Man your pumps, Wetherspoons are coming

oblivious · 05-01-2015 10:50am

BaZmO* wrote: »

I don't give much sway to conspiracy theories........however, the Vinters Lobby is a strong one and they are clearly feeling threatened.

I mentioned earlier that it's surprising that they haven't come out on the attack yet, but by the looks of it the offensive has now started.

An there is an election next February-mrach at the latest next year to add fuel to the fire

Heroditas · 05-01-2015 11:01am

Zebra3 wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/protect-the-uniqueness-of-irish-pubs-from-jd-wetherspoon-s-inexorable-advance-1.2054453

Irish Times "journalist" doesn't like the idea of the plebs getting to choose what type of pub they drink in. :rolleyes:

It really is an awful article.

The last thing Ireland needs is a pub chain

Capital Bars, Louis fitzgerald, Charlie Chawke etc... no,they're not chains, I assume. :rolleyes:

with their pokey snugs, bar staff who can pull stout properly, music sessions that are as spontaneous as they are familiar, thick wooden bar counters, quality hand-painted signage and branded mirrors that should be naff but can be beautiful?

She obviously hasn't been in the Wetherspoons in Blackrock with it's thick wooden bar counter, hand-painted signage and some very nice mirrors indeed.

As for the cheapness of alcohol at Wetherspoon outlets, why is this being met with no opposition? There has been a national conversation for decades about excessive consumption of alcohol, a level of consumption that is directly linked to its cost.

The old chestnut that has been debated to death. Little or no research obviously. Alcohol consumption is falling

The article stinks of the "Little Irelander" syndrome - bemoaning the "foreign" shops while complaining about the death of "traditional Ireland" while not actually being able to articulate what "traditional Ireland" actually is.

L1011 · 05-01-2015 11:04am

oblivious wrote: »

They could well have done a deal, but want and need to save face

I'd say they've probably had to give some fairly serious concessions just to get the products back in the UK pubs anyway - Wetherspoons being the only major estate that sold them there. I have a feeling that Wetherspoons will be paying less for the products they're going to be selling here than they were too.

oblivious · 05-01-2015 11:14am

Wetherspoon and Heineken resolve drinks supply row

http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Company-City-News/Wetherspoon-and-Heineken-resolve-drinks-supply-row/?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=05-Jan-2015&c=RaTJ388kIWwwQI5q7DsHUeEYjBZ8A6jw

oblivious · 05-01-2015 11:19am

Looks like Hino Ireland subbed out their premium brands for Bemish and fosters

rubadub · 05-01-2015 11:22am

Geuze wrote: »

Sorry, I meant that MUP rules won' t affect pub prices, as pub prices are already well above the proposed minimum prices.

so what are the proposed minimum prices?

Dicey Reilys in dublin city centre have been selling €2 pints of paulaner for many years now (on particular days but an on going weekly thing 1-3days I think). And if is very strong if you are basing it on per unit alcohol. In harcourt street, not some rural area where its usually expected to be lower.

The article mentions below cost selling, do they have access to wetherspoons accounts or what? I would love to see them, or is this just lying journalists making stuff up again -or at least not enquiring about this issue to the people spouting it.

bit on heineken coming back to the UK and beamish in Ireland.
http://thedailyedge.thejournal.ie/wetherspoon-pubs-heineken-ireland-1864650-Jan2015/

Sofiztikated · 05-01-2015 11:25am

oblivious wrote: »

Wetherspoon and Heineken resolve drinks supply row

http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Company-City-News/Wetherspoon-and-Heineken-resolve-drinks-supply-row/?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=05-Jan-2015&c=RaTJ388kIWwwQI5q7DsHUeEYjBZ8A6jw

I see it's only Beamish, Fosters and Symonds they'll supply to Ireland. The first 2 are already seen as cheapy brands anyway. I know little to nothing about the cider.

Loire · 05-01-2015 11:25am

Not sure it's the right move by Heineken - people are going to go to Weatherspoons anyway for the novelty and probably stay for the price. If they can't have Heineken they will have something else, and given the range on offer, it probably won't be Fosters either.

Reputable Rog · 05-01-2015 11:32am

Seems fairly good news regarding Beamish and Fosters. I can't stand Heineken and Murphy's is a last resort stout.
The decline of Murphy's stout has been quite dramatic, I know of very few people in Cork City or County who drink it. It seems to be mainly tourists.
Beamish is an excellent pint , usually at a good price.
I can't see why Murphy's is worth the average 70 cent premium.

It seems the campaign against Wetherspoons is going to run and run , particularly in the Irish Times who seem to be upset that someone on an average salary or less can afford a pint.

oblivious · 05-01-2015 11:33am

Sofiztikated wrote: »

I see it's only Beamish, Fosters and Symonds they'll supply to Ireland. The first 2 are already seen as cheapy brands anyway. I know little to nothing about the cider.

Yep, it looks like there are try to protect their premium brands

Sofiztikated · 05-01-2015 11:44am

oblivious wrote: »

Yep, it looks like there are try to protect their premium brands

As someone whose preferred beer is something that is yellow and fizzy, with Heineken usually being my choice in pubs (mainly because a lot of pubs don't have Tuborg on draft), I'd happily doddle into any 'Spoons, and if there's no Heineken, well then, I guess I'll have to try out a different yellow, fizzy beverage. And if I happen to get a taste for it, then I guess I might drink less Heineken in future, in place of whatever other tasty, fizzy, yellow beverage.

Disclaimer: I don't think I've ever ordered a Heineken in a 'Spoons before, anyway. But my point still stands.

Ravelleman · 05-01-2015 11:46am

Reputable Rog wrote: »

It seems the campaign against Wetherspoons is going to run and run , particularly in the Irish Times who seem to be upset that someone on an average salary or less can afford a pint.

The Irish Times will run with any polemic as long as it appeals to the chattering classes.

hawkwind23 · 05-01-2015 11:52am

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ii4n19hsdj4a2mj/IMG_20150103_200517514.jpg?dl=0

bit of a write up on the spoons , sorry about the photo quality , many ciders were imbibed!
but you might recognise a face or two

kooga · 05-01-2015 2:34pm

great to see beamish and fosters aboard my two favourites pints. (plus the mrs likes a pint of fosters, has to be in the old glass though with the map of australia she doesn't like the new glass very heavy)

Tayto2000 · 05-01-2015 4:28pm

I'd normally have a lot of time for Una on most things but I think she's wrong about this. Brewers and publicans are going to be presenting this as a cultural and health issue rather than accept real price competition (finally) over the price of a pint. Wetherspoons is a big enough player not to be muscled by existing vested interests which keep prices high across the board. The only real surprise is that they didn't just join in when asked to do so by Heineken... Good way to get quick market share though I suppose.

I'd be surprised if a pint of Heineken at €2.50 is "below cost" as well. Small profit margin yes, but we're just so used to paying through the nose we don't even see it anymore.

out da lough · 05-01-2015 4:51pm

Here in Cork, we are dominated by chains. These chains dictate the price and door policy and have become a law unto themselves. There are very few "traditional Irish pubs" in the city. Obviously well known institution type pubs will always attract tourists, but the Celtic Tiger Investors who paid way way over the odds for pubs and then bought more and more of them will be the ones that suffer in the face of competition, in the same way that large Irish retail multiples have suffered in the face of competition from overseas. But for a country with a huge export led economy, it is a bit rich for the Irish Times to waffle about "the Irish pub" as if it was something worth preserving.

The country is not a theme park for tourists and for the chattering classes to feel good about: millions of us have to live here and get through life without having to pay €5.35 for a pint in some dirty chain pub.

I am old enough to remember when licenced taxis were able to pick and choose who to pick up and know that when they got back into town there would still be hundreds of people waiting on the rank.

Then the market got deregulated and now there are hundreds of taxis waiting on the rank. The sooner the same thing happens with pubs the better.

Geuze · 05-01-2015 5:50pm

Tayto2000 wrote: »

I'd be surprised if a pint of Heineken at €2.50 is "below cost" as well. Small profit margin yes, but we're just so used to paying through the nose we don't even see it anymore.

Note that 'Spoons were selling Heineken for 2.95 here, not 2.50.

The 2.50 refers to the lowest price of their beers.

cruasder777 · 05-01-2015 6:22pm

Zebra3 wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/protect-the-uniqueness-of-irish-pubs-from-jd-wetherspoon-s-inexorable-advance-1.2054453

Irish Times "journalist" doesn't like the idea of the plebs getting to choose what type of pub they drink in. :rolleyes:

Most Weatherspoons opposition in Britain came from the chattering classes, who need something to look down on.

When Weatherspoons turned the disused Opera house in Royal Tunbridge Wells into a pub(its a listed building they kept all its architecture etc), one guy went on hunger strike outside. They get lots of local opposition, which does not stand up against the jobs created.

Weatherspoons pubs are not all the same, most are similar, one near me next to a uni has a DJ on a Saturday night, as its a young crowd. Also a lot depends on the area the pub is in, as an example Weatherspoons in Brixton is very different then Weatherspoons in Bath or one of their old coaching inns.

Others I have been in are 13th century inns.

Tim Martin wants to expand to 1600 pubs from 935. 1 for every 40,000 people.

50 in the Republic will mean a large Weatherspoons in every medium size town in Ireland. It will be interesting to see what tactics will be used to try to stop this from local parochial/business/political interests. The bottom line is each new pub creates 40-50 jobs.

In the UK its estimated Weatherspoons sell 1 in 5 drinks bought in a pub.

Crann na Beatha · 05-01-2015 6:24pm

This post has been deleted.

bucketybuck · 05-01-2015 6:51pm

cruasder777 wrote: »

It will be interesting to see what tactics will be used to try to stop this from local parochial/business/political interests.

Do you think they might consider actually trying to compete?

Yeah, who am I kidding...

Idbatterim · 05-01-2015 7:04pm

The 2.50 refers to the lowest price of their beers.

E1.95 from today in The Forty Foot!

Lovely Bloke · 05-01-2015 7:08pm

bucketybuck wrote: »

Do you think they might consider actually trying to compete?

Yeah, who am I kidding...

here's Liz Delaney's in Coolock (The Blacker, for those who know it, this is pretty amazing/offensive depending on your sensibilities)

Idbatterim · 05-01-2015 7:10pm

here's Liz Delaney's in Coolock (The Blacker, for those who know it, this is pretty amazing/offensive depending on your sensibilities)

Yeah this already has its own AH thread...

cruasder777 · 05-01-2015 7:11pm

Check this out for a hateful article. The chattering classes who write this kind of stuff do not exist in the same universe as pensioners, the averge working guy etc, the kind of publications that despise Weatherspoons are not read by Weatherspoons customers. That's the irony. Weatherspoons are pubs for working class people, the fact chattering classes types are uncomfortable with them is down to that fact.

I doubt Weatherspoons will get this level of hostility in the Republic.

http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/culture/2013/03/ill-tell-you-whats-wrong-wetherspoons-its-run-man-named-tim

The standard chain-pub-fare was on offer: burgers, sub-curries, toasties, pasta and pies. His bacon cheeseburger wasn’t tasty enough to be horse: the cheese hadn’t even melted and the bacon had been fried rather than grilled, so the whole comestible – when at last it arrived – was both frigid and congealed. My battered cod was at the nadir for this dish: the casing hard, the interior mush. At least it was hot – unlike the chips, which were like cardboard but not as tasty

I did eat my food and so left with an unpleasant film inside my mouth. Still, tomorrow morning my palate will be cleansed

I see a sort of nominative determinism at work here: Tim’s pubs are **** not only because he’s called “Tim” but also because they’re named after an object of resentment. And you know what they say about resentment: it’s like drinking a cup of poison and expecting the other person to die. Sadly, it isn’t Wetherspoon who’s dying (he probably expired years ago) – but us. It doesn’t matter that Martin was quick off the mark when it came to introducing no-smoking areas, nor that he’s been a staunch supporter of micro-breweries

Lovely Bloke · 05-01-2015 7:21pm

Idbatterim wrote: »

Yeah this already has its own AH thread...

point?

Idbatterim · 05-01-2015 7:50pm

point?
__________

just highlighting that it has already received quite some notoriety!

Herb Powell · 05-01-2015 7:52pm

out da lough wrote: »

Here in Cork, we are dominated by chains. These chains dictate the price and door policy and have become a law unto themselves. There are very few "traditional Irish pubs" in the city. Obviously well known institution type pubs will always attract tourists, but the Celtic Tiger Investors who paid way way over the odds for pubs and then bought more and more of them will be the ones that suffer in the face of competition, in the same way that large Irish retail multiples have suffered in the face of competition from overseas. But for a country with a huge export led economy, it is a bit rich for the Irish Times to waffle about "the Irish pub" as if it was something worth preserving.

The country is not a theme park for tourists and for the chattering classes to feel good about: millions of us have to live here and get through life without having to pay €5.35 for a pint in some dirty chain pub.

I am old enough to remember when licenced taxis were able to pick and choose who to pick up and know that when they got back into town there would still be hundreds of people waiting on the rank.

Then the market got deregulated and now there are hundreds of taxis waiting on the rank. The sooner the same thing happens with pubs the better.

Sweet jebus yes. Benny Bars are generally nice inside, but I just cannot justify the pint prices. And they've only been getting more expensive.

Reputable Rog wrote: »

Seems fairly good news regarding Beamish and Fosters. I can't stand Heineken and Murphy's is a last resort stout.
The decline of Murphy's stout has been quite dramatic, I know of very few people in Cork City or County who drink it. It seems to be mainly tourists.
Beamish is an excellent pint , usually at a good price.
I can't see why Murphy's is worth the average 70 cent premium.

Really? Most everyone I know seems to prefer Murphy's. I definitely think Beamish is the best of the big three though, and it's always great value for money. Doesn't get the love it deserves

cruasder777 · 05-01-2015 7:53pm

Greene King moving into Ireland too. They obviously think they can undercut the market too.

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/news/british-pub-giants-compete-to-open-bars-in-ireland

Idbatterim · 05-01-2015 8:02pm

Greene King moving into Ireland too. They obviously think they can undercut the market too.

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/news/brit...ars-in-ireland

LOL this just gets better!

L1011 · 05-01-2015 8:32pm

cruasder777 wrote: »

Greene King moving into Ireland too. They obviously think they can undercut the market too.

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/news/british-pub-giants-compete-to-open-bars-in-ireland

Article is over a year old with no movement since

Man your pumps, Wetherspoons are coming

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