Wetherspoons selling off real ales at 99p/pint ahead of lockdown


You’re working things out on a far bigger scale then these breweries work at, for the guest beers they be lucky to hit double figures never mind 1000!

Aye your probably right on the numbers but even then on a smaller scale it would have the same impact though, the cost price would be just higher instead since it wouldn't be £120 anymore. The fixed costs probably wouldn't be £20k either tbh was just an example though.

When you try to sell it sounds better to say we're stocked by Wetherspoons to someone rather than we're stocked by the local boozer in Penshaw. Quite a big coup. It's the same with supermarkets who are similar. It sounds much better to say we're stocked by Tesco than only stocked by Barry's Bargains.
 
I don't go into pubs, but met up with some lads from sunderland two weeks back in Slough, offered to buy them breakfast in a cafe as I fancied a coffee, no let's go in a pub, off we went, quite enjoyable to be fair, average latte but the lads enjoyed their pints and pizza.
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Big shame the Union Rooms went. The new offering is about 70% of what the spoons union rooms brought to the table.
 
I will admit to having a pint of the 99p ruddles on Monday and a pint of 4.20 real ale in the Ivy yesterday.
Both served badly by uninterested lasses. Both were comparably well kept pints.
The Ivy is without doubt a nicer pub but in the NE where most people buy on price it’s easy to see why Spoons are running riot.
 
If you sell 100 barrels at zero profit you make nowt! I could understand it if they were repeat orders at scale but that’s not often the case, Spoons tend to rotate their guest ales regularly and often only locally from the pubs so they’ll be fairly small, infrequent orders.
That’s what happened to a brewery down here. I was chatting to the bloke who runs a one man brewery in Botley and he was very wary of Spoons following the experience of another local brewery. They got on the Spoons list and their beers did well. The orders went up and suddenly all they were doing was brewing for Spoons. Their production was great, but they didn’t watch the bottom line and they were brewing at a loss and out of business.

I have been a fan of Spoons for many years, especially when they started in North London. They’ve saved many old buildings from falling into disrepair. They serve great beers which are well kept. They seem to train their staff well. But I just don’t like Martin. I could cope with his pro Brexit stance, as we all have an opinion. His treatment of staff during covid was insensitive at best. And the late payment small breweries was abhorrent. Now he’s whinging about staffing difficulties etc. it all adds up to him being a grade A twat.
 
That’s what happened to a brewery down here. I was chatting to the bloke who runs a one man brewery in Botley and he was very wary of Spoons following the experience of another local brewery. They got on the Spoons list and their beers did well. The orders went up and suddenly all they were doing was brewing for Spoons. Their production was great, but they didn’t watch the bottom line and they were brewing at a loss and out of business.

I have been a fan of Spoons for many years, especially when they started in North London. They’ve saved many old buildings from falling into disrepair. They serve great beers which are well kept. They seem to train their staff well. But I just don’t like Martin. I could cope with his pro Brexit stance, as we all have an opinion. His treatment of staff during covid was insensitive at best. And the late payment small breweries was abhorrent. Now he’s whinging about staffing difficulties etc. it all adds up to him being a grade A twat.

I think that's pretty much it.
I used to like Spoons. But Tim Martin and his business practices, the constant brexit propaganda and the way he's screwed over small breweries and the things you mention is why I won't go back.
If I'm out with people I'll join them if that's a port of call, but they won't get any more of my money.
 
People told them they weren't going back after they pulled every arsehole trick in the book during Covid. They were the #1 on the boycoutt list.
Young'uns probably forget more easily and they're the cocktail drinkers.

I'm not refusing to go in them anymore, as that could be to my own detriment. But I never plan to go in them anymore and I'll go to other places if possible.
They seem to train their staff well.
They really don't. They'll work you to death if they can get away with it. Been there.
His treatment of staff during covid was insensitive at best.
See :)
 
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People told them they weren't going back after they pulled every arsehole trick in the book during Covid. They were the #1 on the boycoutt list.
Young'uns probably forget more easily and they're the cocktail drinkers.

I'm not refusing to go in them anymore, as that could be to my own detriment. But I never plan to go in them anymore and I'll go to other places if possible.

I don't use them out of choice if somebody in our group insists on going in I will go in reluctantly but I will always avoid them when I can.

I haven't been in Jamesons for ages.
 
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Selling fish chips and mushy peas at £4.99 managers special here. Great value. Bells whisky 99p a tot. Well done Tim
Just popped into the one in Brigg as we're away for a few days. Coffee refills 99p, pints cheap and sat by a lovely warm log fire. The OAPs enjoying themselves drinking a pint & enjoying retirement. Even a few young folk in as well... Tremendous.
 
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Just popped into the one in Brigg as we're away for a few days. Coffee refills £1.20, pints cheap and sat by a lovely warm log fire. The OAPs enjoying themselves drinking a pint & enjoying retirement. Even a few young folk in as well... Tremendous.

My daughter went in the one in Havant last week. Ordered curry sauce and chips for near on a fiver. They brought out a plate with 14 chips on and a little gravy boat with a tiny drop of curry sauce in it. She refused it and asked for her money back. Manager even tried to tell her the chip portions "are weighed". Big myth the food is good value and it's got worse since they reopened.

And my daughter is relatively young. Wetherspoons problem atm is it's only the young ones turning out. Source? Tim Wetherspoon himsel last week.
 
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That’s what happened to a brewery down here. I was chatting to the bloke who runs a one man brewery in Botley and he was very wary of Spoons following the experience of another local brewery. They got on the Spoons list and their beers did well. The orders went up and suddenly all they were doing was brewing for Spoons. Their production was great, but they didn’t watch the bottom line and they were brewing at a loss and out of business.

I'd argue no one forces the smaller breweries to sell to Spoons and presumably they were making money before and they aren't being mislead. If you brewed real ale/craft beer 15 years ago it would have been a niche product but there are so many breweries now if you are trying to get into the supermarkets/chain pubs it'll be a race to the bottom. You only have to look at the price of craft beer cans in supermarkets; what was once £3 a can is now 8 cans for a tenner.
 
I'd argue no one forces the smaller breweries to sell to Spoons and presumably they were making money before and they aren't being mislead. If you brewed real ale/craft beer 15 years ago it would have been a niche product but there are so many breweries now if you are trying to get into the supermarkets/chain pubs it'll be a race to the bottom. You only have to look at the price of craft beer cans in supermarkets; what was once £3 a can is now 8 cans for a tenner.

8 cans of craft ale for a tenner? Define "craft ale".
 

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