黑洞社区

鈥淚 don't believe binge drinking exists,鈥� declares Julian, launching into the topic of the day with fervour 鈥� a news report published that morning claimed binge drinking accounted for one in every seven sick days.

Adrian believes the report doesn鈥檛 apply to the construction industry. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 be drunk or hungover because of health and safety issues,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he problem certainly isn't as prevalent as it used to be.鈥�

Julian disagrees: 鈥淚t鈥檚 still a beer and bacon sandwich industry though.鈥�

鈥淵eah, but in the old days ...鈥� Adrian begins to argue before he is interrupted by Barry, who mimics: 鈥淚n the olden days ...鈥�, much to the others鈥� amusement.

Mabs points out that binge drinking is widespread across all professions: 鈥淵oung professionals do binge drink. They go the whole week without a drink, but as soon as Friday comes they鈥檙e at it.鈥�

Gareth empathises with the poor overworked masses. 鈥淚t鈥檚 because the weeks are so busy,鈥� he explains. 鈥淭he weekend is time to relax, have a few drinks, then a few more 鈥� and a few more.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 the culture,鈥� remarks Julian, matter-of-factly.

A cosmopolitan Barry points out they don鈥檛 have the same trouble in Europe. 鈥淚n France, they drink all day long, and they drink and drive, it鈥檚 a way of life there,鈥� he suggests.

鈥淚t was the same here until the sixties ...鈥� says Adrian, who immediately cringes 鈥� he knows what鈥檚 coming. True to form, another 鈥渙ld man鈥� joke from Barry makes the others laugh.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e probably older than me, I just look haggard,鈥� Adrian retorts.

A waitress approaches and asks if the guys would like another drink. They order a second round. Gareth uses the interruption to introduce a new topic.

鈥淭he biggest issue for us at the moment is the skills shortage,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e finding it difficult to get really good people.鈥�

The others bite and abandon binge drinking to discuss the more pressing issue.

鈥淚n the nineties the construction industry was not trendy, and we鈥檙e feeling the effects of that now,鈥� says Julian, thoughtfully tracing the source of the problem.

Barry explains it is very rare to find someone in the industry who doesn鈥檛 have a family background in construction.

鈥淭o some extent, I grew up on a building site,鈥� he says.

The others shake their heads. They鈥檙e all the first in their families.

Adrian takes this chance to have a dig at Barry 鈥淚t鈥檚 a shoddy statement,鈥� he says.

鈥淲hat made you get into it then?" Barry hits back. 鈥淏inge drinking at college?鈥�

As the conversation turns full circle, Barry disappears to find a waitress. On his return, a champagne bucket is positioned at his side.

鈥淥h no!鈥� the others groan, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e joking?鈥�

鈥淟ast week they bought champagne,鈥� he laughs, referring to the previous outing of this column when King Sturge indulged in pink champagne at the top of the Natwest Tower, albeit at their own expense. 鈥淚t needs to be changed to 鈥樅诙瓷缜� buys the bubbles鈥�.鈥�

But before 黑洞社区 decides how to react, a gentlemanly Gareth has quietly asked for the bill and paid for the whole thing.