appropriate to drink during the day then go to work. It's personal choice, we were asked for our opinions, I'm giving mine. I don't think 1 drink or 10 drinks should make a difference, 9-5 (or whatever hours) you are working for your employer and I believe that you should act accordingly.

[Wazzamatazz]

I'm certainly not advocating getting drunk in your lunch hour, but at my work we'll quite often have a pint if we go out for lunch on a Friday. Certainly I wouldn't have a beer if I had a meeting with a client in the afternoon, but my employer is fairly liberal about it provided you don't take the piss.

[Suspect Device]

I remember the place where I served my apprenticeship's SAFETY OFFICER used to disappear for a couple of hours every day and come back absolutley bleezin'.

 

He got done for drink driving eventually.

 

Nothing wrong with a couple of pints at lunch but any more than that and you should just go home. There's certainly a drinking culture at my current workplace.

 

I've been in some states at work during my life. Particularly in the 90s when I would have no sleep on the Friday and go straight into work for Saturday overtime.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Occasionally when I was worked weekends when I was at school. But as most of my jobs have been Monday to Friday I tend to not go out on schoolnights.

 

On the days last summer I've been at the football and gone back to Inverness to work evenings at weddings, I decided it wasn't appropriate to drink during the day then go to work. It's personal choice, we were asked for our opinions, I'm giving mine. I don't think 1 drink or 10 drinks should make a difference, 9-5 (or whatever hours) you are working for your employer and I believe that you should act accordingly.

 

Fair enough, i was just trying to have a discussion about it.

[Nespa]

Nope, I was asking. The end product of what you are doing is for someone else though, you should at least be able to complete it without the need for a pint.

 

sneckie who stole the jam out of your donut!?

 

Nobody said they needed one!! just its acceptable!!

[Guest El Padre]

f*ck all wrong with drinking during a lunch break.

[Madbad]

There was one teacher I recall at school (won't name school/subject as it'll give too much away)

 

He used to regularly disappear into his cupboard for 20 mins, come out again a bit flushed in the face and stinking of whisky. Not exactly subtle! Think he got "early" retirement

[minijc]

Ex english teacher kept a bottle of vodka in the store room of her class, also some of the current teachers enjoy a game of poker and a wee drink at lunch time haha

[vikaben]

There was a teacher at my school who halfway through lessons disappeared for 10/15 minutes and came back stinking of cigarette smoke and whiskey, good teacher though.

 

I have the odd pint at lunchtime but my boss is a teetotaller and doesn't really approve of it, he's a vegetarian too the weirdo.