Death of our Pubs !!!

[SP]

I went to go into a pub on Friday after work, not my usual habit, I just fancied a pint, doorman stopped me and said I couldn't come in as they had a dress code (news to me, they never have in the past) and I was in my work clothes.
Not a problem, I just went into a different pub instead.
However, I hope the landlord of pub 1 never appears in the local press complaining about people not using pubs, or there will be a very sarcastic letter winging its way to the editor.

Perhaps the bouncer was concerned you were carrying a couple of stretchers!

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[Gozorich]

When I were a lad in the very early sixties and just having arrived in the Smoke, eight of us from work used to put £1 in each on a friday night and got eight pints each. I don't remember much about it! 082.gif 082.gif 082.gif 082.gif

[Berserker]

There's a few good pubs i like in Swindon, old real ale type places, Glue pot, The Old Vic, Roaring Donkey. A hell of lot of places have closed, but mostly places that wasn't much good anywat.

[ScalleysDad]

There's a few good pubs i like in Swindon, old real ale type places, Glue pot, The Old Vic, Roaring Donkey. A hell of lot of places have closed, but mostly places that wasn't much good anywat.

I take it you have just returned from one of the three then?
mostly places that were below the grade or substandard purveyors of fine wines and ales is more becoming of a Mod.


surely

[Berserker]

There's a few good pubs i like in Swindon, old real ale type places, Glue pot, The Old Vic, Roaring Donkey. A hell of lot of places have closed, but mostly places that wasn't much good anywat.

I take it you have just returned from one of the three then?
mostly places that were below the grade or substandard purveyors of fine wines and ales is more becoming of a Mod.


surely

Nope been out for a ride on my motorbike tonight

[HillingdonFFC]

Yes MOR you`re absolutely right mate, it really is a crying shame. Its always been a dream of mine to own my own pub, the way its going there`ll be hardly any left in 10 years time. I know a few publicans and they say unless you`ve got a free of tie pub in a good catchment area, forget about it, you work your cobblers off just to break even. I get updates from Christies, Fleurets etc and the amount of pubs for sale is absolutely staggering because they dont make money any more.
Pubs used to be the focal points of communities, no more sadly. A couple of years ago I went up to see us play at Liverpool with a scouse mate. We went up the Scotland Rd and all I saw was boarded up pubs and I mean there were dozens of them. My mate said years ago they were buzzing ,now they`re just decaying shells.
In the last 15 years we`ve lost about 20+ pubs in my area, they reckon a few more will follow soon, Tesco Express are like bloody vultures and a lot have been turned into Asian restaurants and shops

[MJG]

Pubs have not moved with the times. As a place to have just a drink that ended years ago.
A pub needs to have drink, food, comfort, tv and a cafe culture feel to it in places.
Im not saying that's right or good but to get people in you need to offer some kind of quality and multi use.
Also its so bloody expensive. I stopped drinking almost three years ago but still go out with mates so know that you need a small loan to have a decent night out.
Betting shops have tried to open up to a wider clientele and have in a small part succeeded. Pubs need to somehow do the same.

[MOR :]

Where I live in Putney Vale I used to be able to walk to either the "Robin Hood" or "Duke of Cambridge" both very decent pubs...the "Robin Hood" done some lovely grub as well. Both have now been turned into luxury houses.

Also near me "Montague Arms" is now closed soon to be apartments.

"Earl Spencer" - now a Majestic wine warehouse.

The "Maltese Cat" was situated on Roehampton Lane. This Youngs pub closed in 2005.

The only pub near me now and it's a bus ride away is "The Angel." But alas it's not for me.

[MJG]

Don't forget the Kings Head which has been closed for a number of years in Roehampton.

[MOR :]

Don't forget the Kings Head which has been closed for a number of years in Roehampton.

Heard that it could still return as a pub although it'll probably be some sort of other commercial development.

[MJG]

Don't forget the Kings Head which has been closed for a number of years in Roehampton.

Heard that it could still return as a pub although it'll probably be some sort of other commercial development.

it has a massive footprint of land and would be surprised if it came back as a pub.
I used to live in Roehampton and you had the choice of six pubs at one time..all gone bar the Angel.

[HatterDon]

When I were a lad in the very early sixties and just having arrived in the Smoke, eight of us from work used to put £1 in each on a friday night and got eight pints each. I don't remember much about it! 082.gif 082.gif 082.gif 082.gif

My first pint was in Shefford, Beds in 1966. I remember it cost 1s9d -- somewhere around 9P for you youngsters. I literally could have an evening out -- food, drink, striking out with a local girl for under 10 bob [50P] as long as I hitchiked to and from.

Other stuff:
It also cost 6-10 shillings to get into Kenilworth road.
I leased a fully detached 3br house with garage and good sized yard for 28 quid.
I was taking home about $8000 dollars [3500 quid] a year.

But,

The beer really sucked [and thank you CAMRA for changing that].
Pub food was sparse and disgusting
Kenilworth Road was basically an outdoor toilet.
There were visible gaps in the wall of the house I lived.

times change and things got majorly expensive in the 80s. Times change and salaries skyrocketed in the 80s. It's evolution. On my recent visit, I drank in about 5 pubs and only one was a major dissappointment in terms of the quality of beer.

[GoldCoastWhite]

Don't blame me, I did (and do) my damndest to keep as many ale houses profitable as I possibly can !  082.gif  :HD:

[Rupert]

Kenilworth Road was basically an outdoor toilet.

Some things are still the same.

[Mr_Moon]

I went to this 'fancy' pub in Tunbridge Wells the other week. It wasn't even fancy, just looked modern and clean from the outside, was a bit of a dive inside. Anyway, a pint of Harveys Sussex best was £3.80! Pint of Becks (not that I'd order it) was £4.10. Now if I walk 5 minutes down the hill then I can make it into Wetherspoons. The clientele of 'Spoons aren't always the cleanest looking bunch, but when I can order a good pint of Ruddles for £1.65 or an ale such as Old Peculiar, Spitfire or a Scrumpy cider for a maximum of £2.50, then why would I want to go anywhere else?

In a month or so I'm moving back to Liverpool and have found the perfect house, situated across the road from my favourite pub. £2.50 for a pint of Timothy Taylor's Landlord, live football on a foreign satellite, great food and charming landlords. Perfection.

There are some nice pubs to visit on matchday but finding one that shows the early game whilst being reasonably priced is quite hard. I'm starting to just order a coca cola then buying a couple of cans from that newsagent at the end of the High Street for the park. Classy.

[MOR :]

If the beer is good/excellent then I don't mind paying for it...my favourite pint is of course "London Pride" and I've yet to find a better pint than the one served up at the "Red Lion" in Barnes.

And they do some cracking food...like I say not the cheapest in the land but the Guvnor has won awards for his beer...

This is one of Fuller's flagship pubs, therefore it's ales are always available and kept in peak condition. The pub also boasts a good size beer garden, heated covered decked area and good size car park.

That's my PR done for the evening...

[jarv]

A good mate of mine lives in Winchester. No end of decent pubs there (not in the centre where the many students go however).
Dirctly across the road from my mate's flat is a really old pub,even I have to stoop to get in the door It is a small pub, has Doombar and Harveys (from Lewes) amongst others.  The landladyrefused to get  a tv, the only food is occasional snacks (free) which makes it (apart from the beer prices) a throwback to times when a pub was a pub.  A few pints, lots of conversation, and a nice friendly bunch of locals.
If football is wanted, 400 yards up the road.