Man your pumps, Wetherspoons are coming

BeerNut

How far down had you got when you took the picture?

irish_goat

BeerNut wrote: »

How far down had you got when you took the picture?

All fixed now.

Going to try a Lagunitas next, I figure is it'll be best to drink it fresh as I can't imagine Derry folk will be causing then to reorder stock very soon.

rubadub

coylemj wrote: »

Massive price reductions are normally what you do when you open a new pub, not several months later. Clearly this is about getting more bums on seats and stools and the numbers through the door so far haven't met expectations.

I can't recall many pubs opening with massive reductions, I'm sure you could dig up instances with massive reductions/promos for the first day or two, but I just don't recall any myself.

I made the point several times that I reckon it was not particularly cheap as they are 100% aware of the reputation they had. Crowds were probably going down in the first few weeks to check it out. If they had €2.50 pints it might have been mobbed, but I also expect their would be a backlash from the public about promoting binge drinking. The first few weeks were when lots of media reviews happened, I doubt they wanted negative stories of pissheads.

delahuntv wrote: »

Even a quick glance would suggest that these prices are not possible long term combined with decent service.

Why not? do you have info on how much wetherspoons pay?

I saw a post on another site where some ex-publican seems to think he knows.

Don Juan
21 hours ago # 87 151
At €200 odd a keg of Heineken, that makes a very small margin that cannot be profitable.
Heinken/Murphy’s have been known to cut deals with big pubs. If they did the same with the small publican, perhaps prices would be more competitive.
As an ex publican, I know that profit cannot be made at that margin, no matter how the cynical punter looks at it. Costs are too high.

However probably from the same group of publican gob****es who are paying ~€35 for a crate of heineken bottles and then crying about below cost selling since centra sell 20 for €15. Centra, a convenience store who would be out of their mind to attempt the loss leader model on alcohol -I didn't see people buying a mars bar let alone a weekly shop. That €35 firgure also might not have included vat.

In saying that I do not think it will last, just making the point we have no idea what they pay. It could even be opposed by other publicans in the area who could say its promoting binge drinking, I am not sure the in's & outs of the law but some pubs & clubs were stopped, but it might have been mutli promos, like get 3 shots or something. Its going to get them free media attention and some interesting market info seeing how much increase in sales they get.

Big Nasty

+1

Publicans need to stop paying the prices Diageo and others are demanding when it's clear they sell their products WAY cheaper to the multiples.

The Irish publican seems to think they'd have to close their doors altogether if they were to stop stocking Diageo products. Wetherspooons have proven that's not the case.

However unlike the Irish publican 'Spoons as a group have huge buying power hence their prices.

symbolic

Big Nasty wrote: »

However unlike the Irish publican 'Spoons as a group have huge buying power hence their prices.

How are they buying so much 8 degrees or say Trouble Brewing ale? Surely buying power doesn't come into this? Is it a "loss leader" or whatever that thing I learnt in business is.

Have never worked in a bar. Have no idea how it works. I am very shocked by the prices. Compared to what I pay for Irish ales in other bars. And even how much I pay for Irish ales made by the bar that are selling them. Are they just having a laugh with us in some of the bars?

I kind of want to know if its OK that I go and support this business Haha.

Big Nasty

Spoons and the multiples (supermarkets) would kinda operate in a similar way as far as their stock is concerned. They'll dictate to suppliers how much they are willing to pay for for their products and if the supplier doesn't agree they don't carry their stock. Hence why there are no Diageo products in TTT.

8 Degrees or Trouble would have very little mark-up on what 'Spoons are paying them but if they get listed in every pub (UK & IRL) that little would be worth a lot!

BeerNut

Big Nasty wrote: »

if they get listed in every pub (UK & IRL) that little would be worth a lot!

They won't be though. They're part of the local colour the company puts into every branch, at the discretion of local management. It's not big volume.

symbolic

BeerNut wrote: »

They won't be though. They're part of the local colour the company puts into every branch, at the discretion of local management. It's not big volume.

ahhh.. that makes sense I suppose. I get the feeling you are against the whole thing?

Geuze

Yes, I have a similar query.

I understand that a large brewer like Heineken might give volume discounts to JD WS, allowing them to sell Beamish and Murphy's cheaper.

But a small brewery like 8 degrees, how do they manage it?

Their bottles were priced at 3.50, now 2.45 - who is taking the hit here?

POST HALTED AS CAN'T FIND LINK TO NEW MENU..............

Old menu or new menu: http://www.jdwetherspoon.ie/pdf/irish_menu.pdf



Rebel Red was 4.75, now gone from menu, Tom Crean's lager was both 4.75, now 2.95.

The guest ales price was from 4.25, now from 2.50.

BeerNut

symbolic wrote: »

I get the feeling you are against the whole thing?

No, not at all. I'm not in the drinks business and I don't live near Blackrock so it doesn't have any direct effect on me. But choice and competition are things there hasn't been near enough of in Ireland generally, beerwise -- it's great to see more of both.

symbolic

BeerNut wrote: »

No, not at all. I'm not in the drinks business and I don't live near Blackrock so it doesn't have any direct effect on me. But choice and competition are things there hasn't been near enough of in Ireland generally, beerwise -- it's great to see more of both.

Ah sorry I just got the wrong impression from your last couple of posts.

I'm all for competition, just very shocked by the prices. Suppose a "too good to be true" thing in my head, so was just curious as to how the prices are so cheap compared to other bars.

Be nice to hear a bar owner's view on here. Or any links to a write up from one online?

Peter Anthony

The sooner they get all across the country the better. The idea of me going to the pub for a session with 20 quid seemed alien until I went to England. And food as well, its brilliant.

They're not perfect but my word the pub scene here has needed this kick up the arse for many years. Pubs are closing quick in rural towns for a number of reasons particularly emigration, unemployment, pricing and the fact their rubbish. And while I'm not expecting villages to be on their agenda, theres plenty of pubs out there that just need to be put out of their misery.

Theres been 1-2 pubs closing in my local town every year for the past several. Down from 25 or so a few years ago. The majority now barely open their doors during the week. I would far rather quality over quantity, and who really wants to sit in an empty pub.

drumswan

How easy is it to pick up a licence from one of these closed pubs anyway?

thesandeman

Very easy if you have 70K hanging around.

n97 mini

Peter Anthony wrote: »

emigration, unemployment, pricing and the fact their rubbish.

Reducing prices only fixes one of those!

drumswan

thesandeman wrote: »

Very easy if you have 70K hanging around.

Ah. So does the 70k go to the government or is that just the going rate?

n97 mini

It goes to the current owner. It's like taxi licencing was before deregulation, you could only buy an existing licence as no new ones were being issued. Supply and demand affects their value, in the boom a pub licence could get 250k, now you could pick one up for 40k. In some cases you can pick up a pub and a licence for cheap. A few years ago a pub in Waterford city sold for 65k, licence and all.

There is a small amount of legal stuff which will be another couple of k.

thesandeman

Going rate. Government will get the VAT part etc. Previous owner gets the rest.

BaZmO*

Is the licence transferable to a different premises?

oblivious

BaZmO* wrote: »

Is the licence transferable to a different premises?

I though that was stopped to prevent the rise of Dublin super pubs?

Big Nasty

Years back you had to extinquish three licences to acquire a new one. Doubt that's still in place now.

Geuze

BaZmO* wrote: »

Is the licence transferable to a different premises?

Yes.

Fixed amount of licences since 1908 approx.

Every time a Lidl / Aldi / supermarket opens with an off-licence, that means a pub licence has been extinguished and transferred.


It used to be the case that they could only be transferred within the same civil parish.

Also used to be the issue of extinguish >1 licence, to transfer to a new place, see above.

BaZmO*

oblivious wrote: »

I though that was stopped to prevent the rise of Dublin super pubs?

Wasn't aware if it was ever allowed tbh. I was just wondering because it always seems that once a pub closes it invariably opens up again but just under a different name. The TTT being a case in point.
I'm not sure if that's due to the licence not being transferable or if it's due to change of use of premises (if relocated), therefore Fire Cert related, or a combination of both.

Chelon

Admittedly I mostly have experience of Dublin but haven't seen much of this "pubs closing" phenomenon or indeed pubs opening in new premises. The vast majority appear to have been on the same site for years and have no intention of closing or relocating.

Is it therefore more of a country town issue?

cruhoortwunk

What about happy hours. Were they banned here at some point?
I look around the place at pubs and they are devoid of any ideas or anything to set them apart from the rest. Instead of going out of business with the same prices, staff etc, why do none of them try something imaginative. Like the odd happy hour or daily promos.

irish_goat

cruhoortwunk wrote: »

What about happy hours. Were they banned here at some point?

Still banned.

There are ways of getting around the ban e.g. a pub could sell a certain brand cheaply between 5pm and 6pm and then after 6 "mysteriously" run out.

Lucena

irish_goat wrote: »

Still banned.

There are ways of getting around the ban e.g. a pub could sell a certain brand cheaply between 5pm and 6pm and then after 6 "mysteriously" run out.

How would that work?

It's not like the pub can advertise that, which defeats the point of getting punters in the door.

irish_goat

Lucena wrote: »

How would that work?

It's not like the pub can advertise that, which defeats the point of getting punters in the door.

Not sure about the advertising of it but it wouldn't take long for regulars to hear about it.

They could in theory put a poster up at 5pm advertising cheap pints of Beer X and then just take it down after 6.

RasTa

I don't remember there ever being a happy hour? Isn't that place on Hartcourt street still doing cheap drinks all night Wednesday or Thursday? Dicey's I think...

Geuze

Chelon wrote: »

Admittedly I mostly have experience of Dublin but haven't seen much of this "pubs closing" phenomenon or indeed pubs opening in new premises. The vast majority appear to have been on the same site for years and have no intention of closing or relocating.

Is it therefore more of a country town issue?

Yes.

My town, c. 4000 people, used to have about 20 pubs.

Three pubs closed maybe 10-20 years ago.

More recently, two more closed during the last year.