Why are the pubs closing?

[anonymous-user]

Following on from a discusion myself and Westy Pre Lit were having I thought I would ask the PH massive what they thought the reason pubs are closing?

[Fleegle]

There's a recession on. Nothing to do with beer being too expensive, people are prioritising

[escargot]

Fleegle said:

There's a recession on. Nothing to do with beer being too expensive, people are prioritising

Partly right but beer is also far too expensive. For a pint of cooking lager in my local pub it's £2.90. For something like Kronenbourg it's £3.50.

[Fleegle]

Three and a half quid for a pint of sheep dip.

Get a mans drink.

[escargot]

I'm a beer drinker. I was simply using lager as it's easier to draw a comparison.

[kVA]

None of the above... The decline started because of drink driving laws restricting their customer base and their spend per customer. They then had to offer additional services (i.e. food) to stay in profit. This turned many of them into glorified restaurants for 'once in a lifetime' commuters / business lunch venues, which put off a lot of the 'locals' - spoiling the community aspect of the Pub.

Now the recession has bitten into (excuse the pun) their food sales, they have lost a lot of the loyal local trade, the smokers don't want to go there in winter, the prices have had to go up to cover overheads and so ALL of the above now apply!

So now, people drink and smoke at home, and log onto PH / FB / Twitter / etc. for their 'social networking'.

[patmahe]

Fleegle said:

There's a recession on. Nothing to do with beer being too expensive, people are prioritising

Yes people are prioritising, but pubs need to adjust their business accordingly. Many are simply whinging about this that and the other.

A pub owner I know recently started selling pints at a reduced price one night a week, his pub was wedged, that nights turnover is whats keeping him open. Pubs that don't adjust will lose out, its just good business.

People still want fun and a good night out and there is a threshold which must be reached in order for them to do that.

[Dave^]

patmahe said:

Fleegle said:

There's a recession on. Nothing to do with beer being too expensive, people are prioritising

Yes people are prioritising, but pubs need to adjust their business accordingly. Many are simply whinging about this that and the other.

A pub owner I know recently started selling pints at a reduced price one night a week, his pub was wedged, that nights turnover is whats keeping him open. Pubs that don't adjust will lose out, its just good business.

People still want fun and a good night out and there is a threshold which must be reached in order for them to do that.

But greedy Breweries are forever increasing rent/barrel prices when individual pubs are succeeding... they're bleeding the landlords dry...

[kVA]

patmahe said:

Fleegle said:

There's a recession on. Nothing to do with beer being too expensive, people are prioritising

A pub owner I know recently started selling pints at a reduced price one night a week, his pub was wedged, that nights turnover is whats keeping him open. Pubs that don't adjust will lose out, its just good business.

People still want fun and a good night out and there is a threshold which must be reached in order for them to do that.

That alone won't do it... They have to go back to basics I think and give people a reason to want to be in the pub EVERY night, rather than drink cheap (crappy) tinned beer at home.

Maybe not so much darts, pool and skittles any more, but need something most people haven't got at home... e.g. the monster screen with live football / motor racing / etc... But they need to put some effort into organising stuff - such as leagues, theme nights, whatever, rather than just serving beer and leaving people to make their own entertainment.

[10 Pence Short]

They should go the other way- they should remove all the TVs, games machines and juke boxes and encourage conversation. The craic is what makes the pub a better place to go than home. I can watch sport, play games and listen to music at home.

[TheEnd]

10 Pence Short said:

They should go the other way- they should remove all the TVs, games machines and juke boxes

Alright Dad, never knew you were on PH!

[jagracer]

Dave^ said:

patmahe said:

Fleegle said:

There's a recession on. Nothing to do with beer being too expensive, people are prioritising

Yes people are prioritising, but pubs need to adjust their business accordingly. Many are simply whinging about this that and the other.

A pub owner I know recently started selling pints at a reduced price one night a week, his pub was wedged, that nights turnover is whats keeping him open. Pubs that don't adjust will lose out, its just good business.

People still want fun and a good night out and there is a threshold which must be reached in order for them to do that.

But greedy Breweries are forever increasing rent/barrel prices when individual pubs are succeeding... they're bleeding the landlords dry...

Eventually when it's all too late it'll filter down to the breweries and they'll be bled dry.

[becksW]

Personally it's because we have no nice quiet friendly pubs within walking distance to us. They are mainly chain owned, large open spaced and hardly quiet/ cosy.

When I lived in Torbay pubs were much easier to access and fitted the above criteria, most of the time. Cost is a factor but I would still visit more than we do now.

[Fleegle]

10 Pence Short said:

They should go the other way- they should remove all the TVs, games machines and juke boxes and encourage conversation. The craic is what makes the pub a better place to go than home. I can watch sport, play games and listen to music at home.

my local has flourished adopting this very ethos.

[YAD061]

patmahe said:

Fleegle said:

There's a recession on. Nothing to do with beer being too expensive, people are prioritising

Yes people are prioritising, but pubs need to adjust their business accordingly. Many are simply whinging about this that and the other.

A pub owner I know recently started selling pints at a reduced price one night a week, his pub was wedged, that nights turnover is whats keeping him open. Pubs that don't adjust will lose out, its just good business.

People still want fun and a good night out and there is a threshold which must be reached in order for them to do that.

Tied pubs are fked, the Breweries are demanding impossible rates which results in prices that cannot compete with the supermarkets, pubs are closing down all over the place

Edited by YAD061 on Saturday 27th February 10:56

[Eric Mc]

It's a combination of factors.

The price differential between alcohol prices in supermarkets and pubs is too great.

People are more conscientious/fearful about drink driving.

Non-smoking laws (although for me, they make me MORE likely to visit a pub).

[Morningside]

"People are socialising at home more: "
Because? That leads back to the other questions dont it?

Like someone mentioned a while back. All those people who said they would use the pub if it banned smoking...Where are they?

[YAD061]

Morningside said:

"People are socialising at home more: "
Because? That leads back to the other questions dont it?

Like someone mentioned a while back. All those people who said they would use the pub if it banned smoking...Where are they?

drinking tins at home.......call it bad timing

[Hedders]

10 Pence Short said:

They should go the other way- they should remove all the TVs, games machines and juke boxes and encourage conversation. The craic is what makes the pub a better place to go than home. I can watch sport, play games and listen to music at home.

We agree on something then

Pool tables and dart boards and things should be in pubs. Actually, duke boxes are fine, but they should be free.

[YAD061]

gaming machines make a big contribution to the profits for a struggling boozer......hate the damn things myself but that's the way it is