Varsity Closed, ...so i've been told Options

[Good Boy Racer]

Been driving passed Varsity a few times and noticed it not opened at all! A friend even told me it was now closed due to... and listen to this! For attracting the wrong crowd. WHAT! So what if it brings in students... it's money aint it?

Does anyone know an official answer to this?

[Ben NWN]

Varsity is closed and will reopen next Thursday as The George and Pelican.

When it reopens it will be a family-friendly pub during the day and a sort of "cocktail bar" in the evenings.

There will be a full story to follow next week so check back on newburytoday.co.uk as of Monday.

Hope this helps in the meantime.

[wabbit]

Why the 'George & Pelican'??

Who is George and what connection does he have to a pelican? Or is this one of those oh-so-clever (not) names like Slug & Lettuce? Who thinks of these names and why do they think this is good?

As for being a 'family-friendly' pub during the day - presumably that means Waynetta can park her buggie inside while she knocks back her Special Brew?

Great.

[Rose8]

Why the 'George & Pelican'??

Who is George and what connection does he have to a pelican? Or is this one of those oh-so-clever (not) names like Slug & Lettuce? Who thinks of these names and why do they think this is good?

As for being a 'family-friendly' pub during the day - presumably that means Waynetta can park her buggie inside while she knocks back her Special Brew?

Great.

Waynetta

I feel sorry for the poor children being stuffed into their pushchairs and walked around town all day so their 'mothers' can meet with friends. Shouldnt say it, but some of them look like they are not much more than children themselves and need to do something more constructive, ie swimming, library, toddler group, the park, feed the ducks, go home and make playdough or do some cooking. Just get them off the street !!

[TallDarkAndHands...]

Glad its closed.

Full of sponging chavvy types with no job and no intention of getting a job.
And the beer was awful.

[blackdog]

Why the 'George & Pelican'??

Who is George and what connection does he have to a pelican? Or is this one of those oh-so-clever (not) names like Slug & Lettuce? Who thinks of these names and why do they think this is good?

The George & Pelican was a famous coaching inn in Speenhamland (probably an C18th amalgamation of two inns called the George and the Pelican) - the management of Varsity (as was) are simply using a bit of Newbury history to try to raise the tone of the place.

[user23]

The George and Pelican will also be another live music venue in Newbury, which is great news.

[Guest_Newbury Expat_*]

They missed a trick on the name and could have referred to more recent history: The Bypass & Bollards

[Strafin]

The George and Pelican will also be another live music venue in Newbury, which is great news.

That is good news, and that place couldn't have gotten any worse so I'm glad they're trying to do something cool with it.

[Darren]

Long time since I've been up that way, but I seem to recall that part of the stables still remains at the back of The Chequers.

[Biker1]

Full of sponging chavvy types with no job and no intention of getting a job.
And the beer was awful.

If you know the beer was awful did you sample it?

If so does that mean you are a sponging chavvy type with no job and no intention of getting a job?

Or where you the exception?

[dannyboy]

Been driving passed Varsity a few times and noticed it not opened at all! A friend even told me it was now closed due to... and listen to this! For attracting the wrong crowd. WHAT! So what if it brings in students... it's money aint it?

Does anyone know an official answer to this?

This does not bode well for the several empty units under the new cinema, which allegedly will be filled with new drinking establishments by November.

[Jamoza]

The George & Pelican was a famous coaching inn in Speenhamland (probably an C18th amalgamation of two inns called the George and the Pelican) - the management of Varsity (as was) are simply using a bit of Newbury history to try to raise the tone of the place.

Actually The George & Pelican was a pub located only 400 metres away from where the new one is, Here's the description from the Facebook group:

The George & Pelican, throught the 18th century, the market town of newbury was an important "hub" for travellers using the horse drawn coaching routes across Britain. Numerous coaching inns were established in the town offering hospitality and accommodation to travellers and stabling for horses.
One such establishment stood out amoungst the rest for the quality of its welcome, the standards of its service and its reputation for fine food and ale- the inn was called the George & Pelican.
Now fast forward a few centuries a new George & Pelican opens on the same street 400 yards from its original location.
Open daily from 9am the G&P will offer its customers food, drink, and entertainment that newbury has not seen in years...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=114874882375

[user23]

This does not bode well for the several empty units under the new cinema, which allegedly will be filled with new drinking establishments by November.

Why not? It will be open again within the week.

[graham]

Been driving passed Varsity a few times and noticed it not opened at all! A friend even told me it was now closed due to... and listen to this! For attracting the wrong crowd. WHAT! So what if it brings in students... it's money aint it?

Does anyone know an official answer to this?

I did hear that it had few drug problems so re opening it under another name i think they hope to change there reputation

[dannyboy]

Why not? It will be open again within the week.

A rebrand / relaunch for such a new venue & one which is part of a national chain isn't good. You can change the nsame as often as you like - the clientle will remain the same look at the Chicago Rock Cafe......

maybe Varsity is a franchise that isn't making enough cash.

[blackdog]

Actually The George & Pelican was a pub located only 400 metres away from where the new one is, Here's the description from the Facebook group:

The George & Pelican, throught the 18th century, the market town of newbury was an important "hub" for travellers using the horse drawn coaching routes across Britain. Numerous coaching inns were established in the town offering hospitality and accommodation to travellers and stabling for horses.
One such establishment stood out amoungst the rest for the quality of its welcome, the standards of its service and its reputation for fine food and ale- the inn was called the George & Pelican.
Now fast forward a few centuries a new George & Pelican opens on the same street 400 yards from its original location.
Open daily from 9am the G&P will offer its customers food, drink, and entertainment that newbury has not seen in years...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=114874882375

And how does this advert from the management conflict with my post? Mind you I'd have said that the Castle and the King's Arms were a bit more upmarket than the old George & Pelican, so I'd take their blurb with the pinch of salt it deserves.

There was a rhyme about the Pelican being famous for the size of its bill. Hope this doesn't become the reputation of the new G&P!

[blackdog]

Long time since I've been up that way, but I seem to recall that part of the stables still remains at the back of The Chequers.

Any stables at the back of the Chequers would probably have been stables for the Chequers or their neighbours at that time. The Pelican was furher east, the other side of the old Bear - what is now Thames Court, Rajastan, the accountants and Jackson Stops.

[Gumbo]

This is well overdue. My mate and I popped in to Varsity a couple of Saturdays back and both of us agreed that we should make an exit as fast as we could finish our drinks. Things that we thought were wrong:

1. It smelt like 10 day old socks
2. It was quite empty for such a big venue
3. The music was ridiculously loud and to put it bluntly....cr@p.
4. The other patrons were either under age or chavs.

We did say to each other that it wont be long before the place closes unless they change things dramatically.

Will definately check out the new place in the future but if it is the same management in control just changing the name it will be interesting to see if they have learnt the lessons from their first outing.

[peach]

I liked varsity when it first opened but it did decend into rubbish! The food in the day time was always best avoided. I will be interested to see what this new place is like..