Why are Pubs so expensive in ED?

[mlteenie]

As one who has already sampled champagne and red today (hic), isn't home drinking what's wrecking the nation's (middle class) health, etc? The pubs should be helping us get out more often.

[Mikecg]

So you think ?3.50 a pint is ok do you, I don't. its daylight robbery. I dont mind walking a couple of miles, I just think its a bit of a rippoff. ok maybe a weatherspoon pub isn't going to be the greatest, but the prices are ok and its the company you keep that makes a good night.

[Louisa]

The Wetherspoons on the hill in Exeter is one of the few I have had a good evening in, in fact I didnt even realise it was a Wetherspoons until I left and was informed by my friend. Didnt eat there though luckily as it would have probably changed my opinion. The one on the crossroads heading towards Streatham isnt bad either, but these are two exceptions to the general rule for me. I dont mind paying over the odds if I am getting something worth the money but I dont think I get that at any of the pubs/bars along LL.

Louisa.

[Brendan]

I remember once being in a town that was very nice and being surprised when I found out it was Exeter.

[Mikecg]

The food is horendous in weatherspoon pubs as a rule, however I have enjoyed a decent stake their once, and demanded a refund for a Sunday Lunch. never had a problem with the drinks though, food wise its cheap and nasty, and I wouldnt recommend it. however the booze is cheap, and with the right crowd you can have a good night.

[HonaloochieB]

Because we're all well-heeled and can afford it.

If it was cheaper there'd be riff-raff all over the manor.

[ladida]

There ARE some fairly resonable JDWs about. Two that come to mind are ones either side of Tower Bridge: The Pummelers Rest and another which I forget the name of. The one South of the river was a 'pub' before it got taken over and still is to all intents and purposes. Ergo, if JDW were to take over an ED pub I'm sure it would remain a 'pub', just more choice and cheaper. I would really welcome this. I'm sick and tired of going out with a score in my pocket and coming home sobre after 6 pints. The only alternative is having beers at home before going out at which time one doesn't feel like going out anyway - too bladdered! 6 bottles of cheap plonk from Beejams ?20. Can't go wrong.

I digress. Certainly the reason for high prices is double edged - pubs that are losing customers need to up the prices to cover the losses and pubs that are doing well can up the prices up because they know the punters will still go there.

I find the Plough fairly reasonable, good staff, not too costly beer, clean. Slow service though. As for the Strip - avoid like the plague.

[The Palmerston]

If I may I'll comment on this briefly.

As is the case with half of Britain's pubs many of the pubs in East Dulwich will be tied to their supplier making it impossible to avoid the price increases which have come thick and fast over the last three or four years.

The options are to pass the increase onto the customer or sell at a loss. It's a predicament.

However there is now a group which is campaigning against this monopoly by the Pubco's.

For more information visit www.fairpint.org.uk we wait to see how successfull their actions will be and hopefully we'll all be enjoying a fairer priced pint in the near future.

[SeanMacGabhann]

thanks TP - the landlords of the George Canning and Sun & Doves in Camberwell were heavily involved in posting about this last year but it's useful to be reminded again. And fingers crossed for the future

[ladida]

Why do price increases by the government and breweries of say 7p per pint need to be passed onto the customer at 10p per pint. I'm sure I'm correct in saying that pennies and tuppences still exist.

[woofmarkthedog]

Grrrrr.....if you like JWS pubs ...good luck to you pound a pint an all that.......however not f'me.....the mutts in there don,t taste so good when you lick 'em............grrrrr now you might have to pay a lil' more to get a tastier bone elsewhere on the manor...but it's usually got a better pedigree ........wooff...snrrrr

[Asset]

my one and only incidence of proper food poisoning was after eating in a Weatherspoons, cheap beer = cheap staff = poor hygiene (IMO)

[EDOldie]

Go to the Fox on the Hill at 9am any morning (or any other time for that matter) and see how a pricing policy works. It's not wrong it's just how it works. I've been there a few times and the beer is generally very good and exceptional value. The whole thing (food et al) is what you'd expect for the price, personally I'd rather pay a bit more and go to the EDT (nurse, the screens)

[Mikecg]

I never said that the Weatherspoon pub was the epitome of quality, not saying im broke, just the price of a pint is a bit high in the LL area.

[matthew123]

Used go to a JDW (the Metropolitan Bar) after work on Marylebone Road next to Baker Street tube and that was pretty plush, 30 foot high ceilings, 40 foot long bar, rapid service and acres of floor space ... but you knew it was a JDW by the microwaved lunchtime food... but other than that is was a good JDW!

It would only take one bar on LL to drive the prices down - a Bottle Bar at the old Osborne Stewart at ?1.50 a pop would soon bring likes of EDT into line!

[Sue]

woofmarkthedog Wrote:

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

> Grrrrr.....if you like JWS pubs ...good luck to

> you pound a pint an all that.......however not

> f'me.....the mutts in there don,t taste so good

> when you lick 'em............grrrrr now you might

> have to pay a lil' more to get a tastier bone

> elsewhere on the manor...but it's usually got a

> better pedigree ........wooff...snrrrr

xxxxx

Was it you who picked up Geoffrey my dog brooch, well more furry dog head with a safety pin attached really, on Christmas Eve?

If so, can I have him back, because the people who made him aren't making any more, and I miss him :-$

I knew I shouldn't have taken him to Christingle - not that he ever got there, he fell off my jumper on the way :-S

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Haven't The Vale got a promotion on at the mo? Something like ?2.70 for a pint I think.

[Mick Mac]

i think ?1.50 a pint (JDW price in other areas) is unrealistic as a general price per pint. I came to england in 1989 and i worked part time in a bar in bushey heath near watford. It was 1.55 a pint then for kronenborg. Thats 20 years ago. What you will probably find is prices stay the same during the recession so may feel cheaper in couple of years.

[Jimbob]

nought wrong with dropping into a spoon for a scoop from time to time, although saying that i don,t feel it would have quite the right image for the lane, its more suitable for camberwell imho. yet again like the dwh thread, we have the age old arguments about the standard of the food and its the same old names time after time. its a weatherspoons, its reputation is built on cheap food and cheap drink, hence you get a pint and a burger and chips for 3-4 quid. For that price you won,t get chunky hand-cut chips with rock salt and balsamic vinegar, freshly prepared side-salad and a succulent aberdeen angus burger, in a freshly made organic roll, you get deep fried oven chips, a deep fried burger with a freshly defrosted roll, thats what they do

as regards all those slagging weatherspoons off, i have no doubt whatsoever, that should a spoons open up on the lane, those same ones won,t be so slow about sticking their heads throught the door, and once they realise how much they are being ripped off by the other bars in ed, their tune would soon change.

[SeanMacGabhann]

you might have no doubt, jimbob, but in my case you would be wrong

Everywhere else I have live had a JDWs - and I avoided them for the most part. The cheap beer I like. The ambience, hassle from some of the more regular punters, crap food, fruit-machines a go-go, I managed to do without

Why can't I go abroad and find somewhere that sells me SUCH crap food. I mean I know they eat cheaply.. but not that badly.

[Jeremy]

Oh I dunno... go anywhere touristy in Spain, and you will be given equally awful food.

[Jah Lush]

I avoid the strip at the weekend these days because...well, it's just crap. But if I want a relatively cheap pint I'll go to the Dog in the Village where a pint of Harveys in ?2.50 or venture up to Hoopers where they always have good deals on their beers and different real ales each week.

But if you like Weatherspoons (I don't) and their cheap prices there is one a short bus ride away in Forest Hill.

[woofmarkthedog]

That's coz they service the same "Herd beast" as JDW........Duh.......

Grr woof.......snrrrr

[Jah Lush]

Isn't it time for your walkies?

[woofmarkthedog]

MOoooooooooooooooooooo