Special Guest: Chelle Lucas
Roundtable Featuring: Abigail Chapman-Miller (Labour), Jacq Inwood, Maureen Jones, Aga Es and Mags Rahman. Host: Clive Hilton.
Alcohol is woven into British life so tightly that not drinking can feel like you’re breaking a rule. From champagne toasts and pub culture to “wine o’clock” on the sofa, we ask a question that’s easy to dodge and hard to answer: when does social drinking become a social problem?
Recorded at the Red Lion and Cellar Room in Betchworth, Surrey for the upcoming Alcohol Awareness Week - we bring real viewpoints and lived experience to the table. Aga talks about quitting alcohol alongside smoking and not missing it, while Abi shares what it’s like growing up around alcoholism, the way addiction can “gaslight” you, and why people are often the last to see the problem. Chelle reflects on 90s ladette binge drinking and how pub life has shifted, and Maureen draws on years of publican experience to explain why home drinking, supermarket prices, and changing habits have reshaped the community role of the local. Jacq adds the perspective of loving people with alcohol dependency, and what that costs in health, relationships, and wider society. Mags shares her lived experience which emerged during covid and a personal story of how she regained control and how Thiamine helped.
We also get practical: what “14 units a week” really means, why units are so easy to underestimate, and why stopping suddenly can be dangerous if you’re dependent. We talk stigma, alcohol-free drinks as a social bridge, and where help can start, from your GP to SMART support and Alcoholics Anonymous. If you’ve ever wondered whether your own drinking is “fine”, or felt awkward choosing not to drink, this conversation gives you language, context, and a few clear next steps.
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Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.
