why are there no J D Wetherspoon pubs in ROI?

Just a little Samba

sinead88 wrote: »

I live in Scotland and I can attest that Wetherspoons are horrible, soulless places. They don't play any music at all generally and the food is terrible. My friend used to work in one and it sounded awful. The only reason I would ever go there is for a very cheap drink before a night out. You'd never want to spend too much time there. I actually like that Ireland doesn't have loads of chain pubs and really appreciate it whenever I visit home, as most places have some sort of character.

I lived in the UK for several years and the 'spoons near me ear a lovely pub. Part of the Lloyd's #1 chain. Food was grand, they played music and had live bands.
The pub in blackcock seems to take a more Lloyd's #1 approach to things.

Hotblack Desiato

If you want to pay too much for your drink and listen to music go to a nightclub.

Elana_29

cos they suck

flas

[quotbatterim;93415901"]Thought so, will be drinking that all night so, I am done with anything Diageo if I can help it, likewise with Heineken...

I have to ask the question, if price is a big thing putting people off going to the pub, why didnt the VFI / LVA and publicans do something about it a long time ago? Ok, there are factors that are outside of their control, strict drink driving laws, smoking ban...[/quote]

Coors is sold by heineken in ireland

Fratton Fred

Elana_29 wrote: »

cos they suck

Cheap food, cheap booze and this as well?

A man's dream come true.

desertcircus

Grayson wrote: »

If you start drinking at 8 at full prices, that's €100 spent in a night easily. maybe even €150.

What the hell are you drinking that clocks up a hundred and fifty euro in six hours? You could drink ten shots of Midleton at that price.

Grayson

Idbatterim wrote: »

I get what they are up to, but surely increasing sales is in their interest! How can they not care about their customers, they pay their wages! whats their master plan? keep their relationship with Diageo, change nothing, business as usual and eventually close down? ( i am referring more to country pubs now)

It's in a businesses interest to price at the maximum amount they can. There's a point where they would lose customers but they know where it is.
The lack of competition makes it a lot easier too. they set the price point they want and know that no-one will under cut them. Remember it's so hard to get a licence for a bar too. So they can work out how many people are being served and how much they can charge them.

VinLieger

JupiterKid wrote: »

How many Wetherspoons pubs are now up and running in ROI? I know that there's one in Blackrock but have any others opened yet?

They one in the old 40 Foot in Dun Laoighaire just opened and the Cork one is set to open in January i think.

Also people complaining about them being everywhere in the UK, there are 926 JDW in the UK and 200,000 licensed premises, that works out to roughly 0.4% of licensed premises being JDW...... hardly everywhere now are they?

ted1

syklops wrote: »

Another trip to the "Lets all complain about the only pub in Ireland selling cheap beer" thread.



Blackrock has opened I was there on Sunday.

I was sat in a seat with wood panneling with a mock library(but with real books) beside me. Dimly lit, comfortable. Almost full. Not uncomfortably full, but busy. Pint of Murphys and a Pint of draught pale ale came to 5.60. 5.60 together, not each.

I've heard it said on this thread "the food is muck". What I had on Sunday was savage. Buffalo wings, followed by a beef burger with pulled pork on top. If memory serves me the burger was 8.95.

Dun Laoighre is opening in a couple of days time.

You realise the meat is from Zebo and not cows ? There's very little nutritional value in it compared to cow meat

desertcircus

ted1 wrote: »

You realise the meat is from Zebo and not cows ? There's very little nutritional value in it compared to cow meat

I would dearly love to see the data on the nutritional content of zebu beef as compared to cow. I doubt there's any significant nutritional difference. At any rate, not all Wetherspoons beef is zebu in origin, and other restaurants and pubs may be using zebu as well.

Beaner1

Henry Sidney wrote: »

I have no problem with Irish people, I have Irish friends and family. My only problem is with the propagation of this myth that everyone in Ireland is some amazing, witty, friendly person and that everywhere you go will be like a fun-filled paradise of wit and warmth. I lived there for 15 years, and have done business there for close to 30, and it's simply not true.

Well said. The myth usually comes from Irish people themselves which is embarrassing.

Beaner1

desertcircus wrote: »

I would dearly love to see the data on the nutritional content of zebu beef as compared to cow. I doubt there's any significant nutritional difference. At any rate, not all Wetherspoons beef is zebu in origin, and other restaurants and pubs may be using zebu as well.

http://maxwellsci.com/print/ijava/v5-143-155.pdf

The dry matter, the crude protein and the ether extract percentage were not significantly
varied from one breed to another.

ted1

desertcircus wrote: »

I would dearly love to see the data on the nutritional content of zebu beef as compared to cow. I doubt there's any significant nutritional difference. At any rate, not all Wetherspoons beef is zebu in origin, and other restaurants and pubs may be using zebu as well.

Have you heard of Google? Look up Zabo meat, it's much poorer

Beaner1

ted1 wrote: »

Have you heard of Google? Look up Zabo meat, it's much poorer

I've had a good look and found nothing beyond a bit of daily mail snobbery.

Beefy78

Beaner1 wrote: »

I've had a good look and found nothing beyond a bit of daily mail snobbery.

Ha! This is After Hours, what more is needed than a bit of Daily Mail snobbery?

Hotblack Desiato

ted1 wrote: »

You realise the meat is from Zebo and not cows ?

http://cdn.soticservers.net/tools/images/players/photos/2013/munster/22/270x290/92184.jpg

Herb Powell

sinead88 wrote: »

I live in Scotland and I can attest that Wetherspoons are horrible, soulless places. They don't play any music at all generally and the food is terrible. My friend used to work in one and it sounded awful. The only reason I would ever go there is for a very cheap drink before a night out. You'd never want to spend too much time there. I actually like that Ireland doesn't have loads of chain pubs and really appreciate it whenever I visit home, as most places have some sort of character.

Close enought to it in Cork tbh, with the amount of Benny Bars™, all charging well over a fiver a pint.

corks finest

dd972 wrote: »

You'd think with the boozing culture we have they'd have colonised our town and cities some time ago, plus costwise they'd annihilate the opposition paying through the nose for their Guinness and Heineken.

Only heard bit and bobs of rumour as to why there's no Spoon pubs here ranging from the fact that it's in the Eurozone and it doesn't fit in with their business plan and the Victuallers Association here are keeping them out by some means or other, anybody heard anything more substantial?

Soon to open 🚪 one in Douglas,cork,,, provided planning is granted

syklops

sinead88 wrote: »

I live in Scotland and I can attest that Wetherspoons are horrible, soulless places. They don't play any music at all generally and the food is terrible. My friend used to work in one and it sounded awful. The only reason I would ever go there is for a very cheap drink before a night out. You'd never want to spend too much time there. I actually like that Ireland doesn't have loads of chain pubs and really appreciate it whenever I visit home, as most places have some sort of character.

Ireland may as well have a load of chain pubs, so many are so generic, lacking any form of actual character and selling the same 3 or 4 beers, Guinness, Heineken, Carlsberg and Budweiser.

Beaner1

syklops wrote: »

Ireland may as well have a load of chain pubs, so many are so generic, lacking any form of actual character and selling the same 3 or 4 beers, Guinness, Heineken, Carlsberg and Budweiser.

The drink and food menu in the Blackrock bar kicks the crap out of 90% of Irish bars and thats before you consider the price.

Sinister Kid

Was is the one in Blackrock after work Friday for food and the place was jammers, lucky to get a seat

desertcircus

ted1 wrote: »

Have you heard of Google? Look up Zabo meat, it's much poorer

Guess what? I have heard of Google! What are the odds?

Of course, I did Google it. I could find no evidence that zebu beef was nutritionally different. I found a couple of quotes from people who own cows claiming that zebu meat isn't as tasty, but then that's both incredibly biased and not the same claim as the one you made.

hynesie08

desertcircus wrote: »

Guess what? I have heard of Google! What are the odds?

Of course, I did Google it. I could find no evidence that zebu beef was nutritionally different. I found a couple of quotes from people who own cows claiming that zebu meat isn't as tasty, but then that's both incredibly biased and not the same claim as the one you made.

Are you implying that the British beef and lamb council might be someway biased towards British beef and lamb?

Heresy sir, heresy.

Antrim_Man

I hear they are opening in Bray. Anyone know whereabouts??

Alter-Ego

City centre.

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/Business/article1495673.ece

Steodonn

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Wetherspoon axes Heineken and Murphy's

Cynic in me says the VFI have something to do with this. As mentioned in the article, Heineken is Ireland's biggest seller so Wetherspoons not being able to sell it for €2 less is going to hurt them.

I don't see why people would think Heineken is a superior beer to anything you can get in Wetherspoons or any other places but if there are people out who are willing to pay a fiver a pint than I'm sure there are some of them who are thick enough to avoid Wetherspoons because it won't serve Heineken.

Of course, there could be something else going on here but knowing the types that are involved in the VFI, it wouldn't surprise me if they've put pressure on Heineken not to play ball with Wetherspoons while continuing to refuse to address their business models in light of some competition.

Anybody else have more on this?

Heineken for most people is their default beer I'd drink it sometimes if a place didn't have some of the drinks I prefer. Its advantage is if your going somewhere you know there will always be Heineken. These days there is alot more options especially if your in the city center ( Dublin ) so I would normally find something better but its nice to have a drink you know you'll like to revert to if necessary

Annasopra

VinLieger wrote: »

Id agree with the theory the VFI are involved.

Local lva and vfi members are actively blocking jdw applications.

Annasopra

Antrim_Man wrote: »

I hear they are opening in Bray. Anyone know whereabouts??

Where I told you in the Wicklow forum!

Beefy78

Steodonn wrote: »

Heineken for most people is their default beer I'd drink it sometimes if a place didn't have some of the drinks I prefer. Its advantage is if your going somewhere you know there will always be Heineken. These days there is alot more options especially if your in the city center ( Dublin ) so I would normally find something better but its nice to have a drink you know you'll like to revert to if necessary

I'd be similar. There's a time and a place for a bland, commercial, fizzy lager. But Heineken isn't that brilliant a bland, commercial, fizzy lager that someone couldn't substitute it for one of half a dozen others without making a massive difference, lets be honest.

Geuze

For information...........

(1) Blackrock, Co. Dublin - open July 2014
(2) Dun Laoghaire - to open this week (Dec 2014)
(3) Cork city centre - to open early 2015
(4) Blanchardstown - on website, opening soon, say early 2015

The above four pubs are on www.jdwetherspoon.ie as of today.

Swords - bought Old Boro pub, announced

Cork suburbs - Douglas - PP application submitted

Waterford city - Arundel Square / Broad street - just a rumour so far?

Dublin city centre - Camden street - confirmed in news media today.