Yup, I found out last Saturday that the original committee of eight people (four couples) had dwindled to just three people and they were all replaced by a new committee after about a year. The old three don't speak very highly of the new ones and don't go very often now.
What are your thoughts on the future of pubs/restaurants etc?
- Thread starter SexyGreyFox
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Human nature old boy, I'd put money on the wives being behind it too, most blokes put money in and accept some of them will do more work than others, take more liberties, throw their weight about a bit, bla blah, they'll just go with the flow unless things get silly, but then the wives puts their oar in and things turn nasty...
You may have hit on a great concept there for a new chain of theme pubs.
Soldato
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Well, you asked us what our thoughts were and I've replied in good faith. You've now told me it's pointless replying because you're not interested so fair enough, I'll leave it at that.
Beavertown, such massively overpriced beer wherever you go unfortunately.
That is what happens in recessions though (yes, we are not in one yet but with inflation it is making people react similarly). People eat out and drink less when they have income concerns.
Global economic factors cannot be controlled, but domestic issues that have compounded the native economic factors can be laid at the feet of the government. I don't think there is anything specific any government can do to help pubs, their downfall is a combination of changing demographics and general stagnation of UK wages for 12 years. Hence my suggestions to appeal to a wider market, as that is the only thing that pubs can change (better beer, better food, vegan and alcohol free options, family friendly). There is nothing they can do to lower operating costs.
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If your answer is that it's all the fault of a certain group of people in Parliament then no because I'm pretty sure you know that's a daft reply.
There's a war in Ukraine and everybody now wants their gas from the same place as us, I'm amazed you can blame our Government for that.
Of course all Governments could have ploughed money into our own energy decades ago.
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Come on man, make your mind up; you're either happy to discuss it or you're not.
First of all, the UK pub trade was in dire trouble long before Russia invaded Ukraine. Secondly, an energy crisis can literally only be solved by Government action - there's no other entity involved in the process that could implement the actions that are required to solve the problem.
Example: the French government are in the process of nationalising EDF. The UK zombie government are telling us we're too lazy, we need to work harder, and forget a pay rise because that's what's causing the problems.
If you're disputing that it's a government issue then why not counter with your own take on what the issue is?
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I'll bite, how can any Government right now solve the problem of countries providing us fuel for less?
Soldato
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I was recently down in Cornwall on holiday and saw two very different ends of the scale:
Went to a pub near the campsite we were staying at - this also turned out to be the local shop serving several campsites - the landlord said that post Covid, a lot of customers hadn't returned so he turned the old dining room into a "village shop" selling essentials, little luxuries and Cornish food to offset some of the losses - we went a few mornings and actually he was quite busy. However, we went in on the Sunday evening for dinner and the place was deserted. There were 4 locals propping up the bar who'd obviously been in since Sunday lunchtime and were known to the landlord as one of them helped serve whilst the landlord was in the back cooking our stonebaked pizzas. After these left there was only one other family in so I imagine it was barely profitable keeping the place open once you factored in utility costs.
On the flip side, we were in St. Ives twice during the holiday and the place was heaving, most pubs and restaurants had some form of wait for a table and every single pub on the front had no seats whatsoever outside and even inside, most tables were full up. I would say these places were all significantly more expensive than the local village place we went to and the food was no better for the extra money spent.
I very much find the same with cities - Stoke is pretty dead these days and it's hard to find decent pubs/restaurants without travelling further afield. Liverpool however seem to have made great progress and again, often restaurants in the Albert Dock are bustling.
Went to a pub near the campsite we were staying at - this also turned out to be the local shop serving several campsites - the landlord said that post Covid, a lot of customers hadn't returned so he turned the old dining room into a "village shop" selling essentials, little luxuries and Cornish food to offset some of the losses - we went a few mornings and actually he was quite busy. However, we went in on the Sunday evening for dinner and the place was deserted. There were 4 locals propping up the bar who'd obviously been in since Sunday lunchtime and were known to the landlord as one of them helped serve whilst the landlord was in the back cooking our stonebaked pizzas. After these left there was only one other family in so I imagine it was barely profitable keeping the place open once you factored in utility costs.
On the flip side, we were in St. Ives twice during the holiday and the place was heaving, most pubs and restaurants had some form of wait for a table and every single pub on the front had no seats whatsoever outside and even inside, most tables were full up. I would say these places were all significantly more expensive than the local village place we went to and the food was no better for the extra money spent.
I very much find the same with cities - Stoke is pretty dead these days and it's hard to find decent pubs/restaurants without travelling further afield. Liverpool however seem to have made great progress and again, often restaurants in the Albert Dock are bustling.
Point of order: there's a big difference between being able to cook and being a chef. Just because you can cook an excellent meal doesn't mean that you can cook a couple of dozen of them on the trot. It doesn't mean you can cope with all the varied orders in a timely fashion, and so on.
It's been a few years since I've been to Liverpool but when I did, I always tried to stay at the Premier Inn at Albert Dock, the area was always busy, even on weekday evenings. It's good to know it's still doing well.
I tried not to bite at that one.
I had my cousin trying to tell me that it can't be hard to offer a sliming world cooked breakfast alongside a normal breakfast......
Turns out she cooks it all in the same pan...
So not a slimming world breakfast then
People think you can use a cookbook that you buy at waterstones in a commercial kitchen.
Soldato
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It's a great place now in my opinion - I would rather travel 1hr 15 to Liverpool than go locally into Stoke (for both shopping or a night out) - prefer Liverpool more than Manchester or Brum - not a massive lover of either of those. Find the scousers in general much more friendly!
I admit my post was missing some context. Yes it is a different thing all together especially for restaurant fare but for "standard pub" food or home cooking in a small to medium scale I believe there are plenty of good amateur cooks that would just need to learn to cook to scale to be able to put some "chefs" to shame. My point is there are a lot of people who call themselves chefs when they are far from it.
Not at all detracting from the chef profession at all though, an hold housemate of mine was head chef at a country estate around nottingham and he truely knew his stuff and was an amazingly talented chef.
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One sad thing. McDs will continue to thrive.
What do people see in this awful place?
I remember when McDs first reopened about 45-50 drive thrus only - after the first lockdown, the nearest McDs to here was Eye Green, Cambridgeshire. The day after, a womble found a bag and receipt from Eye Green tossed into a hedge. This idiot drove 85 miles round trip for a quarter pounder. How pathetic!
What do people see in this awful place?
I remember when McDs first reopened about 45-50 drive thrus only - after the first lockdown, the nearest McDs to here was Eye Green, Cambridgeshire. The day after, a womble found a bag and receipt from Eye Green tossed into a hedge. This idiot drove 85 miles round trip for a quarter pounder. How pathetic!
Yes they can, they can start by adding a tax on beer bought at supermarkets.... But as all supermarkets are stuck to the shareholders of the Tory city Westminster's share dealing bum boys club they wont even touch it or consider it. Infact I will add to my manifesto.
Tax on supermarket beer (so its cheaper to go to a pub)
VIVA EL Prezidenti SPG.
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We could help them e.g. allow them access the foreign workers.