I’m based in England and knew the licensing hours well, when each shop closed and which closed late just in case. In my defence, I never drank and drove, but I always lived within walking distance of shops (that was by luck, even my planning wasn’t that precise).
But a couple of years ago, I had a weekend north of the border in Scotland. Rules are slightly different there as I found to my cost. I’d had a few beers with dinner and was heading back to my hotel at around 10.30pm. I popped into a supermarket to buy 2 small (1 glass size) bottles of wine which I took to a self-service checkout. The sale wouldn’t go through, and I was informed alcohol sales stopped at 10pm. I even thought of just walking out the shop with my 2 bottles! I went to bed in a foul mood. It was a grim weekend all round. My wife still brings up that weekend now! I try and avoid any talk of that weekend as it’s too miserable to think about.
I also remember catching trains home late at night and rushing to the station to purchase one or two beers for the journey. It all takes a lot of planning. If I was too late to get my beers, I’d be in a bad mood, but hey there’d be beers waiting at home.
If drinkers planned the rest of their lives with such precision, they’d be CEOs and millionaires.