The problem with most pubs is lager, lager, lager, **** staff who don't give a **** and the tolerance of the local dickheads being allowed to come in get hammered and start on some unsuspecting bloke having a quiet pint.
I get the data on this stuff for work. It’s ****ed and the drinking clientele is getting older. I don’t doubt there are some great old-fashioned boozers doing a lot of volume but it’s not enough now for anywhere to be busy on a Friday and Saturday night and fairly dead most of the time like it used to be. Though if they didn’t take the piss with soft drinks I’d be more inclined to pop in for a Diet Coke more often.
in my local town loads of pubs have closed and lots of others only open with shortened hours .Mind you not just pubs the high street has almost as many buildings empty as in use and lots of wonderful Victorian buildings are becoming derelict with no attention paid to them .
You got a nice pub and there are a few of them around I expect, micropubs, pubs that in effect have moved away from the tradition of old big buildiings that are expensive to keep/run, but worth a fortune on the market, into cheap smaller low cost buildings. Limited in capacity, but still big enough to make a profit and have the ocassional band in. I notice some even venturing into food, without turning into a restaurant, quick easy to prepare food, or supplied by a local takeaway ie pizza (assumption that last bit). The downside is it needs it's customers to use it! Use it or lose it because they have a lease to pay, but not a lot different to any business really, but probably more vulnerable because it's not a chain and is likely a sole trader with limited funds. I'd enjoy setting something up like that, given it thought, would do it if I could persuade my lad to come in with me, so unlilkely to ever happen. But no bubble gum beers, **** that ****. ... sorry, forgetting myself there, need to give the customer what they want. Actually I'd be **** at it, because I hate humans. Pets only and no kids though would defo be in at any pub of mine.
You're probably right the place I go to is rare and they sell beer at reasonable prices the staff are lovely the owners proud of what they do. It's busy enough Wed, Thu packed Friday Saturday and very busy Sunday closed Mon, Tue. They have a crazy amount of variety from traditional ales to the modern craft stuff when it comes to lager there sell Budvar because it's still brewed in Czechoslovakia. They get guest bands and guest food trucks and throw parties at the brewery. It's a proper gem. There's a place nearby (short drive) also doing their own beer at £6 the owners of where I go swapped some kegs and sold that beer at £4 which shows he's ripping his regulars off.
Depends a lot on location ... pub I mentioned in St Albans gets a lot of tourist business throughout the year as it's right close to the Cathedral which gets coach loads of visitors ... St Albans is steeped in history - Roman town and site of two different battles during the War of the Roses ...
Yeah location is always important, a lot of the big companies like the brand name coffee shops do people counts on where they plan to go. It's why you always see them in prime locations but there is often a premium to pay for that. So it's about where your passing trade is coming from and at what hours and days of the week. Is there public transport near-by, although not such a problem these days with Uber but still important things to consider. For example the one in Gillingham is busy on matchdays, but that's confined to Saturdays all day and Tuesday evenings, where's it trade coming from the rest of the time, but it's moved to a bigger location on the same road, so I assume the location is good for them and to be just off the High St makes it reasonably easy to get to, by car, train or taxi...also on a main bus route. Olde worlde pubs like the one you mention will always be an attraction, generally the only problem with them is if the landlord decides to call it a day like many others because their assets are all tied up in the building....I should add then if anyone tries to stop them selling, they mysteriously go up in flames.
Refuse to buy costa, it's utter ****e. And expensive. My daughter wanted a hot choc in there during winter. Of course she wanted whipped cream, marshmallows and sprinkles. It was something like £6.50. And then all it was under the fluff was powdered ****e and hot water. Their coffee is **** too Rip off
