Theres not enough midweek trade to make it work imho.
The 'refurbishment' was a total disaster, ripped out all the atmosphere of the place. The service was/is abysmal and the landlord wasnt the best . . . .
I'd *love* to own it though, if it was run properly you should be able to earn a good profit on a matchday to cover a lot of the shortfall during the week.
The amount of people that abandoned it to go to The Con/lib clubs was a joke.
The change in licensing opening times began the end. Everyone took the pub for granted then.
The pub is not just for the working man, it's for all classes.
Pubs need to reinvent themselves. The reason so many are closing on a daily basis is not just due to the prices, although fewer and fewer people can afford to "live in the pub" as they once did. People don't drink during work lunchtimes anymore. The Sunday lunchtime tradition is dying out and youngsters don't gravitate to the pub anymore once they old enough to get served. When was the last time you laughed in a pub at the sight of someone hopelessly under-aged braving the bar to ask for a drink. It just doesn't happen anymore. I think it's pushing it to blame the Labour party for this one.
True. The government treating pub beer drinkers as either binge-drinkers who need saving from themselves or a useful cash machine for easy revenue ain't helping but society's changed, and we're in a land governed by Tesco so pubs do need to work harder to pull in a regular crowd who'll bring their mates along of an evening. I'd like to see the chains broken up, too, so landlords can buy beer on the market instead of paying inflated rates that their host breweries charge. Their greed (and Sky's notorious five-figure annual charges for football) equals the threat from the government.
Like falconwood_1, I'd love to see it restored to being a cosy local - it's so off the beaten track it'd be a tough job, but matchdays could just subsidise something really good.
[quote][cite]Posted By: InspectorSands[/cite]True. The government treating pub beer drinkers as either binge-drinkers who need saving from themselves or a useful cash machine for easy revenue ain't helping but society's changed, and we're in a land governed by Tesco so pubs do need to work harder to pull in a regular crowd who'll bring their mates along of an evening. I'd like to see the chains broken up, too, so landlords can buy beer on the market instead of paying inflated rates that their host breweries charge. Their greed (and Sky's notorious five-figure annual charges for football) equals the threat from the government.
Like falconwood_1, I'd love to see it restored to being a cosy local - it's so off the beaten track it'd be a tough job, but matchdays could just subsidise something really good.[/quote]
The Horse & Groom is up for auction next week. I have been told they want £174,000 for the freehold! makes £85,000 for the lease on the Oak look like robbery. If someone takes the Groom on freehold and sorts it out, it will spell the end for the Royal Oak. Crying shame.
Inspector Sands has got it about right, but the idea of the pub having to work hard to get punters in is all down to a lack of communication skills these days. There is nothing better than a night down the pub with good friends having a decent pint and a conversation. Sadly people now are unable to do that, they need another distraction every five minutes.
I hope someone does come in and turns it back into the great little pub it once was. Since Ray left and the new landlord took over the pub has gone down hill.
[quote][cite]Posted By: shirty5[/cite][quote][cite]Posted By: InspectorSands[/cite]where's the Stamford arts centre?[/quote]
In Stamford, Lincolnshire according to google. Bizarre place to have it[/quote]
Clive Still, the landlord, is living in Norwich, so I think he's used a local-ish auctioneer. If he couldn't get the price he wanted after 18 months by auction in the pub itself, the mind boggles how he thinks it will sell in Lincolshire. Telephone bids presumably? Cloud Cuckoo land next.
[quote][cite]Posted By: InspectorSands[/cite][url=http://www.equityandlaw.co.uk/index.php?action=listingview&listingID=33&PHPSESSID=1cd1bb07de2f1a4e841291f384f3660c]Auction details with catalogue[/url][/quote]
Got to laugh at those turnover figures. £236 grand in eight weeks! Very disingenious. Even if they are right he means August 2007 to October 2008. 15 months accounts including two season starts! The non-football trade has fallen off a cliff, probably since October, and even on matchdays it has visibly shrunk. I can't see anyone buying a pub on spec.
Maybe if a take over does go through, someone might do what the Yank did at Villa and buy the pub near the ground and re develop it and give season tickets holders the chance to eat and drink there..
[cite]Posted By: adamtheaddick[/cite]Maybe if a take over does go through, someone might do what the Yank did at Villa and buy the pub near the ground and re develop it and give season tickets holders the chance to eat and drink there..
maybe Richard Murray and the other directors could buy it with the little bit money they get back and turn it into a private club for ex-directors.
"If your names not been listed in the PLC accounts, you're not coming in"
Comments
The 'refurbishment' was a total disaster, ripped out all the atmosphere of the place. The service was/is abysmal and the landlord wasnt the best . . . .
I'd *love* to own it though, if it was run properly you should be able to earn a good profit on a matchday to cover a lot of the shortfall during the week.
The amount of people that abandoned it to go to The Con/lib clubs was a joke.
The pub is not just for the working man, it's for all classes.
It's cheaper, easier to get served and I've never been told 'oh no we've sold out of that' in either club.
When Lisa and Sonya were serving it was the best boozer by far.
As soon as they went, the pub fell apart.
True. The government treating pub beer drinkers as either binge-drinkers who need saving from themselves or a useful cash machine for easy revenue ain't helping but society's changed, and we're in a land governed by Tesco so pubs do need to work harder to pull in a regular crowd who'll bring their mates along of an evening. I'd like to see the chains broken up, too, so landlords can buy beer on the market instead of paying inflated rates that their host breweries charge. Their greed (and Sky's notorious five-figure annual charges for football) equals the threat from the government.
Like falconwood_1, I'd love to see it restored to being a cosy local - it's so off the beaten track it'd be a tough job, but matchdays could just subsidise something really good.
Like falconwood_1, I'd love to see it restored to being a cosy local - it's so off the beaten track it'd be a tough job, but matchdays could just subsidise something really good.[/quote]
The Horse & Groom is up for auction next week. I have been told they want £174,000 for the freehold! makes £85,000 for the lease on the Oak look like robbery. If someone takes the Groom on freehold and sorts it out, it will spell the end for the Royal Oak. Crying shame.
See the auction for the Horse and Groom is this thursday.
Maybe Mr Whitehand could buy both for his Property portfolio. ;-)
In Stamford, Lincolnshire according to google. Bizarre place to have it
In Stamford, Lincolnshire according to google. Bizarre place to have it[/quote]
Clive Still, the landlord, is living in Norwich, so I think he's used a local-ish auctioneer. If he couldn't get the price he wanted after 18 months by auction in the pub itself, the mind boggles how he thinks it will sell in Lincolshire. Telephone bids presumably? Cloud Cuckoo land next.
Got to laugh at those turnover figures. £236 grand in eight weeks! Very disingenious. Even if they are right he means August 2007 to October 2008. 15 months accounts including two season starts! The non-football trade has fallen off a cliff, probably since October, and even on matchdays it has visibly shrunk. I can't see anyone buying a pub on spec.
I don't think it is up on Google yet : - )
"Sorry mate... no cardigans allowed"
Otherwise it's the Liberal Club for me.
maybe Richard Murray and the other directors could buy it with the little bit money they get back and turn it into a private club for ex-directors.
"If your names not been listed in the PLC accounts, you're not coming in"