My name is James and I like socialising with my friends. Like all teenagers, I like listening to music and going to music clubs and dancing; however this is rather hard to do if you live in a place like Tenby. For instance, Tenby has more pubs per square mile than most towns in Britain and enough hotels and guest houses to put up the population of a small city.
It's a bit of a squash: Tenby's population of 5,000 rises to 50,000 at the summer's height; but for three or four months of the year the town somehow manages to accommodate all the tribes and retain its elegance.
In recent years, though, the town has been facing a new invasion .... This tribe hasn't come down to look at the Augustus and Gwen John portraits in the museum, or to get a little Cistercian calm at the monastery at Caldy Island. They've come to do one thing: to drink as much in two days as they possibly can. Dinbych-y-Pysgod has become
Denbigh-y-Pyssup. But Tenby cannot afford to turn down this trade from tourism as it's the town's lifeblood and the stag and hens are coming in such numbers that the bars, hotels and taxis are lopping it up. They may have turned the 13th century walls into a 21st century convenience but they are annoying us young teenagers who want a good time but we get pushed to the side because of the bar staff wanting to get as much trade as possible.
Even though Tenby has so many pubs, and has good trade which is brilliant for its economy - there has been more restrictions on young people entering these establishments. I remember before the invasion of the stag and hens - young people could enter the pubs and under the owner's discretion, you could sit in a quiet corner and have a few drinks with your mates. However you can't even do that now! I know underage drinking is illegal but because the society we live in now (and peer pressure) stresses the importance of young teens having a few drinks and having a good time with their friends, that's what socialising is all about!!
Now, I am quite unlucky in how I look - I'm 17 but look 13 so I can't get into many pubs, but some of my friends look much older and are the some age and can easily get into these many pubs even though they have bouncers on the door. They get served alcohol, so they can have a good time on a Saturday night, but me and my mates have to contend with going to a another pub which isn't the most popular and get served there. So we're not getting the most out of the social interaction that we crave.
Teenagers in Tenby are restricted with regards to alcohol consumption but it is easier to get served in the winter due to poor business ... which is a bit hypocritical. One minute we are discarded and the next we're being welcomed back into the fold! I also think that the problem arises due to differing opinions - firstly we are being told is bad for the heart and also it is illegal for under-age drinking yet we also get told that our particular society nowadays encourages drinking due to drinking being a social activity.
From this, I can now explain that there are very little things for young people to do in Tenby so therefore we are being attracted to the pubs and trying to get wasted and drunk because of the lack of activities...
So now I can make my conclusion - I feel that young people and alcohol in Tenby mix very well but there is a problem in the way in which young people do not have a good selection of activities in order for them to be occupied and to have a good time without getting drunk. I do hope this article brings up some good points and shows my opinions and also factual information about the problem of alcohol, teenagers and Tenby.
James
your comments
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Jack and Barney from St Ives
In St Ives we suffer the same thing the population of this small town goes from 10000 to 30000+ it's all tourist, tourist, tourist and there is nothing for us to do.
Mon Nov 17 16:31:08 2008
Joseph Rowe, Pembroke Dock
James, you and many others who have lived and grown up in Tenby don't realise how good Tenby is (apart from the drunks). You don't need to drink alcohol to socialise there are plenty of other ways to see friends and make new ones.
The "there's nothing to do.." card is played far too often by teenagers and it is quite frankly pathetic. If you can't find something to do in Tenby other than drink then you need a serious reality check.
There is such a wealth of activities in the Tenby area that you are spoilt for choice. Teens don't have to hide...at dusk drinking alcohol!
Tue Mar 25 09:37:29 2008
Adele from Rugby
Hi - we try and holiday in Tenby at least once a year and have often thought of moving there permanently. It is a beautiful place and those that live there are really very lucky. The problem with the town over the last few years are the stag and hen nights - the main street becomes a no go area on a Friday and Saturday night - having said that so does the whole town centre of Rugby - and we also have problems with underage drinkers, so the grass isnt always greener! Look after yourselves and your lovely town, don't let the drunk minority spoil it!
Mon Oct 1 14:28:22 2007
Alex and Abbi
We too have a similar problem. We're actually 25, but are mistaken for 14 year olds. We can't tell you how many times we've been kicked out of the local clubs. We have to take our ID EVERYWHERE! Please help us xxxxxxxxxxx
Mon Oct 1 11:14:54 2007
Annabel of Llandeilo
I understand James's Problem. I went to school in Greenhill when I was younger and had a great time there. But I look so much younger than I am too - I am now 26 but when I was 16 i looked about 12!
Some nights while my friends went out drinking and round the pubs 'n' clubs I realized that i had to find a new activity to take part in that I equally enjoyed.
So I went out searching one weekend around Tenby and I decided to join the local dance group in the leisure Centre. Even though I went on my own I not only met new friends, I have now becoma a champion dancer...So just from deciding not to try and drink, I have now found myself not only a hobbie but something that I will probably carry on doing for a long time now....Hope you find something James. Good luck to you!
Thu Aug 23 16:15:50 2007
Charl
Unfortunately, teens I know usually go drinking in pubs, even if it is underage. Or if they can't get served in pubs, they get drink elsewhere and get wasted anyway. It's like a fact of life or something.
Tue Jun 12 15:40:50 2007
Emma Harris, Walsall
Hey james im so pleases to hear your doing well for yourself. i agree with your article i wasn't born in Tenby but as you know i've lived there for a few years. and yes it is hard to get into pubs when you look younger than you are i get the same problem and i'm 19. take care
Wed Mar 28 09:13:31 2007
Tom Jones
I also grew up in Tenby but moved away when I was 18. I have since discovered that James is not alone with his problem, its a problem for teenagers all over the country.
In Tenby youngsters expect to be served at age 17 or younger. In many other parts of the country teenagers accept that being served alcohol in a pub is illegal, many pubs won't even serve you unless you look at least 21.
James should recognise how much Tenby has to offer that most other towns don't. There are loads of other activities to do in Tenby instead of drinking, particularly outdoor activities... why else would so many people visit? If James lived in central London would any bars let him or his mates in, I think not. If he wanted to go to the cinema it would cost over £10 and during the day he certainly couldn't enjoy the countryside or the water sports available in Tenby!
James, you and your mates should recognise how lucky you are to grow up in such a safe and beautiful environment, which has plenty of activities for those who have the motivation to get out and enjoy the area.
Mon Nov 6 09:05:13 2006
Do you agree with what James has to say?
