A sign of the times


Went into Woodies in Headingley last night to meet some friends for a couple since they were staying up for the NFL. Tried doing the quiz but it was so busy they run out of forms and everyone seemed to be having a drink. I left at 11 and there was still 30 - 40 in the pub and a good section of those would be there till 3am or later.
 
Interestingly (and sadly) the reason the pub in the village where I live is struggling isn’t down to lack of money in customers’ pockets but it’s due to weak management. The place has been taken over by drug dealers who sit with their burner phones at the desk while their spotty little messengers go backwards and forwards, returning with money from each deal. The landlord doesn’t dare inter and the police have been cut by Tories so much that what little resource is left concentrates on Peterborough, Littleport and Cambridge where the drug problems are even worse than in our village.

A knife was pulled a few weeks ago in the car park. So people have just stopped going. It’s no longer the pleasant village pub.
That's a tragic story. Sounds like something from a Seven Samurai or some dodgy western.

Is it a tenanted pub? The takings will take a massive dive and the landlord will be out on his ear. needs a decent landlord/lady to sort it out.

Sounds like these villages are being taken over. Is there not a village committee that can sort these people out?
 
Its not the pubs and bars, its the breweries who continually put their prices up. They squeeze every last penny out of the pubs and clubs.

Oh and the huge amount we pay on tax to the government doesn't help either the knars
I stand corrected, but ultimately it’s the provider of the service to the public that charge me £X for whichever product I’m buying, sad for the pubs and bars but they have become just too expensive.
 
Think it'll end up with a pub every few estates the way it's going. The Dolly is busy because it's ran well and you can go in have a good times don't get any bother and it's fairly cheap. It's probably helped it though that you get people from all the nearby estates head there now as it's the only pub left in Farra, only a club in Plainsy, Gilley Law, only two pubs in Silky (3 clubs though tbf), none in Thorney, none in Springwell, none in Grindon, one in East Herrington.
There's three pubs in Doxy park as well. The oak tree farm is probably the nearest pub to the dolphin.
 
I stand corrected, but ultimately it’s the provider of the service to the public that charge me £X for whichever product I’m buying, sad for the pubs and bars but they have become just too expensive.
I'm lucky enough not to have to worry about the price but the differential between a beer/lager from the supermarket and the pub is ridiculous.

if I'm on a proper night out the price isn't an issue. if I'm just out for a couple, I'll only drink a couple. the days of 8 pints on a Tuesday night have long gone.
 
There's three pubs in Doxy park as well. The oak tree farm is probably the nearest pub to the dolphin.
Yeah, it's not really competition though, entirely different bar, more food orientated or for middle aged mom's and call centre staff.

The Doxy Lad is alright but been dead last few times I've been in, used always be busy for away games. Never been in the Prior in years.
 
£4 a pint, £9 a cocktail. Not outrageous.

Not outrageous I agree , if you are on the Marina , but Church Street ?

EDIT ... Mrs H says the coctails in question are always "on offer" across town usually 2 for a tenner at worst £12 :)
 
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Yeah, it's not really competition though, entirely different bar, more food orientated or for middle aged mom's and call centre staff.

The Doxy Lad is alright but been dead last few times I've been in, used always be busy for away games. Never been in the Prior in years.
I was brought up in Farra and now live in East Herra. When I was a kid the dolphin was a Whitbread pub with two rooms. It was like your grannies parlour with chintzy curtains and a flower pattern carpet. It attracted locals, mostly couples in the lounge and men in the bar having a beer after work.
Fast forward a few decades and that changed drastically. The manager got done for selling or renting porn tapes from behind the bar and it was known as a place for druggies. I was surprised it stayed open but this new manager apparently stopped the rot.
I was last in there just over a year ago. It was a bit boisterous and they had a bouncer wandering around the pub. It's a drinkers bar and probably attracts the old Farra club regulars now. The club closing will have helped it a lot.
I'd go in for a couple of pints with mates but I wouldn't take my wife in if we were out for a drink.
Maybe what we need is a return to the old days of a bar and a lounge. Like the Board Inn has now. The oak tree is I think my nearest pub but I've been in twice since it opened. It's my idea of a terrible pub, it needs a seperate bar. But it was built with food first in mind not drinking. That's the formula for pubs now.
 
That's a tragic story. Sounds like something from a Seven Samurai or some dodgy western.

Is it a tenanted pub? The takings will take a massive dive and the landlord will be out on his ear. needs a decent landlord/lady to sort it out.

Sounds like these villages are being taken over. Is there not a village committee that can sort these people out?
It is exactly how you describe it. They are tenants and the brewery ramped up the rent when things were going well with packed tables for food most evenings and people in drinking. Now they're really struggling and they still have to pay the rent. They current management are leaving at the end of their tenancy. I don't know who will be brave enough to take it on after that. Such a shame as it is a lovely old coaching inn building and the community would use it, if only the drug dealers could be flushed away.

The other problem is that the travellers from various sites in the county have got wind that the pub is vulnerable and have started drinking in there (and driving home). Since the drug dealers all belong to the local boxing club they fancy themselves as hard kids. You can imagine how that goes down with the travellers when they have 8 or 9 pints on board. It very nearly properly kicked off a few weeks ago. It's another reason why most people avoid the place now.

I've planted grape vines in my garden.
 
It is exactly how you describe it. They are tenants and the brewery ramped up the rent when things were going well with packed tables for food most evenings and people in drinking. Now they're really struggling and they still have to pay the rent. They current management are leaving at the end of their tenancy. I don't know who will be brave enough to take it on after that. Such a shame as it is a lovely old coaching inn building and the community would use it, if only the drug dealers could be flushed away.

The other problem is that the travellers from various sites in the county have got wind that the pub is vulnerable and have started drinking in there (and driving home). Since the drug dealers all belong to the local boxing club they fancy themselves as hard kids. You can imagine how that goes down with the travellers when they have 8 or 9 pints on board. It very nearly properly kicked off a few weeks ago. It's another reason why most people avoid the place now.

I've planted grape vines in my garden.
A decent seasoned landlord will not tolerate any nonsense.
 

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