Wetherspoons In Cork

gimmick · 18-09-2013 3:19pm #1

Apparently we are getting a Wetherspoons before the year is out.

Anyone have any idea where it might be?

Looking at possible venues, I would say The Maltings complex, Door 51 (closed down apparently), Newport, or would it go Suburban, like out to Douglas/Ballincollig?

Milly33 · 18-09-2013 4:09pm

Who are wetherspoons then i spotted this on the echo alrite..

jimgoose · 18-09-2013 4:12pm

There was scuttlebutt around a couple of years back that Wetherspoons PLC had bought Preachers?

Milly33 wrote: »

Who are wetherspoons then i spotted this on the echo alrite..

Big U.K. pub chain.

Milly33 · 18-09-2013 4:17pm

I get the big UK pub bit but why are they so popular as such (dont say google)

Jes you wouldnt think tis a good place to be opening up new bars Cork City unless they were something fantastico..

The Briar Rose might be an option it is a fairly big pub.. I ponder is this why the closed the venue bar in ballintemple too perhaps the land lady sold out to wetherspoons haha...

jimgoose · 18-09-2013 4:19pm

Milly33 wrote: »

I get the big UK pub bit but why are they so popular as such (dont say google) Jes you wouldnt think tis a good place to be opening up new bars Cork City unless they were something fantastico..

The Briar Rose might be an option it is a fairly big pub.. I ponder is this why the closed the venue bar in ballintemple too perhaps the land lady sold out to wetherspoons haha...

The main reason for their popularity in the U.K. as far as I can make out is low-ish prices, due to their big-brand buying power (I'd be interested to see what the VFI makes of that!

) and the way that they're all pretty much the same, like McDonalds, so the punters know exactly what they're getting as soon as they see the sign.

Milly33 · 18-09-2013 4:25pm

Ick they sound not so good then, well that many of them anywho. Sure Cork is so small why would you want a chain of these places.. Cheap drink is nice but i doubt as you say they will be able to carry the prices to the great isle's haha they will probably go bust in a few months at the rates here

evilivor · 18-09-2013 4:26pm

Milly33 wrote: »

I get the big UK pub bit but why are they so popular as such (dont say google) Jes you wouldnt think tis a good place to be opening up new bars Cork City unless they were something fantastico..

They do food - breakfast to dinner - and they claim to offer value and a wide range of beers etc in a family friendly kinda way. I think they have a no music policy too in the Aldi/Lidl mode. Very successful in the UK but not my cup of tea.

They're opening in Blackrock, Dublin and hope to have a three and four pubs quite soon with a view to eventually expanding this up to 30 in the longer term including Cork.

jimgoose · 18-09-2013 4:28pm

Milly33 wrote: »

Ick they sound not so good then, well that many of them anywho. Sure Cork is so small why would you want a chain of these places.. Cheap drink is nice but i doubt as you say they will be able to carry the prices to the great isle's haha they will probably go bust in a few months at the rates here

Ah, they're all right now. I likes the English-style ale, mind you.

Milly33 · 18-09-2013 4:43pm

cant say i know much bout the auld ale but just hope they dont bombard the place with them

Faith · 18-09-2013 4:47pm

I have no time for Wetherspoons. In the Beer/Wine/Spirits forum, people keep talking about their great range of beers, but Wetherspoons has NO atmosphere. None. It's generic, it's bland, it has no music, it might at best have some slot machines. I genuinely can't see any reason why anyone would chose to drink at a Wetherspoons rather than buy booze at the off-licence and drink at home. You'll have a better atmosphere and more entertainment at home!

Milly33 · 18-09-2013 4:51pm

Uhh a house party you suggest!! After reading this they dont sound anything great I wouldnt be rushing to head into one unless they were offering free bottles on mass

rebelden · 18-09-2013 4:52pm

[QUOTE=gimmick;86601498 Door 51 (closed down apparently), Newport, or would it go Suburban, like out to Douglas/Ballincollig?[/QUOTE]

Door 51 gone. Was business that bad?

minidazzler · 18-09-2013 5:51pm

jimgoose wrote: »

There was scuttlebutt around a couple of years back that Wetherspoons PLC had bought Preachers?

Preachers is owned by Reardens and FAR too small for a Wetherspoons.

I think they'll go Suburban. It'll have to be a place big enough for a "kitchen" consisting mostly of Microwaves. If they go to Mahon it would be Lakelands. Given it's already a sh1thole with no atmosphere. It almost certainly won't be in town.

They won't go to Douglas because even though they'd be cheaper, they wouldn't want to compete with pub food like the East Village.

JohnK · 18-09-2013 5:52pm

Faith wrote: »

... It's generic, it's bland, it has no music, it might at best have some slot machines. I genuinely can't see any reason why anyone would chose to drink at a Wetherspoons rather than buy booze at the off-licence and drink at home. You'll have a better atmosphere and more entertainment at home!

To be honest I'd actually welcome the lack of music. I'm sick of going into pubs with friends only to spend the night shouting at each other rather than being able to have a proper conversation.

twigsirl · 18-09-2013 6:08pm

Competition is good and to be welcomed, I presume too they'll be taking on the breweries like Heineken and Diageo more than anything? Bring it on I say!

If they are talking about only opening 30 in total nationwide, I can't see more than a handful coming to Cork. I would reckon too they'll stay city centre, can't see them going to Douglas, Carrigaline or Ballincollig? The whole Crow's Nest complex at the top of the Straight Road might be a spot for them considering all the student places around there? Or the Redz complex round the back of the Court House?

And maybe showing me age a little but agree with JohnK too!

minidazzler · 18-09-2013 6:11pm

twigsirl wrote: »

Competition is good and to be welcomed, I presume too they'll be taking on the breweries like Heineken and Diageo more than anything? Bring it on I say!

If they are talking about only opening 30 in total nationwide, I can't see more than a handful coming to Cork. I would reckon too they'll stay city centre, can't see them going to Douglas, Carrigaline or Ballincollig? The whole Crow's Nest complex at the top of the Straight Road might be a spot for them considering all the student places around there? Or the Redz complex round the back of the Court House?

And maybe showing me age a little but agree with JohnK too!

Redz was bought out by Ernest Cantillion, or at least the Freehold was, not sure of the details...... apparently there's 300,000 of work just to bring it to H&S Standards, not including fitting the place out though.

SpaceTime · 18-09-2013 6:13pm

They could also take something like the old Grand Parade Hotel / Goat Broke Loose or some other venue like that that's completely idle at present.
They wouldn't necessarily have to buy an existing pub, just get a licence.

who_me · 18-09-2013 6:20pm

I know things like this are fairly subjective, but in my experience they're fairly awful venues. The Ryanair of pubs (some people would love them for that reason! :P ).

I probably would have been fairly worried about them undercutting existing established pubs in the area, but after being charged nearly 11 euros for two pints in Cork last night I say: bring on the competition!!

Schorpio · 18-09-2013 6:59pm

It depends on the location of the Wetherspoons in my experience. I live in the UK have been in many of 'em! Wetherspoons in places like Edinburgh (posher places!) are fantastic, but others are cheap in appearance, and can attract a sort of scummy clientele.

I can see Cork being a good one, especially on a weekend. A good crowd generates plenty on atmosphere - and I'm all for the no music.

.red. · 18-09-2013 7:29pm

Ive eaten and drank in one plenty of times in liverpool. Its cheep and cheerfull, nothing fancy.
I remember getting a mixed grill and a pint of magners for £8.99. That was a large sausage, lamb chop, gamon steak, pork chop, mushroom a small bit of sirloin and a handfull of chips. All for about €10. The steak wssnt the best but the rest was fine, just lobbed on a plate instead of a chef spending 2 minutes arranging it in some poxy way.
If one came to cork it would do well if it kept prices low and served cheap but good, no frills food.

KCAccidental · 18-09-2013 10:18pm

anything that challenges the VFI hold on the industry is good in my book. Will hopefully bring on a drop in the price of a pint in town.

Faith · 19-09-2013 11:13am

JohnK wrote: »

To be honest I'd actually welcome the lack of music. I'm sick of going into pubs with friends only to spend the night shouting at each other rather than being able to have a proper conversation.

While I agree completely about loud music being awful and extremely off-putting, a complete lack of music is almost as bad. I've been in a couple of Wetherspoons' in the UK and it felt like drinking in a waiting room or something.

Given the typical size of a Wetherspoons, it's not like small cozy bars where there's plenty of ambient noise from other people talking. It's typically a large space full of tables, like a restaurant. We were in Mutton Lane last night where there was only low background music, and there was still great atmosphere because of the size of the pub and the other people there. Wetherspoons would be more like Amicus on Paul Street, say, and brightly lit at all times of the day and night.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love if it turned out to be a place with great atmosphere and affordable booze. I'm just not pinning any hopes on it.

SpaceTime · 19-09-2013 11:29am

I think they'll have to adapt to the market. A music-less bar in Ireland is unlikely to work and people will start to feel uncomfortable, where as traditionally bars in England didn't really have much music so it's not really a shock to the system for some English people.

It'll be interesting to see what they do over here, as I think they are quite capable of adapting to a market. They certainly don't just have one format in the UK, depending on the area they can take quite different approaches.

I think though it's going to mean that the existing Cork pubs will have to up their game. I still think there's a lot more scope for good food. It's the food capital of Ireland in terms of artisan food and amazing products and I don't think the pubs in the city make nearly enough use of their space in the afternoons / mornings / evenings as food venues.

beer enigma · 19-09-2013 11:52am

I'm quite a fan of them to be honest.

I'm currently living in London and use them frequently. They are good value and have brought down the price of a pint considerably. I admit there's no music, but that can be a good thing. If I want music, I just go to a different bar and I don't see that being any different in Cork.

The quality of food is pretty good & they're great for a food/beer deal - homemade burger, chips salad and a pint for just over a fiver (stg). They do tend to be quite big so interested to see where they will go in Cork, very much fits the old Woodfordes style of pub & generally floorboards and rustic style. They've opened quite a few in London in old bank buildings as they tend to go for the unusual so could even be a converted warehouse or something that has lived another life rather than an existing pub.

Oh and the loos are nearly always spotless !!!

Nonoperational · 19-09-2013 11:56am

The attitude to this is way OTT, and there's a lot of comments from people who have never been to Wetherspoons in their lives. They have a huge range of pubs in the UK, not just dreary stereotyped dumps. Some of them are very decent and you can go in and get a main course and a pint for £6-7. It could be a disaster here, but I'd certainly be looking forward to seeing what they offer anyway. Lot of places in Cork now charging €5 for a lager, if they came in at €3.50 it would be interesting.

SpaceTime · 19-09-2013 11:58am

I'd still strongly suspect they'll be on Grand Parade. There's a load of potential venues around there that could be renovated and reopened.

There's also a possibility of something on one of the quays.

JohnK · 19-09-2013 12:06pm

Be interesting to see where they'd go alright but I'd be surprised to see them open before next summer. Saying that, if they wanted to come to Douglas there was some work done recently to the old TSB, across the road from Barrys, which would probably be big enough for them.

gimmick · 19-09-2013 12:08pm

KCAccidental wrote: »

anything that challenges the VFI hold on the industry is good in my book. Will hopefully bring on a drop in the price of a pint in town.

This is the long and short of it for me.

I doubt it would become anyones local, but if someone comes in and breaks up the cartel that is the vitners, it can only be a good thing.

greensausage · 19-09-2013 12:31pm

I no there is no music but do they at least have tvs for football rugby etc?

SteelyDanJalapeno · 19-09-2013 12:38pm

Was in Camden Wetherspoons, Good quality burger and chips and a pint of Cider for £5, It's an ideal place for a quick bite to eat and some cheap drinks of an evening with a group, welcomed in my opinion.

Faith · 19-09-2013 12:48pm

greensausage wrote: »

I no there is no music but do they at least have tvs for football rugby etc?

Any I've been in have TVs but no sound. Maybe they put the sound on for big events, I'm not sure.

spitfireIRL · 19-09-2013 1:50pm

If they bring down the price of a pint in Cork, I'm all for them

beer enigma · 19-09-2013 1:56pm

Faith wrote: »

Any I've been in have TVs but no sound. Maybe they put the sound on for big events, I'm not sure.

Yes, they're quite big on sporting events. They have the volume up for main events but will also turn it up if its requested. There doesn't seem to be any 'chain' format for the TV set up, some have smaller wall mounted tvs, some have larger projection screens.

kooga · 19-09-2013 4:30pm

going to start big in the city looking at a few of the old bank premises on the Mall or the old bank of scotland by the footbridge on the grand parade as the bank in there (certus) moving to georges Quay

Balmed Out · 19-09-2013 9:37pm

Andip wrote: »

The quality of food is pretty good

Been in plenty and can say I would never agree with this. The food is very cheap but its obvious youre getting what youre paying for.

They are the Ryanair of pubs but whereas Ryanair is a means to get to a destination the pus is generally somewhere you chooses to go and I cant understand why anyone would choose a wetherspoons when we have so many good pubs.

KCAccidental · 19-09-2013 9:48pm

Balmed Out wrote: »

Been in plenty and can say I would never agree with this. The food is very cheap but its obvious youre getting what youre paying for.

They are the Ryanair of pubs but whereas Ryanair is a means to get to a destination the pus is generally somewhere you chooses to go and I cant understand why anyone would choose a wetherspoons when we have so many good pubs.

yeah loads of good pubs in town which charge you over a fiver for a pint of Lager. I may not be a fan of wetherspoons either, but at least they might give the medicore city centre pubs (95% of them) a kick up the arse.

Balmed Out · 19-09-2013 10:10pm

KCAccidental wrote: »

yeah loads of good pubs in town which charge you over a fiver for a pint of Lager. I may not be a fan of wetherspoons either, but at least they might give the medicore city centre pubs (95% of them) a kick up the arse.

What pubs do you drink in? There are plenty of (to my tastes) very good city centre pubs and I've never paid more then a fiver for a regular pint of larger

who_me · 20-09-2013 2:16pm

Honestly, I think Cork is very well served with pubs; my only qualm is the way certain pubs are now charging well over 5 euros per pint at a time when almost everyone is reducing prices. I like to see Cork businesses / business people doing well, but when it reaches the point where it's "we'll charge what we like because we can", then who cares what happens to them.

Ludo · 20-09-2013 5:09pm

But people are obviously paying the money or they wouldn't be charging over a fiver. There are plenty of places that don't charge a fiver so it's not like there isn't a choice.

Anyway I bet Wetherspoons will charge the current market rate. They won't be much cheaper anyway.

rob316 · 20-09-2013 5:21pm

I'd welcome them, the price of a pint is getting absolutely ridiculous around here. Club, late nights bars are taking the piss because there is no where else to go.
I always like these chain pubs when im over in Liverpool, cheap beer and cheap grub. If they can tackle the breweries over here and bring down prices across the board i'll be delighted.

Its exactly they type of business that would work in this economy I reckon as evidenced by Poundland (dealz) recently entering the market.

who_me · 20-09-2013 5:42pm

Ludo wrote: »

But people are obviously paying the money or they wouldn't be charging over a fiver. There are plenty of places that don't charge a fiver so it's not like there isn't a choice.

Anyway I bet Wetherspoons will charge the current market rate. They won't be much cheaper anyway.

True. The problem is if you have the choice between an empty pub, or a pub with a decent sized crowd which charges a bit more; you're not likely to go to the empty pub every time you're out just to spite the overchargers. Much as I'd love to lead a one person revolt against the prices, I can't get the crowd to walk out with me!

I am half tempted to set up a corkpubprices.ie site, to highlight the discrepancies in price between pubs. Not sure if it would have the slightest bit of difference, but you'd never know.. they might not be too keen on seeing their pubs at the top of the Expensive chart with a big old red mark on their location on the map.

Faith · 20-09-2013 6:18pm

who_me wrote: »

I am half tempted to set up a corkpubprices.ie site, to highlight the discrepancies in price between pubs. Not sure if it would have the slightest bit of difference, but you'd never know.. they might not be too keen on seeing their pubs at the top of the Expensive chart with a big old red mark on their location on the map.

I think that's a brilliant idea. Easy to do as well, just crowd source your information.

pwurple · 20-09-2013 6:33pm

It is a good idea but pubs seem to change the prices all night long. Or is that just me?

Ludo · 20-09-2013 6:57pm

Excellent idea.. Get onto pumps.ie and suggest an offshoot to them. It would be a lot more complex than just 2 prices but doable alright.

who_me · 20-09-2013 7:18pm

pwurple wrote: »

It is a good idea but pubs seem to change the prices all night long. Or is that just me?

True, but you'd highlight that too. Some kind of "Sneaky" icon next to their pub, maybe an icon of a dodgy guy in a trench coat.

Ideally, you'd want people to post photos of the receipts as well - though obviously some pubs don't hand out receipts, and they're often the ones you most want to highlight.

Ludo · 20-09-2013 10:18pm

Looks like they is already one of these pub price websites for Dublin. Www.publin.ie.

sandin · 21-09-2013 5:24pm

My experience of wetherspoons is a pub that has good prices on some items, but crap quality, deplorable service and zero atmosphere.

I'm in the UK quite regularly and even if they offered free food, I would not go in.

It will be interesting to see if they use the same model here (can't see it working), or change to suit the local market.

Don't expect cheap prices - like supermarkets, they will have a headline price on a couple of beers and a wine, but want something nice and you'll pay the standard price of any pub. - btw pint of guinness in wetherspoons coventry is £3.30, however Carling is £2.80, but other lagers £3.30.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo · 21-09-2013 11:48pm

They'll sell cheap pints yeah?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipWoX9xL2No

beer enigma · 22-09-2013 12:02am

sandin wrote: »

My experience of wetherspoons is a pub that has good prices on some items, but crap quality, deplorable service and zero atmosphere.

I'm in the UK quite regularly and even if they offered free food, I would not go in.

It will be interesting to see if they use the same model here (can't see it working), or change to suit the local market.

Don't expect cheap prices - like supermarkets, they will have a headline price on a couple of beers and a wine, but want something nice and you'll pay the standard price of any pub. - btw pint of guinness in wetherspoons coventry is £3.30, however Carling is £2.80, but other lagers £3.30.

I sound like an advocate for wetherspoons but today all beers were £3.15 , I'd say give them a chance...if you don't like then don't go there

TheChizler · 22-09-2013 1:54am

Ludo wrote: »

Excellent idea.. Get onto pumps.ie and suggest an offshoot to them. It would be a lot more complex than just 2 prices but doable alright.

http://pintofplain.com/

They also have an app!

mikeym · 22-09-2013 2:46pm

It should be interesting to see were they open up.

Wetherspoons In Cork

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