The Village Pub, What's the problem? Options

[On the edge]

The village shop can't keep going - Messrs Supermarket have seen to that! The 'bus service such as it is isn't viable - most have cars these days. The Post Office; going under as well - what with email, on line services and direct benefit payments. The village pub? Granted the drink / drive regulations have stopped some trade - but that came in ages ago. With a little imagination plus some simple menus, surely there's a business case? So what's the issue? Business rates, commercial rents, unscrupulous brewers, increase in property values? And anyway would we really be worse off without them?

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

Problem with pubs (not a drinker so might be wrong) is that the pubs that do generally shut are in the middle of nowhere. There are plenty of good pubs in Thatcham and Newbury, if you have the right atmosphere then it generally works out ok. If not then, tough really.

[Strafin]

I have seen a shift the services that pubs offer, The Spotted Dog at Cold Ash also does pizza delivery, I think one of the pubs at Stockcross (sp) has a shop in it, and I have seen one with it's own taxi service.

[Downlander]

A big part of it is the greed of the breweries. They want it all - it's virtually impossible for a tenant to make a decent living out of a tied pub. As soon as the takings increase, up goes the rent.

This is what Jean-Marc from the Compton Swan had to say. (Those guys worked their socks off to make the Compton Swan a fantastic village amenity with class. They had live music evenings, outdoor market, quiz nights, barbecues, parties and offers galore. And the punters came in.)

The business has been a success: we have work our hardest to make it successful, ignoring days off and holidays to be able to reach the standards of service we wanted to offer. We have not failed, we have been failed, it is inconceivable in my head that a business that turn such a great amount of sales is not able to make one penny profit, we invest huge amount of money and time and effort but never made a penny, the last year has been the most stressful of all and in all honesty I do not know how we have manage to keep the pub open for so long, with the daily stress of not being able to pay supplier and the bullying approach from our biggest suppliers, brewery, electric, gas, vat, business rate.

Basically everybody waited for us to make a bit of money and it was taken away before we even saw it. It has been a year of stress and fight for survival, and we did try to fight but the brewery hardly gave us an inch and then they took it back and they pretend to help us with our money but it was all fake and in the end the beer tie had the better of us.

I want people to realise that before entering any discussion about free trading and competition we had to give GK (Greene King)about 50k each year just for the privileged of buying beer from them, we never had a discount on barrelage, (except for a 12 weeks period) and were not going to get any, little to say that without the tie (that cost us 50k a year before buying anything) we will have been in a position to negotiate better deals with other suppliers and save an other 20k. Unfortunately it was not the case and we were left with no other choice then go and declare ourselves insolvent.

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=18802
(the full quote was posted and emailed in various places)

Something really needs to be done before the British pub disappears forever. It's a unique part of our heritage, there's nothing quite like it anywhere else and it often forms the centre of a community. So yes, we would be worse off without them.

[user23]

The village shop can't keep going - Messrs Supermarket have seen to that!

Surely it's shoppers that have seen to it by changing their shopping habits, likewise with the village pub.

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

So yes, we would be worse off without them.

How exactly?

After all what will you really be missing out on? Nothing really...friends? no you can still see them....alcohol? No if you choose you can purchase it elsewhere often at a smaller cost..

[NWNREADER]

In the modern world the business case for doing anything outside home is reducing. There is little provision for social interface, but we are social creatures.

Whether there should be pubs, shops, etc in villages is a broader debate than profit, but who will provide the social requirement for free, let alone at a loss.....

[Downlander]

How exactly?

After all what will you really be missing out on? Nothing really...friends? no you can still see them....alcohol? No if you choose you can purchase it elsewhere often at a smaller cost..

Well, as you yourself point out in your signature, you're not normal.

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

True. But I think a fair point it doth make?

[Andy Capp]

Today, and yesterday I have been down the pub for a number of hours, who else has been this weekend?

[Strafin]

I haven't been this year, they don't really do it for me anymore, but I did like them a lot when I was a bit younger (twenties).

[Biker1]

I think it's the cost of going to the pub that has put most people off.

Even if I am driving and want a soft drink I have to pay an arm and a leg for it.

[JeffG]

Today, and yesterday I have been down the pub for a number of hours, who else has been this weekend?

Not me. I am watching my weight these days (and my health). Glass of wine with the evening meal is my lot.

[Andy Capp]

Not me. I am watching my weight these days (and my health). Glass of wine with the evening meal is my lot.

And an admirable if I may say so.

[Blake]

Another issue surely is the huge rise in the cost of living since 2008.

If the cost of living explodes, the consumer has to look at saving money on non-essentials. Visits to the pub thus will be one thing one cuts down on.

Furthermore, the prices some pubs charge are very off putting. Some are now charging well over £3 per pint and similar for a small glass of wine. Those that thrive tend to charge lower prices and that includes some of the better pubs like the Pot Kiln.

[Downlander]

Furthermore, the prices some pubs charge are very off putting. Some are now charging well over £3 per pint and similar for a small glass of wine. Those that thrive tend to charge lower prices and that includes some of the better pubs like the Pot Kiln.

That's because the breweries and pubcos take so much out. The landlord of a free house can cut costs considerably, as s/he is free to buy their stock from anywhere. The tied landlord struggles to get a living these days. See the quote above re the Compton Swan.

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

Business is never about staying stuck in your ways, it's about evolution and if you have to go into a free house then why not? If that's the difference between a failing company and a successful company... would be stupid of a landlord not to really.

[dannyboy]

Business is never about staying stuck in your ways, it's about evolution and if you have to go into a free house then why not? If that's the difference between a failing company and a successful company... would be stupid of a landlord not to really.

To buy the freehold of a pub & to become a tennant of a Pubco are hundreds of thousands of pounds apart.

[Nothing Much]

Thinking about how pubs evolve and are created from odd places.
I mention Wetherspoons as I enjoyed a visit to a converted Chapel in Exeter some years ago.

On the other side are pubs closing when the owner retires.
One such in Stiffkey Norfolk closed just as we arrived in the area.27 years ago.
No sign on the door.... but I can guess the sentiment as the owner retired.
"+++++off, the lot of you". It reopened 3 years ago, and nothing had been changed over the years.
New loos and kitchens, though. I think the pickled eggs might have been retired as well.

[scott]

Today, and yesterday I have been down the pub for a number of hours, who else has been this weekend?

A freind an I got a takeaway on Saturday night from Bartholomew street (other take-aways are available) so popped into the Nags Head while my Tikka Masala was being prepared. Well, Saturday night, 8.30pm... How many people were in there?

TWO! Me and my mate! Such a shame as its not far off the feel of a village pub slap bang in town.. hey ho.

To the original topic of village pubs failing, a number of things have caused this in my opinion, (and i have 10 years experience of the licensed trade, so know some stuff for once!)

1. Independantly owned village pubs (ie Free Houses) have the fleixibilty of getting good deals on beer etc, those in a chain (ie the C&H at East Ilsley for example, now owned by Punch) HAVE to buy all of their booze from them, add on the fact a few years ago, the Lease on the C&H i heard was very high (read thousands!) Now this does not mean profit is not possible, but somewhere like that needs a team of people not afraid of hard work, and i mean really hard work! It has what 15ish bedrooms on last count, and used to have a great reputation for food. this all went downhill after punch took over, as the new tennants were just focussed on selling booze.. profit comes from the food and the accomadation on a place like that (when you hands are tied on buying booze) But to consistantly give your customers the same high levels and satisfaction takes graft. If you have a bad meal somewhere, you simply dont again, and worst case for them, you tell 5 friends how bad it was! If you lose your "loyal" customers, you are stumped.

2. Cheap available booze. Supermarkets, off licences etc, i can buy 3 half decent bottles of wine for £12 say, thats less than a bottle of house wine in any village pub round here, then what is it these days? £3 a pint?? I can buy 4 cans of decent beer for that..

3. Peoples attituded have changed, their social existence is no longer demanding of physcially being with your friends, facebook, twitter etc etc has taken away the "touch" of being sociable and meeting people.

Just realised i have been typing for ages, so cant be bothered with point 4 and 5, you get the picture...