We're open
There are pubs that get busy within minutes of opening time. The Royal Oak in Borough springs to mind. When the latch comes up on a Saturday, it's never long before the tables begin to fill and the bar is besieged. Well, we're not there yet. We do have a reliable regular - a photographer who looks a little like a shorter, grey-haired Pierce Brosnan - who likes to get in first, sink two pints, then get out before the lunchtime trade begins. Sometimes our first customer is Peter, who always rolls up on a bike. He perches at the end of the bar in the corner by the window. It's the most prized spot for regular drinkers, opened up since I sent that big nasty coffee machine off to the knackers yard.
For us, this is the first day of business for 2009. Although I'm not overcome with joy at the prospect of trading during a recession, I agree with Pete Brown: we need to stop talking about the "death of the pub". However bad the economy gets, I just can't see people giving up entirely on such an important part of their social life. Having said that, I think pubs geared toward those on lower incomes really are going to suffer. They're already dealing with the effects of the recession and the government's determination to price poorer drinkers out of the market via taxation. Now there's something else to worry about. Just this week Wetherspoons launched an audacious bid to monopolise the bottom end of the market by offering pints of ale and bottles of lager for 99p.
Selling beer at little more than cost price is unsustainable in the long run, so I can only imagine this publicity-grabbing gambit is aimed at killing off the competition. In areas where the chain has a presence (read: almost every urban centre) this might be the final nail in the coffin for businesses that we euphemistically call "community pubs". If that's something you care about, don't give Wetherspoons a penny of your earnings.
Yes, I'm back from my hols. The pub's open for business again, and so is this website. I had a fantastic break on Tyneside and in Yorkshire. I visited two Northern breweries and stood forlornly outside of another. I've been to loads of great pubs and drunk some fantastic beer. Oh, and in the early hours of New Year's Day I found myself locked outside in York in my underpants. It was very cold indeed. Least said, soonest mended.
22 comments:
Happy new year Jeff!!
Oh, and nearly agree with everything you say about the death of the pub..although I doubt I'll stop talking about it.
I'm sort of coming to the conclusion that the 'ruling' classes ought to leave the poor 'community' pubs alone; it's none of their business really.
Only it might be, if the NHS is clogged up like a smoker's artery.
Damn! Still can't get off the fence.
Jeff,
Happy New Year to you and to all readers of this blog!
Cheers and may 2009 be a good one.
Andy
Bier-Mania!
I don't think the lower end is the only part of the pub market facing a perfect storm, drinking in a pub is a discretionary spend, I already do it far less since beer rose so much, that trend is universal IME and can only accelerate with what is now happening in the economy (and any of the smaller breweries that recently expanded to use the increased allowances are in deep trouble if they did that via loans).
Speaking of lower end suffering:
"locked outside in York in my underpants"
Are there any jpgs of this event? For the historical record, of course...
I wonder how Greene King feel about their IPA being "rebranded" as Britain's new "chav ale" - the Red Barrel for 2009 - thanks to the Spoon's price cut?
PS: Happy New Year
The link to The Times confuses me, or rather the comments from a rival pubco do, because I thought both Yates and Litten Tree (aka Litter Tray) went bust and closed all their outlets some time ago.
Fatman, I think you're right. If the government feels it simply must interfere in people's lives to protect them from their own failings they'd be much better to ban things like premium rate phone lines and internet gambling before attacking drinking in local pubs, which might pose a health risk for those who do so to excess, but also has a positive side in that it helps to strengthen communities.
mym, I don't think drinking in pubs and bars truly is discretionary spending for some people, in particular those who are younger and without dependents. If you didn't go out drinking, you'd have a severely restricted social life. However, I do think people will be more discerning about where they spend their money as they look for better value. Right now, I wouldn't want to be the owner of a flash West End bar that serves bottled lager for £5 a pop and £10 cocktails, for example.
Sam, apparently Greene King are furious about what Wetherspoons have done. They've already released a press statement saying as much. Spoons have made it clear that GK aren't funding any part of the price reduction, so the brewery still gets paid the same (and indeed can expect much higher volume orders). However, it does trash what is currently a highly respected brand (even if beer enthusiasts such as myself don't like the beer).
Bell, when I lived on the island, 96-98, My local Wetherspoons on Chiswick High Road had Younger's Bitter for 99p a pint. They also had a special for Director's at one time that was 1.25 a pint. They've always been known for deals. The funny thing I've noticed about 'spoons pubs is that there seems to always be a guy at the bar drinking from a bottle of Becks, Holsten, or Stella. Although not the best of pubs, I find they offer a pretty good range of beers for little dosh. Do they still do two meals for a fiver?
Happy new year Jeff, hope it's a good one for you and the pub!
I'd be interested in hearing more about your trips to Yorkshire and Tyneside, we have some good boozers up here!
Happy 2009 to one and all.
Having overdosed on winter beers these last couple of weeks I am absolutely craving pale and hoppy.
Anything in prospect please Jeff? Or must I make a trip to Brighton...
Armadillo, Bitter & Twisted is on right now. Oakleaf Hole Hearted is in the cellar. And there's always the Landlord.
Next week I've got dark beers coming in: Caledonian 80 for some of my Scots mates, Red Castle Cream from Newman's in Wales and Mordue Wallsend Brown. I've also got a single cask of Shepherd's Delight from Tom Wood's of Lincolnshire. It's described as a "golden hued hoppy beer with gentle maltiness and a refreshingly dry aftertaste".
Oakleaf Hole Hearted is superb, what is the name of your pub? When do you expect to have the Hole Hearted on?
If that's something you care about, don't give Wetherspoons a penny of your earnings
You'd be mad to go anywhere else.
3 pints for the price of one.
its £1-49 in central London Mcspoons.London once again subsides the rest of the country .This wont affect GREENE KINGS REPUTATIONthey dont have one.
G'Day all,
While Australia does not have the same 'community' feel pubs (except for country towns) as you enjoy in England, the feeling is that the global downturn will sort out many of the under performing operators while those offering what the punter wants will survive if not thrive. Smoking bans and higher taxes have taken some adjusting but were certainly not the 'Y2K' death hreat that many predicted.
Cheers
Prof. Pilsner
Personally I'm not a fan of GK, and as such I neither sell nor drink their beer. However, I think they've enjoyed a largely positive reputation as both a brewer and a pub company, like it or not.
Wetherspoons' latest ruse has probably given GK the most concentrated media coverage they've had in their history. Unfortunately, the message people will have taken away is that their IPA is the cheapo cask ale for Wetherspoons jakeys.
That's bad news when they want it to be sold at a proper price across the rest of the free trade and in their own pubs. That's why they were so quick to point out that they aren't financially supporting the Wetherspoons gambit. Pubs that sell GK IPA who have a Spoons down the road would be mad to keep selling it, as the price comparison is too stark. At least if they sell something else they can claim it's better.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of the Wetherspoons GKIPA price cut, Greene King's indignation really makes me laugh. If they don't like what Wetherspoons are doing don't sell them the beer.
Belated Happy New Year
Chris, of course you're right in that GK could just refuse to supply Spoons. If they did, however, they'd lose what's probably their biggest account and as a PLC I expect they'd have to issue a profit warning!
Pubcos and breweries need to cooperate to some extent to ensure the industry remains healthy and sustainable in the long term. Wetherspoons clearly don't give a shit about that, and would prefer to drive other pubs out of business in a cynical price war.
JDW would presumably say this was a commercial decision in the interests of shareholders. Just as GK have done to justify some of their unpalatable business strategies, of which there have been plenty. And the shareholder is, of course, king (at least when it suits company directors to peddle that line). GK in common with all the pubcos - let's not forget they are a big pub owner as well as a brewer - have massively over-borrowed to fund an anti-competitive spending spree over the last few years. That debt pile takes a lot of financing so you are no doubt right that GK can ill afford to lose the sales revenue.
Speaking of your break back on Tyneside, was that you and your dad we saw in the Dolly on the 28th Jeffrey?
Yes! It was!
Nice to put a face to the name.
Would have said hello but thought better of interrupting and appearing a stalker.
:)
Post a Comment