£7.50p a pint. That’s it I’m out

[Driver101]

devnull said:

Lester H said:

Adam. said:

I went to a Wetherspoons for I think the first time in my life, can someone explain to me how they make a profit?


It’s wasn’t as terrible as I thought it might be though the clientele were a bit ropey. Me and my mates are seriously considering kicking evenings off there

I suspect that the answer is volume of sales. I posted earlier that £5 a pint is my limit in a non- food led pub but Wetherspoons sell so much that they must have great clout when it comes to price negotiation. Why don’t more of the posher pubs where you would take your wife, girlfriend or mistress ( maybe all 3) see this relationship between price and sales? As this is PH readers will know that Henry Ford ( later, Lord Austin and Wm. Morris ) knew this a century ago.

Late reply to this, I was part of an infrastructure tender with them a few years ago and their procurement tactics were relentless - basically asking for 90% off the price, reminding us that this is how they get their cost of pint low.

As Tamore says Wetherspoons expect their beer for next to nothing. I've heard of other small breweries being asked to supply beer at a loss. Then when they are selling it in the pubs you've got discounts through CAMRA. Their practices are not good for breweries or other pubs.

I don't think that it's the posher pubs that are struggling the most. The pubs I'm seeing closing are the older tired pubs. I don't think that the price is the biggest factor when choosing where to go out.

[joshcowin]

If the pub looks run down and tired I'd give it a miss, if it looks nice and welcoming I'd go in. It's got to be a nice place to spend time there.

[okgo]

This cost of living thing will hit the places with the most price sensitive audiences. Spoons top of that list.

[Alickadoo]

okgo said:

This cost of living thing will hit the places with the most price sensitive audiences. Spoons top of that list.

We will see? I doubt it.

But then, you've got a thing about 'spoons, haven't you?

[markbigears]

How much is a pint at spoons? I haven't the courage to pop my head in our local one

[interstellar]

Small nice pub in my new village in Dorset yesterday. First pint of doombar £4.50.

Second one £4.

I asked how come, happy hour 5-7 she says.

I had five pints and Mrs interstellar joins me for two glasses of pinot. Also £4.

7 drinks = £28

If you can’t find me , I’ll be in there!!

[Earthdweller]

okgo said:

This cost of living thing will hit the places with the most price sensitive audiences. Spoons top of that list.

I doubt that somehow, I’d say their core is more stable than most

[Adam.]

Earthdweller said:

okgo said:

This cost of living thing will hit the places with the most price sensitive audiences. Spoons top of that list.

I doubt that somehow, I’d say their core is more stable than most

Quite, sales up 7% recently. Customers drinking at home will probably be compensated by others downgrading. I went in one for the first time recently per my earlier post, and have gone back a couple of times (with mates for a couple of early ones before going somewhere with a decent crowd)

[Adam.]

markbigears said:

How much is a pint at spoons? I haven't the courage to pop my head in our local one

Zoom into the picture above, prices on the pumps. I think mate paid £4.50 for a pint of San Miguel which would be 6-6.50 in other pubs round here

[Alickadoo]

markbigears said:

How much is a pint at spoons? I haven't the courage to pop my head in our local one

Ruddles £1.88

Doom Bar £2.83

Can't complain at those prices, can you?

[okgo]

Alickadoo said:

We will see? I doubt it.

But then, you've got a thing about 'spoons, haven't you?

Operating thin margins with students and pensioners as core audience, could go badly.

I don’t think most of them are very nice, no. Time will tell, they shut a fair few the other month didn’t they?

[dcb]

okgo said:

Operating thin margins with students and pensioners as core audience, could go badly.

Not so far. One of the most successful UK pub chains.

okgo said:

I don’t think most of them are very nice, no. Time will tell, they shut a fair few the other month didn’t they?

20-30 W'Spoons were shut. There are about 900 in the chain, so about 3 %.

I assume the other 97% are doing well enough to be kept open.

[okgo]

It has been yes, but the times are changing with peoples money situation. The audience that they’re targeting seem very price sensitive, the market is as I said above, there will be some people that trade down but vs a decent pub with atmosphere many spoons are a totally different proposition, I wouldn’t go for that reason. Drinking in a Coronation Hall or similar that doesn’t feel busy until 300 people are there, not a pub experience really. Though obviously they’re not all like that, but many are in huge buildings.

They’re already rising prices in some pubs based on what I read here to the point where they’re actually not that crazy cheap.

Time will tell but it is almost as cheap as ever cheap to drink at home these days and if a pint in spoons is moving north from the ‘cheaper than water’ level it may change get things. Earnings alright the other week mind.

Edited by okgo on Sunday 29th October 19:51

[Condi]

markbigears said:

How much is a pint at spoons? I haven't the courage to pop my head in our local one

Spoons in Brighton last year, I think the cheapest pint was £1.30 or £1.50. Stupidly cheap. They had the 6 Nations on too. Decent location on the marina. I honestly don't know what else you need.

EDIT - Whatever the cheap pint was, it wasn't something terrible either, maybe a Taylors Landlord?

Edited by Condi on Sunday 29th October 20:09

[markbigears]

That’s seriously inexpensive. Paid just under £10 for 2 pints at our Kent local on Friday night

[Driver101]

Condi said:

Spoons in Brighton last year, I think the cheapest pint was £1.30 or £1.50. Stupidly cheap. They had the 6 Nations on too. Decent location on the marina. I honestly don't know what else you need.

I think there should be minimum pricing in pubs and shops. When drink is too cheap it only encourages excessive drinking.

Alcohol should be more expensive to help contribute to all the knock on issues it causes. We shouldn't have pints at £1.30 or £1.50.

[okgo]

markbigears said:

That’s seriously inexpensive. Paid just under £10 for 2 pints at our Kent local on Friday night

That’s cheap though, £4 something is very reasonable. Support that local!

[blingybongy]

Driver101 said:

I think there should be minimum pricing in pubs and shops. When drink is too cheap it only encourages excessive drinking.

Alcohol should be more expensive to help contribute to all the knock on issues it causes. We shouldn't have pints at £1.30 or £1.50.

Fine idea.

[eldar]

okgo said:

markbigears said:

That’s seriously inexpensive. Paid just under £10 for 2 pints at our Kent local on Friday night

That’s cheap though, £4 something is very reasonable. Support that local!

Would you pay £3.00 a litre for petrol if the pump were particularly shiny and the cashier had a man bun?

The idea that most people will happily pay a huge markup for a commodity product in the face of economic uncertainty is, at best, optimistic.

[Driver101]

eldar said:

okgo said:

markbigears said:

That’s seriously inexpensive. Paid just under £10 for 2 pints at our Kent local on Friday night

That’s cheap though, £4 something is very reasonable. Support that local!

Would you pay £3.00 a litre for petrol if the pump were particularly shiny and the cashier had a man bun?

The idea that most people will happily pay a huge markup for a commodity product in the face of economic uncertainty is, at best, optimistic.

It isn't in the slightest comparable. You spend a minute paying for your petrol if you don't pay at the pump. You spend hours in the pub and lots of different things make up the quality of the experience.


Most people are happy to pay a huge premium for everything. We would all be wearing Primark clothes and shopping in Aldi otherwise. A lot of people are happy to pay a premium for Shell Ultimate over their local supermarket's cheapest option.

Edited by Driver101 on Monday 30th October 10:08