Man your pumps, Wetherspoons are coming

Geuze

Does anybody know when the Carlow, Cork and Waterford pubs are expected to close?

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121451006#Comment_121451006

When they're sold. Which nobody has any idea about.

irish_goat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121450488#Comment_121450488

Different recipes, if the Porterhouse website is accurate.

Black Sheep

If Forged is Porthouse Plain Porter then it is - regrettably, considering McGregor's involvement - an excellent stout. I've seen it alluded to, is it confirmed, same recipe?

irish_goat

It might have originally just been a rebadge whenever it was only a few kegs being sold in his pubs. Different malt base these days though.

BeerNut

I don't trust either of those (roasted barley isn't a malt, and no base is named). Plain definitely used to advertise crystal as an ingredient. You still find different versions of the bill on some websites, eg https://www.beautifulbeers.co.uk/p/porterhouse-plain-porter-5-500ml

irish_goat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121452303#Comment_121452303

I get your point. The lack of wheat as an allergen in Plain versus Forged would suggest they are different though.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121450587#Comment_121450587

Have they failed? The Forty Foot is always busy on a Friday/Saturday night and I've heard that Abbey Street is one of the most profitable pubs in the group.

They seem to appeal to the student demographic and people with not much disposable income. I can see why they're not doing so well outside of Dublin but to me their Dublin pubs appear to be doing well. Not so sure about Blanch or Swords mind you.

yagan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533788#Comment_121533788

I was surprised when I heard they were selling up their Irish pubs, but I wouldn't be surprised if it all comes down to the margin they make on food, especially if they ready meals are shipped from Britain and have fallen foul of brexit certs.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533788#Comment_121533788

Yes they have. A small few have lasted but Spoons were supposed to take over Ireland. At best they have a tiny footprint which is unsustainable using their own model.

Idbatterim

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121534045#Comment_121534045

There is no critical mass outside dublin

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121534045#Comment_121534045

Obviously that wasn't profitable for them or that would have happened. If the pubs that are remaining open are profitable then it's been a success for them. It's like saying IKEA have failed in Ireland because they've only one store here even though that one store has been very profitable.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121535365#Comment_121535365

"Obviously that wasn't profitable for them or that would have happened"

They wanted it to happen and didn't because the plan failed.

Did IKEA plan and open other stores which they had to close or abandon ?

patscott27

Been in all the Dublin Spoons bar Blanch. All doing very well. Went in last Thursday at 5pm to Abbey St could hardly get a seat. Belfast City centre one is extremely busy.

irish_goat

Few deals on next weekend in Belfast. Not sure why Budweiser is in there but £1.99 for a Lough Gill is crazy value.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121820951#Comment_121820951

Blanch is probably the nicest of the lot in some ways, despite being a converted nightclub. Has the traditional "jacks are ten miles away" from the UK pubs though.

That said, I've not done the Old Boro and South Strand since converting over; I drank there when they were independent.

NCS

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868409#Comment_121868409

Cask beer availability is very variable but the range and price of beers and spirits is far better than anywhere else local IMO. Food's not bad too, from what I've tried anyway.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868485#Comment_121868485

The food I've had has been very poor - clearly reheated. Very cheap, but very poor.

NCS

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868504#Comment_121868504

I've ordered fried food tactically after getting a really bad curry the first time. It was OK, definitely not standout but average. I've mostly visited lunchtimes though, maybe more freshly cooked than later in the day? I was there for the beer anyhow 😀

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868504#Comment_121868504

A lot of Spoons food is microwaved. Comes to the pub already packed in the portion sizes so the chef can't cost them with bigger portions.

It gives the food that reheated feel which I really hate.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121868878#Comment_121868878

It's not "microwaved" as such.

Currys and stews are in vacuum bags and are placed in hot water urns but might be microwaved at times

Much other stuff is put in high speed combo ovens. (A lot of banquet places would use these)

It is mostly pre-made, precooked and vacuum packed.

And there's no table service.

Hence the pricing and it being ideal for a feed, but not a night out.

Ireland is definitely an expensive failure for them. Originally planned up to 40 pubs. 30 of which were to open "within 2-3years"

They'll end up with 3 or 4 and if the right offer comes, they'll be gone.

Blut2

Their expansion plans here have obviously been scaled back but I don't know if calling it an expensive failure would be accurate.

They made millions in profit on the Blackrock pub alone iirc, and their remaining pubs like Camden St and Blanch are by all accounts consistently very very busy and close to capacity, despite their large size. So its unlikely that they're burning money.

Geuze

I partially blame Irish people.

They complain about high prices of drink.

Yet when presented with much better value pubs, they won't go there.

Or maybe Carlow and Waterford are simply not big enough to sustain the customers required for the business model to work in these large pubs?

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121879409#Comment_121879409

"Value" and cost are not the same thing.

With the very very rare exception my 6e pint in a good pub is better value than a 2e pint in a shte one which every Spoons I've been in except 1 has been (Rockingham E&C London).

In my own experience Carlow and Waterford don't work because in a town or small city there is only "the centre" and all options are there so people choose their favourites. It's a different type of drinking to Dublin where convenience comes in to it for many. You will also have tourists and transient people padding out the numbers which is important in bigger venues.

Thelonious Monk

i was in the grand canal dock one a couple of months ago and it was quite busy on a tuesday evening. is that one staying open? 2.50 i was paying for pints, ffs.

Tazz T

I go to the one in Blanch every other Saturday afternoon for pint of Strongbow. It's generally fairly busy. Price seems to go up 10c every time I go in. Was 2.75 a year or so back and now it's 3.89 - still great value tho. Price of the food seems to be creeping up a lot and it's not great at all. If it wasnt' for the free pint I wouldn't bother eating there but don't mind the pizza.

Interestingly enough, I interviewed Tim Martin back in the day when he was trying to get a foot in the door in Ireland and getting obstacles put in the way by all the usual suspects and he was an absolute gentleman.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121879668#Comment_121879668

He put up more barriers on himself than anyone else ever did with his beloved Brexit.

Speak Now

The Waterford one is always busy, must be other reasons it's for sale. Maybe supply chain logistics of having 3 single bars different parts of the country isn't efficient enough.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121880526#Comment_121880526

Maybe not busy enough for those prices.

Maybe the price in Ireland is actually about more than just gouging publicans like is often suggested.

mfceiling

I stopped in the one in Camden street a couple of Saturdays past to use the toilet.

Was busy enough (around lunchtime).

Can't see how anyone can call them a kip or soulless or anything like that.

Place was clean, very airy feeling. No loud music blaring or TV's showing racing or soccer. Pints probably at least half the price than the bleeding horse across the road.