JP Wetherspoons (The Vale)

[hibbs]

One word...Soulless! That's Wetherspoons not you ?????s

[kford]

They're a byword for violence where I grew up.

Horrible places.

[doublesj]

How do you know this sgb?

I saw that The Vale were repainting their sign at the weekend.

[Loz]

I do like the music they play, though... :))

[Neil_Howie]

As a rule I never drink further down Lordship Lane than The Palmerston. I can't imagine a Wetherspoons will make me change my mind.

[skidmarks]

Oh Christ, sticky tables and no atmosphere apart from the ambient background din of the glass washer and chillers plus the old man at the bar counting through his pennies to calculate how many ?1.99 pints he can have before his heart stops. Why do they insist on covering the tables with so many dirty and sticky laminated menus and price lists! I?d rather cut my balls off with a rusty saw than go in any Tescospoons.

[deano]

Maybe we will see a smile on the new owners face?????????

[sgb]

Doublesj - My mates a surveyor and knows the company that?s surveying it for Wetherspoons.

[Sue]

I am very happy to hear this news.

Wetherspoons have a great range of well-kept real ale at excellent prices - which hopefully they won't raise because it's ED.

Agree the food is bog-standard microwaved crap, but it is filling and cheap crap, and good value for what you get, especially with their two-for-one offers. They're not in the market for competing with Franklins!

The atmosphere varies depending on the pub, but I used to run a group which had regular monthly get-togethers at Penderel's Oak on High Holborn, and it was ideal for us because there was a large no-smoking area (in the days before the ban), and no music, so we could hear ourselves speak. Its loos were also, deservedly, featured in the Good Loo Guide!

I think The Vale is in a good spot, near the station, but it's always had a rather strange atmosphere and the ale not always well kept. I hope its new incarnation thrives!

:)-D

ETA: Guess we won't be seeing the gloomy Skidmarks in there :)) Best stick to the Bishop, mate :)) I'd rather cut myself to bits with a rusty saw than drink in there, but each to their own :))

[flapjackdavey]

Great that the Vale is to become a wetherspoons , at least wetherspoons serve decent ales , The stuff the Vale serves is always off ,just tastes of vinegar .

[skidmarks]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I am very happy to hear this news.

>

> Wetherspoons have a great range of well-kept real

> ale at excellent prices - which hopefully they

> won't raise because it's ED.

>

> Agree the food is bog-standard microwaved crap,

> but it is filling and cheap crap, and good value

> for what you get, especially with their

> two-for-one offers. They're not in the market for

> competing with Franklins!

>

> The atmosphere varies depending on the pub, but I

> used to run a group which had regular monthly

> get-togethers at Penderel's Oak on High Holborn,

> and it was ideal for us because there was a large

> no-smoking area (in the days before the ban), and

> no music, so we could hear ourselves speak. Its

> loos were also, deservedly, featured in the Good

> Loo Guide!

>

> I think The Vale is in a good spot, near the

> station, but it's always had a rather strange

> atmosphere and the ale not always well kept. I

> hope its new incarnation thrives!

>

> :)-D

>

> ETA: Guess we won't be seeing the gloomy Skidmarks

> in there :)) Best stick to the Bishop, mate :))

> I'd rather cut myself to bits with a rusty saw

> than drink in there, but each to their own :))

My mum?s pub sells a selection of well kept real ales and she even supports her local micro brewery by selling his beer (Tescos told the micro brewery how much they were going to buy his beer for and good for him he told them to f#ck off). She sells beers as cheaply (still too much for some) as she can taking a minimal profit but obviously has not got the buying power of a large corporation. She uses local tradesman to do work to the pub when needed. Most of the food comes from the farms and businesses of people who drink in the pub.

She supports local bands even though the cost of the band creates a loss in takings for that evening. Even the most rubbish two piece bands want ?200 these days. She pays for the licence to allow live bands to play and also to play recorded music supporting the music industry.

Go there often enough and she will get to know your name and drink. Short of money? She?ll let you run a tab to the end of the month if she trusts you. Fancy a late drink and a lock in ? no problem.

All her profits?ha ha?go back as investment in to the pub and not to some company registered off shore or to some street in London.

Try any of that in your homogenised world of All bar ones, Browns and Pizza Expresses.

Ok, independently run business can?t be as flash and well kept as corporation run businesses but they try hard and probably have sunk most of their life and life savings in to the business.

Wetherspoons! Christ! Go to one of their chains in Bristol, Norwich, Barking and they have the same bloody carpet!

Anyway what is this about the Bishop? I?ve been there 5 or 6 times in the last 18 months and it is a bar not a pub.

Support your (Real) local pub!

[Sue]

skidmarks Wrote:

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> Support your (Real) local pub!

xxxxx

So which one's that then?

[Timster]

I like Wetherspoons. Cheap beer, even cheaper reliable food (honestly microwaved), and helpful and friendly staff. In fact, I love Wetherspoons. I would go so far as to say that Curry Club on a Thursday with some decent guest bitters and good company is as perfect a night out as anyone could wish for.

The Vale sucks the life and soul out of any living thing within 100m radius of it and so I think this can only be a good thing.

(shame it is all just a rumour based on someone 'knowing' a 'surveyor')

[skidmarks]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> skidmarks Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Support your (Real) local pub!

>

> xxxxx

>

> So which one's that then?

Anywhere where you know what the owner looks like

[Timster]

I'm all for keeping 'local' 'real' pubs going, but I can't see that this Wetherspoons would be competition for any pubs like that and the fact that a pub is 'local' and 'real' doesn't always mean it's any good.

Skidmarks' mum's pub sounds lovely - but I guess it isn't in East Dulwich.

[Sue]

skidmarks Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Oh Christ, sticky tables and no atmosphere apart

> from the ambient background din of the glass

> washer and chillers plus the old man at the bar

> counting through his pennies to calculate how many

> ?1.99 pints he can have before his heart stops.

> Why do they insist on covering the tables with so

> many dirty and sticky laminated menus and price

> lists! I?d rather cut my balls off with a rusty

> saw than go in any Tescospoons.

xxxxxxx

So if you know what the owner looks like, their pub isn't like this?

And be bloody glad you're not an old man having to work out whether he can afford a pint or not.

[skidmarks]

Timster Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm all for keeping 'local' 'real' pubs going, but

> I can't see that this Wetherspoons would be

> competition for any pubs like that and the fact

> that a pub is 'local' and 'real' doesn't always

> mean it's any good.

>

> Skidmarks' mum's pub sounds lovely - but I guess

> it isn't in East Dulwich.

No it is not unfortunately.

Yes, I know what you mean some pubs have just lost their way. They haven?t got the marketing teams and alike behind them or most likely the money to do anything it is a viscous circle.

Take SweetshopDan who has taken on and Old Nun?s Head. They have spent a lot of money and are trying really hard to make that pub a success with lots of events etcetera, I think and hope they are succeeding but they?ll never compete against a Wetherspoons..it is impossible.

It is a brave person who takes on a pub now, especially with the 20% VAT hike which will kill many pubs next year my mum thinks. (The 15% VAT drop saved my mum?s pub, she didn?t drop her prices but the extra money got her through the really difficult period for pubs between January and March).

Sorry I have a vested interest I guess and that is why I am ranting. I?d rather pay ?1 more a pint (what an extra 6 quid a night, say) to be somewhere unique?even if it is a bit naff.

[skidmarks]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> So if you know what the owner looks like, their

> pub isn't like this?

>

> And be bloody glad you're not an old man having to

> work out whether he can afford a pint or not.

Ok, fair enough you love Wetherspoons. I was generalising.It is not as if anyone else on this thread has done that is it.

I?ll buy you a Starbucks coffee to show there are no hard feelings.

(I hate chains they are like a cancer that get to big and kill off everything else)

[Brendan]

skidmarks Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I?d rather pay ?1 more a pint

> (what an extra 6 quid a night, say) to be

> somewhere unique?even if it is a bit naff.

That?s all well and good for a lot of us but if you?re a pensioner and only have a spare ?10-?15 once a week to go to the pub for a few pints it?s nearly half your budget.

[stingray]

A chain will appear where there is market demand, but still think that a well run independent should trump it every time - especially in East Dulwich. If Chains force independents to raise there game, then is that such a bad thing?

I am certainly not pro-chain, but think that if you choose to run your own business, then you must continue to evolve and work at your business, as the corporations and chains do.

On the pub front, I think so many independents have closed as they think that they deserved and expected a living. You simply cant get away with that any more.. in the pub industry, or anywhere else in working life...?

[louisiana]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> skidmarks Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Oh Christ, sticky tables and no atmosphere

> apart

> > from the ambient background din of the glass

> > washer and chillers plus the old man at the bar

> > counting through his pennies to calculate how

> many

> > ?1.99 pints he can have before his heart stops.

> > Why do they insist on covering the tables with

> so

> > many dirty and sticky laminated menus and price

> > lists! I?d rather cut my balls off with a rusty

> > saw than go in any Tescospoons.

>

> xxxxxxx

>

> So if you know what the owner looks like, their

> pub isn't like this?

>

> And be bloody glad you're not an old man having to

> work out whether he can afford a pint or not.

Ah, Sue, so maybe I should be giving my money to the Vince Power/Mean Fiddler/Festival Republic/Melvin Benn events axis, rather than to small, independently-owned music events run by a people with a passion for what they do. Right!

[Brendan]

I don't think that's entirely true when it come to pubs. There has been significant cartel like price fixing behaviour in recent years by breweries and pub cos apparently. Something to do with a law they are allowed to exploit. Not sure of the specifics but there has been much shouting about it.

(In Reply To Stingray)

[skidmarks]

Brendan Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> skidmarks Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> > I?d rather pay ?1 more a pint

> > (what an extra 6 quid a night, say) to be

> > somewhere unique?even if it is a bit naff.

>

> That?s all well and good for a lot of us but if

> you?re a pensioner and only have a spare ?10-?15

> once a week to go to the pub for a few pints it?s

> nearly half your budget.

I did say ?I?.

Oh further to my pushing of my mum?s place. She does an OAP lunch with a drink and meal for ?5.50 ? that is a big loss maker! Lots of places do try and compete out there but they can?t offset the loss against there profit making premises.

Being cynical, chains succeeded as they under cut and push all competition out until there is no choice creating their own demand.

[stingray]

(in Reply to Brendan)

You are referring to the beer-tie, where individuals enter into a contract to rent / lease a premises from a Pub Company (used to be the brewery in days gone by) in return for agreeing to only buy their booze from said company. (simplified version).

Whilst I am not a massive fan of the Beer-tie, what must be understood is that this is not a new thing. This is how pubs have been run for decades. Also, when people take on a site, they are fully aware of what they are entering into (if they are not - then more fool them.) Other market conditions have made pub trading more difficult, but bad pubs can be too quick to look to lay blame anywhere other than at their own front door. Smoking ban, cheap supermarket booze are all factors, but there are many thriving boozers out there, who operate under the same conditions.

There are of course I am sure, many more rural and community pubs whose closing have been a result of the reasons mentioned above in sad circumstances, but still believe that times move on, and many other of these pubs have survived by diversifying and evolving.

[skidmarks]

Yes you are correct stingray, we have tried to diversify, open earlier for coffee and breakfast, you can get your parcels sent to the pub and are looking into running a post office out of the pub (it is rural). Society is changing and perhaps there isn?t a place for pubs as we know them anymore?it is sad as I do think you?ll only miss them once they are gone. I think we do take pubs for granted.

What a sad day when you sit at home drinking beer from the supermarket and meeting people on line!

*signs on to plenty of fish*