Article about closure of Hooper's Bar and its future

[Sue]

There's an interesting article by Jamie Hooper in the February/March edition of London Drinker, which also seems to have stirred up a bit of controversy ...

Pages 50 and 51, or you can read it online here:

http://www.camralondon.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=17734

Admin please move if I've posted this in the wrong section.

[david_carnell]

That is interesting Sue - cheers for that. I frequented Hoopers intermitently, mainly for rugby games on tv, and was sad to see it go.

[Belhamcommunity]

.

[jimmyraj]

It's a sad read but fairly realistic about the economy of running a proper pub in a residential area. When even major pubs on thoroughfares like Lordship Lane are finding it hard to survive, it's not hard to see why the likes of Hoopers can't make the numbers work. I live just around the corner and I went on occasion, and liked the range of ales and the fact it showed live sport, but clearly like most people around and about it, didn't go enough.

I am always sad to see pubs be converted into houses, but I have to agree with the owner that I can't see someone making a viable run of it, so in this instance would support it being turned to residential.

[Sue]

jimmyraj Wrote:

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

> I am always sad to see pubs be converted into

> houses, but I have to agree with the owner that I

> can't see someone making a viable run of it, so in

> this instance would support it being turned to

> residential.

xxxxxxx

Sadly I agree.

I think it was not in a good location, and also it didn't really work having music there because of the layout of the bar. People listening to music or whatever were crammed either at one end of the pub or the other, with the bar in between.

If there had been a larger separate room than the little snug bar, that could have worked maybe.

It also meant it wasn't possible to have ticketed gigs there without closing the whole pub to everybody else, which wouldn't have been a viable option.

The Ivy House is also off the beaten track, but is able to have gigs or other events there whilst people not going to them can still eat and drink in the other rooms.

I think another problem with Hooper's Bar was that although there were a few attempts at having food there, the food was never very good.

[Otta]

I liked it, but it was just too much of an effort to get there that I didn't bother very often.

[Jeremy]

People want food, that's basically what it comes down to. Trying to appeal to some London wide network of camra beardies doesn't sound like a great business plan to me.

[Beulah]

Thanks Sue I also found that article very interesting.

I have lived near to Hoopers for a while and often thought about going there as it looked like a nice boozer, but never once made it.

Sad to think it's because of people like me that it's been forced to close.

I also feel sorry for the chinese restaurant opposite (Ho Lok) that presumably has taken a real hit in trade since Hoopers shut.

Once pubs shut in places such as this there's no way they'll ever return.

[david_carnell]

Not always so. The Montague Arms in New Cross/Peckham borders which closed in early 2013 and has been boarded up ever since (and I thought was destined to become flats) has been bought and due to re-open as a "steam-punk inspired" pub. Expect copper piping everywhere and barstaff in goggles!

[Jeremy]

Sounds like an appropriate reinvention for a pub which was already frickin nuts!

[cle]

I find it as shame as some backstreet pubs (like the Gowlett) can still work, although I wonder how profitable they are. But I think it would probably need to hit a different demo to the previous incarnation and be a bit more like the Victoria Inn... decent food, wifi, child friendly, craft rather than camra beers etc etc

[JohnL]

Victoria and Montpellier now filled with people heading to Bussey building on weekends now.

Can be crowded if it's a popular night.

cle Wrote:

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

> I find it as shame as some backstreet pubs (like

> the Gowlett) can still work, although I wonder how

> profitable they are. But I think it would probably

> need to hit a different demo to the previous

> incarnation and be a bit more like the Victoria

> Inn... decent food, wifi, child friendly, craft

> rather than camra beers etc etc