thebees Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 QUOTE(Dunroamin @ Mar 25 2008, 01:09 PM) I did not realise that there were so many whingers and people with chips on their shoulders until I started reading this Forum.......they are full of people who are against profits, against Wall Street wannabees, against progress, and obviously very much against the use of cogent argument without the need to resort to filthy language. Fuck off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Port Erin Posted March 25, 2008 Author Share Posted March 25, 2008 I did not realise that there were so many whingers and people with chips on their shoulders until I started reading this Forum.......they are full of people who are against profits, against Wall Street wannabees, against progress, and obviously very much against the use of cogent argument without the need to resort to filthy language. Surely these people that are commenting here cannot all be Manx born and bred stock and, therefore, you must be mostly comeovers?!!!! WTF has this to do with the original thread? I agree with the rest of your thread, although the fact is that we badly need some proper competition to shake up this shoddy outfit that has a monopoly on most of the pubs, continually ramping prices up and ruining the character and charm of pubs is not progress and lack of imagination and vision will be this Company's downfall. We all understand that Companies have to make profits, but there are ways and means of achieving this. I can not see how continually ramping up prices in a shrinking market can maintain profit margins. We are in for leaner times ahead, the hospitality industry will be hit first and you have to adapt to survive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 although the fact is that we badly need some proper competition to shake up this shoddy outfit that has a monopoly on most of the pubs, continually ramping prices up and ruining the character and charm of pubs is not progress and lack of imagination and vision will be this Company's downfall. The problem is there is a limited number of licences granted - people can't just build new pubs and go into competition, so a buyout would be the only sensible realistic option. This company couldn't have fucked up things any more than if they had tried to fuck it all up deliberately. They should be ashamed of themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Port Erin Posted March 27, 2008 Author Share Posted March 27, 2008 although the fact is that we badly need some proper competition to shake up this shoddy outfit that has a monopoly on most of the pubs, continually ramping prices up and ruining the character and charm of pubs is not progress and lack of imagination and vision will be this Company's downfall. The problem is there is a limited number of licences granted - people can't just build new pubs and go into competition, so a buyout would be the only sensible realistic option. This company couldn't have fucked up things any more than if they had tried to fuck it all up deliberately. They should be ashamed of themselves. Thank you Albert, and I couldn't put it better myself. I was out last weekend with a couple of the lads around the Quay, and we found ourselves paying £9.12 in The Bridge for 3 pints of Carling. It rammed it home to all of us that we're not getting much change out of £10 for 3 pints nowadays, whereas not so long ago we were complaining about not being able to get 4 pints for £10. 3 rounds of drinks for nearly £30 is a bit much (and I suppose it could be said that 9 pints on a night out is as well!). We all know the cost of living is rising, running a pub and a brewery isn't a cheap business by any means but it's getting beyond a joke now. People will always want to enjoy a night out. However, I can see harder and leaner times ahead in the not too distant future. The first ones to get hit will be the pubs, followed by restaurants and sandwich and coffee bars. This may not prove to be such a bad thing, if it shakes these jokers out of their cocoon and back in to the real world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
When Skies Are Grey Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Beer is too expensive and people cant afford to go out... Beer is too cheap and we create a binge drinking culture... (*delete as appropriate) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sausages Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 To balance things out they should drop the price of bitter and mild, and up the price of lager. A pub full of blokes drinking bitter has got to be better than one half full of scallies binge drinking lager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 So true. I did a tour of boston a while ago, and it was amazing how much they can milk the whole tea party thing. Dram school hopefuls faithfully re-enacting the fucker every hour for tourists on a full replica ship in the harbour. Yay, I did that a few years ago as well. Great fun booing as the Yanks cheered and vice versa, all done and taken in good humour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Walk along Athol St and you can see most of the building have coal cellers beneath the pavement too. Look for coal hole covers or over the railings for them. We used to have a property in Athol St and the cellars used to stretch out under the pavement and I'd guess part way under the road as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parchedpeas Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Pubs on the Isle of Man are pretty terrible. I tried to order a coffee in a pub once and got looked at like I was from another planet. Then I was told that the coffee maching was not working as it was after lunch time. Could they go and make me a coffee, even if it was Nescafe? No they could not. There will be a thinning out of pubs in the next few years and a publican that works hard and tries new things could find themselves with a good, solid profitable business. But a lot of chaff will go bust, because the £3 pint is not sustainable when the alternatives (a takeaway and an evening in with your mates playing Xbox or watching a HD film on your 42inch plasma) are just as good, and a lot cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Port Erin Posted March 29, 2008 Author Share Posted March 29, 2008 Pubs on the Isle of Man are pretty terrible. I tried to order a coffee in a pub once and got looked at like I was from another planet. Then I was told that the coffee maching was not working as it was after lunch time. Could they go and make me a coffee, even if it was Nescafe? No they could not. There will be a thinning out of pubs in the next few years and a publican that works hard and tries new things could find themselves with a good, solid profitable business. But a lot of chaff will go bust, because the £3 pint is not sustainable when the alternatives (a takeaway and an evening in with your mates playing Xbox or watching a HD film on your 42inch plasma) are just as good, and a lot cheaper. I can't argue with this synopsis at all. The pubs here, despite 'refurbishments', have not moved with the times. The publicans and H & B as a rule have no imagination and this year will be a tipping point for many outlets here. Customer service is haphazard generally, and I'd say that it is hampering the Island's economic prosperity. This has been echoed on numerous occasions, and it must be a nightmare entertaining corporate clients for businesses. We're not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to decent eateries and pubs. Going out is not a cheap pastime nowadays; nor is it good value for money either. Douglas was pretty quiet last night, and that's a sign of things to come. People are tightening their belts and pubs will be the first to be hit (it's happening now). I'd say that a lot of people will be hoping for a good summer, so they can give the pubs a miss. BBQs and lazy days and nights in the garden with your mates sure beats the miserable nightlife in Douglas. The pubs here are pretty much a disgrace, and H & B should hang their heads in shame by the systematic destruction they have collectively heaped on our pubs and heritage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 Just been to the Shore at Laxey for the first time for a while - it's been decorated, lightened up by adding a window, and there has been No Smoking there for some weeks. It was packed, and the excellent Bosuns Bitter was £2.00 per pint. (Okells £2.47 per pint in Archibald Knox) If other pubs follow suit the future is looking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Port Erin Posted March 29, 2008 Author Share Posted March 29, 2008 Just been to the Shore at Laxey for the first time for a while - it's been decorated, lightened up by adding a window, and there has been No Smoking there for some weeks. It was packed, and the excellent Bosuns Bitter was £2.00 per pint. (Okells £2.47 per pint in Archibald Knox) If other pubs follow suit the future is looking good. I have to say that The Shore in Laxey is a good watering hole, and any publican that lives in the real world and delivers what the public want (good food and ale at reasonable prices) will do well over here. I was in C'est La Vie on a works leaving do last night, and laughed at the 'Specials of the Day'...£6.50 for a jacket potato with tuna mayo and salad! WTF is that all about? If you're charging £6.50 for a potato and over £3 for a pint of lager, don't expect your pub to be packed (and it wasn't). I wish the independent pubs well, in what will prove to be an increasingly difficult climate in which to trade in. When H & B and Bushys see budget increases as an opportunity to double the mark up and claim that they need to protect margins, the future of pubs is not looking too good here. As I've said before, harder times are on the horizon and when your target market is shrinking, you need to become innovative instead of just being plain greedy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 Forgot to mention - the Shore also had a very welcome Real Fire, and a good and reasonable food menu, I wish the Brewery would take note - and reduce bitter prices to weather the very minor and brief No Smoking ban storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Port Erin Posted March 29, 2008 Author Share Posted March 29, 2008 Forgot to mention - the Shore also had a very welcome Real Fire, and a good and reasonable food menu, I wish the Brewery would take note - and reduce bitter prices to weather the very minor and brief No Smoking ban storm. Well said, but we can only wish. Douglas is sadly lacking in decent, proper old fashioned pubs like The Shore. The fact that it's packed speaks volumes, and they must be doing something right. It's not rocket science to deliver what people want, but it seems to be lost on the shower at H & B. Even The Bay in Port Erin is very quiet nowadays, and that used to be a good pub that has gone by the wayside. The ale is very good and reasonably priced, but the food sadly isn't and the service from the shower behind the bar is haphazard at the best of times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven ! Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Someone using a manxforums.com name as "Port Erin" who gobs off about knowing pubs but who was too young to have known "The Eagle" or "The Port" or even to know why the "Snake Pit" was so called. Heh, didn't even know the Bay in Port Erin when Connie was serving. ya give these wee kiddie-winks a computer and that there Internet and they gob-off and gob-off like they owned the place. The manxforums boy "Port Erin" surely still shites yella. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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