Lots of people are pretty good at thinking up an excuse to go to the pub should they need one, while in the North East 'walking the dog' is the famous cover used to conceal a sneaky trip out for a pint of Brown Ale.
Now a Gateshead pub is actively encouraging us to come up with more inventive excuses for an outing to the boozer and is offering hundreds of pounds of free meals and drinks to those who think of the best.
The Ravensworth Arms at Lamesley is inviting us to share the best excuse we've ever used to justify a trip to the local.
Read more: Good Beer Guide highlights 99 top North East pubs
It came up with the idea in the wake of pubs' long pandemic closure which left many people out of practice with both their visits and excuses.
The Ravensworth, part of Chef & Brewer's collection of British country venues, says that since the lifting of restrictions trips to the pub are back up to pre-pandemic levels and that 34% of Brits are making increasingly elaborate excuses to drop in.
The most commonly-used reasons they come up with is 'I need to get out of the house' while others apparently include 'I deserve it’ and ‘it’s hot' or else people cite attractions such as the pub’s atmosphere and temptations of a freshly-poured pint or of food tasting better when cooked by somebody else.
But the pub says there are many cases of using creative license too with 18% making up a distant acquaintance they need to meet; 13% celebrating an unusual anniversary such as a half-birthday, and 4% even saying they are out to mark their dog’s birthday.
And it reckons that nearly half of all Brits say they would happily make up an excuse as a reason to see friends and family at their local.
So, the pub is offering free meals and drinks to customers, in the form of £100 gift cards, as a reward for those who come up with the most original excuses for visiting.
Cat Shipley, Ravensworth Arms' general manager, said: “Tyne and Wear locals are wanting to come to the pub more than they have in years in order to see friends, have a family meal or a night out with their partner – but it’s been so long since they’ve been able to socialise properly, some feel like they need a reason to justify it to themselves.
"As a team, we’ve loved seeing our guests find any possible reason to make up for lost time with their loved ones - which is why we’ve decided to have a bit of fun with it."
Cat added: "Perhaps you’ve lost your keys, the dog ate your dinner or you’re simply making up for lost time by making special occasions extra special this year.
"Tell us your entertaining, heartwarming or even most outlandish reasons for visiting, and we’ll reward the best."
She said that a warm welcome awaits at the pub, in Greenford Lane, which will be rewarding people who come up with the most entertaining excuses. They can share them online up until Wednesday, August 4.
Those keen to be in with a chance of winning one of 10 available £100 gift cards are invited to submit their excuses by 11.59pm on the deadline date on tjhe website here, where terms and conditions also feature.
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Chef & Brewer reveals top 20 excuses for visiting the pub
To get out of the house
I deserve it
It’s hot
To make up for lost time
Can’t beat the atmosphere
Can’t be bothered to cook
To see an acquaintance / distant relative
Can’t beat a freshly poured pint
It’s a Friday (or any other day of the week)
To support my local pub
I’m British
To celebrate a non-conventional anniversary
Food tastes better when someone else cooks it
There’s nothing else to do
I need company
To catch up with the bar/waiting staff
To celebrate a good day at work
My house is too much of a mess to have people round
There’s nothing in the fridge
It’s the dog’s (or any other pet’s) birthday
