Seeing Alcohol From the Other Side – Sober Bartending

As the UK’s drinking culture rampages on, bars remain full to the brim on weekends with people who want to dance, sing and drink the night away.

Whether it’s catching up with an old friend, going to a corporate event or seeing the end of a long work week, alcohol is sure to be right there next to you – whether you drink it or not.

For most people, it’s a treat to go out and grab a couple of drinks. But what about the people working there, constantly surrounded by alcohol and people consuming it? It’s a known fact that bartenders generally drink heavily – they’re around it after all. With over 600,000 dependent alcohol drinkers in the UK according to British charity Alcohol Change, it comes as no surprise that those that work in nightlife can find themselves in an especially tricky relationship with their drinks. 

However, there is a small (and often silent) community of those who work behind a bar and never drink alcohol – and as society as a whole becomes more aware of the damages of alcohol overconsumption, the movement is steadily growing. 

A part-time bar supervisor and full-time PE and Biology teacher, Omar works at a fast-paced bar in the heart of Shoreditch. The late nights and packed dance floor is enough to put most people off of working there. But Omar does, and he has never drank alcohol. 

“Growing up, the main thing was religion – I’m Muslim so alcohol is a no-go. As I became older and started uni, I’ve seen people’s lives revolve around alcohol. It wasn’t that it was off-putting, but I knew it wasn’t for me. I started working in the field, doing festivals as a part-time job, and it affirmed my decision.”

Bartending as an additional source of income is perfect for Omar, who is working in the daytime teaching children. The two occupations could not differ more. “It brings me out of me comfort zone to meet new people rather than being stuck working nine to five,” he explains, and also mentions that he is working with some old friends which makes the job that little bit more rewarding. 

As Omar has always observed the UK’s drinking culture from the other side, it can be seen as shocking to those who haven’t heard this perspective. On a weekly basis he sees people’s attitudes and demeanours change throughout the night. Binge-drinking is another clear issue: “A lot of people go out just to have fun, but it gets to the point where you’re thinking ‘how much fun is it when you’re losing composure of yourself?’”

In a questionnaire put up on my Instagram, I asked for three words to summarise drinking culture in Britain. The people that answered consisted of those living in London, most of which being between the ages of 18-24. The most common words I received were ‘excessive’, ‘normalised’ and ‘messy’ – so young people are painfully aware of the issues we have with alcohol abuse as a country. 

The safest maximum amount of alcohol to drink in a week is 14 units, as recommended by the UK government. With a standard 175ml glass of wine amounting to two units, this recommendation is far exceeded by many who party into the weekend. Despite the changing behaviours of customers, Omar says that most of the time they are pleasant to speak with. 

“It kind of depends on the week I’ve had. If I’m shattered and my week’s been exhausting, I feel like I don’t have time to deal with some customers. But others are nice; surprisingly I was offered an internship whilst I was working on the bar.”

There is currently no law in the UK that stops bartenders from drinking on the job. There is a line that is difficult to know if you’ve crossed. This is a topic of interest in Reddit’s forum r/bartenders, where the question of drinking alcohol behind the bar is frequently discussed. In one thread, a bartender is concerned for their health, and is met with a reply stating ‘Just be careful. It becomes a lifestyle quickly’ among other warnings. 

Josh is the main bartender at a rooftop bar in London. He is also six months sober. Since the age of 18, he had been aware of the negative effects of alcohol and decided to try limiting himself to the recommended amount of units per week, and then ultimately stopping during a Sober October challenge. 

He was lucky to have found the transition into sobriety pretty easy, despite working at a bar. “The hardest part was maybe the first two weeks, people are still offering you drinks, and with bartending everyone’s doing shots. It’s quite an extreme drinking environment compared to other jobs, so you’re always surrounded by alcohol.”

Despite this, Josh went sober because of the way alcohol made him feel and the anxiety that followed behind the hangovers. He’s remained working at a bar because “I still really enjoy alcohol, and I love the taste of cocktails, but I just don’t like what alcohol does to me.” The occasional tasting of the drink is required in the line of work, but he does not swallow any drinks that are made. 

Josh’s venue is a relaxed one – there isn’t too much binge-drinking. He sees it as the place where people ‘pre-game’ before going somewhere else, as it closes quite early. This has given him time to reflect on his alcohol consumption and the culture of UK drinking as a whole. 

“I’ve learnt that just because I don’t drink, it doesn’t mean other people can’t drink. Some people really enjoy it and thrive off it; they can deal with hangovers, but personally I can’t deal with it anymore. It just makes me really anxious, and it only makes me a worse person.”

For bartenders that are on their journey to sobriety, Josh recommended starting slowly, but most importantly “you have to really want it yourself, because it’s a very tricky environment”. Sticking to the 14 units per week was pivotal for him, and this was a recommendation to others wanting to be sober. “The recommended amount of alcohol by doctors was really an eye-opener for me.”

According to the Alcohol Rehab Guide, ‘bartenders have a higher risk of dying from alcoholism when compared to the rest of the population’ – making them 2.33 times more likely to die than average. Excessive exposure to, and knowledge of, alcohol can be extremely damaging. 

I am a bar supervisor myself, and a ‘sober-curious’ one at that. It can be shocking to see the disconnect that people have to the real world when they are too drunk. I could refuse service to someone because they are clearly too intoxicated, and they would carry on trying to order as if I said nothing. That is scary! 

Whilst bartending is a fun job, it can be an extremely stressful one, and a reality check – I have probably been that annoying drunk customer before, but once you are constantly around alcohol, you see the harsh truth of how much people drink, to the point where they put themselves in danger – in so many ways. Whilst alcohol can be enjoyed responsibly and enjoyably, it’s easy to fall down the slippery slope, especially as a person that works in nightlife. 

It is refreshing to see ever-increasing support for those who are thinking of quitting alcohol, but there can definitely be more of a support system for those who work around it. This can be a career that you build for yourself and spend many years on, so it really isn’t as easy as ‘just leaving’. As Josh and Omar have shown, amongst many others, it is possible to have a passion for mixology whilst not drinking yourself. 

For help with alcohol abuse, click here and here. There are also many council-based schemes for giving up alcohol which can be found here.