Man your pumps, Wetherspoons are coming

Lovely Bloke

cunnifferous wrote: »

Weatherspoons should have enough experience of running bars to be able to do the basics of having adequate stock and staff who don't act like moody teenagers.

From what I could see, most of the staff in TFF ARE moody teenagers :pac:

Reputable Rog

L1011 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure that's not the case, or else certain branches (West Street in Brighton comes to mind) would have no drink at all by 10pm any weekend night.

More likely they won't change something that's slow moving till the next morning - even my local does that, if a keg goes in the last hour in the smoking area you're sent back inside for it.

Happended to me in Belfast, Enniskillen, Glasgow,Bridgend,Swansea,Cardiff and Bristol, so either I'm just unlucky or its common across Wetherspoons.
Guinness in Belfast is not slow moving.

BaZmO*

I'm sure this was mentioned earlier in thread when the whole Heineken debacle emerged.

link

A number of Dublin publicans are known to have raised concerns with Heineken about the pricing of its beer at JD Wetherspoon’s prior to the high-profile bust-up between the Dutch brewer and the British pub chain.
Wetherspoon controversially delisted Heineken products from its 926 pubs this week following a row over the supply of beer to its new Forty Foot venue in Dún Laoghaire, effectively terminating a contract worth €76 million in sales to Heineken.
The British chain had been selling Heineken’s premium lager brand for €2.95 a pint in its only other Irish pub, the Three Tun Tavern in Blackrock, prior to the row, undercutting the price typically charged in Irish pubs by more than 40 per cent.
The Irish Times has learned that several Dublin publicans contacted Heineken in recent weeks directly or through its sales reps in relation to Wetherspoon’s controversial pricing policy.
Dublin publican Charlie Chawke confirmed he had contacted Heineken Ireland recently to enquire if Wetherspoon was receiving a preferential rate from the brewer.
Mr Chawke, who owns seven Dublin pubs, including the Orchard in Rathfarnham and the Bank in College Green, said Heineken assured him the product was being sold at the same price to all customers.
Asked about Wetherspoon’s pricing policy, Mr Chawke said: “I couldn’t sell it at that price and make a profit and pay my rates, my bank charges, my staff and everything else.”
Heineken Ireland would not confirm if it had been lobbied by disgruntled publicans to tackle Wetherspoon over its pricing of Heineken products, which also include Murphy’s stout and Foster’s lager.
A spokeswoman said the company did not wish to comment publicly on its relationship with a specific customer.
Wetherspoon, which dropped Guinness after a similar falling out with Diageo, is planning to open its newly revamped Forty Foot pub in Dún Laoghaire on Tuesday.
The company has invested nearly €4 million buying and refurbishing the venue, which is part of the Pavilion Theatre complex overlooking Dún Laoghaire harbour.
The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA), the trade association which represents Dublin publicans, said it was not involved in the dispute or any actions around it.

Interesting that several pubs have contacted Heineken about the price. I think this has been one of the biggest problems with pubs in Ireland for decades. They are just lazy. They just accept what the big boys tell them. One of the biggest gripes customers have had over the last good while is the price of a pint in Irish pubs. You would've thought that all the publicans would've gathered together as a collective and put pressure on the big boys and ensured that they drove down the price. Instead, they've just waited until someone has done it and then kicked up a fuss in the background.

n97 mini

n97 mini wrote: »

It's quite a common scam in pubs for punters to claim they gave in 20 and got change of a tenner. How do I know this? I fell for it myself not long after I started a bar job.

ah ye, I know myself, I worked in a bar for 3 years, I recall it happening to me once where I was 99% certain I gave the correct change but I still didn't start getting cheeky and being rude with the customer

Effects

n97 mini wrote: »

It's quite a common scam in pubs for punters to claim they gave in 20 and got change of a tenner. How do I know this? I fell for it myself not long after I started a bar job.

I've had the opposite happen to me in a few bars over the years. It's a lot easier for a barman to short change a customer who's been drinking all night.

hawkwind23

Ouch
overdid the cider in spoons last night.
felt a bit ropey all morning.
Still only spent £20

gucci

Chelon wrote: »

Has anyone had any experience of a newly setup Spoons in the UK? Just wondering if all these teething problems are unique to Ireland.

With regards to "service"side of things,bar service is generally more lax and frustrating in general in the UK. Its not something that would exclusive to a wetherspoons new or old!
I was in TFF on Saturday, amazing venue for a wetherspoons or any company. Service was average for a reasonably busy place, but considering a round for 4 of us was 21euro in another pub in dun laoighaire and 13something there (prettypretty much like for like) i can see it doing very well.

BaZmO*

gucci wrote: »

but considering a round for 4 of us was 21euro in another pub in dun laoighaire and 13something there (prettypretty much like for like) i can see it doing very well.

Bit like the Ryanair of bars.

Idbatterim

Bit like the Ryanair of bars.

what and the existing alternatives at their top knot rates are Rolly Royce?

BaZmO*

Idbatterim wrote: »

what and the existing alternatives at their top knot rates are Rolly Royce?

In the context of price and service I'd say it's a fair comparison. Also add to that the fact that before Ryanair came into existence you had to apply for a small loan from the local Credit Union just to buy a one way plane ticket to London.

roadsmart

BaZmO* wrote: »

In the context of price and service I'd say it's a fair comparison. Also add to that the fact that before Ryanair came into existence you had to apply for a small loan from the local Credit Union just to buy a one way plane ticket to London.

In the early 80s I paid £400 return to London cos I had to make it to a funeral. I will NEVER slag off Ryanair.

Geuze

Update:

Six pubs now listed on www.jdwetherspoon.ie


Two open as of Dec 2014.

Cork city pub name = The Linen Weaver

Old Boro pub in Swords listed, with Blanch and Camden street pubs

slayerking

Is it a mandatory requirement that every J D Witherspoon pub name starts with *The*..._ _

Lovely Bloke

Forty Foot doesn't, on the sign on the building.

L1011

slayerking wrote: »

Is it a mandatory requirement that every J D Witherspoon pub name starts with *The*..._ _

Some are named after people (although a few of then have The... too!)

slayerking

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Forty Foot doesn't, on the sign on the building.

It's called the forty foot anywhere I've seen it referenced.

gucci

BaZmO* wrote: »

Bit like the Ryanair of bars.

In fairness to weatherspoons the seats are marginally more comfortable and spaced further apart.

Krusty_Clown

roadsmart wrote: »

In the early 80s I paid £400 return to London cos I had to make it to a funeral. I will NEVER slag off Ryanair.

A little off-topic, but in a similar situation, I had to make an emergency return home to Ireland (from Manchester), and opted for Aer Lingus' €400, instead of Ryanair's €800. It's only cheap when there's plenty of supply. When the supply dries up, the prices go up.

cruhoortwunk

Podcast here on Wetherspoons
https://soundcloud.com/irishtimes-business/wetherspoons

the ax murderer

Was only at one in London and found it depressing as ****, didn't really like the layout.

BaZmO*

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

A little off-topic, but in a similar situation, I had to make an emergency return home to Ireland (from Manchester), and opted for Aer Lingus' €400, instead of Ryanair's €800. It's only cheap when there's plenty of supply. When the supply dries up, the prices go up.

That's just good business though. The point of the comparison with Ryanair is that hopefully like Wetherspoons now, they were responsible for a big shake up to the cosy cartel of having ridiculously high prices for no other reason than just because.

Paz-CCFC

cruhoortwunk wrote: »

Podcast here on Wetherspoons

What a terrible, uninformative podcast. The same old tired clichés being thrown out. "Will people accept big chain pubs?" We already have. "Ireland only has small chains, nothing like Wetherspoon's 30". Louis Fitzgerald has close to 30 and Benny McCabe has the Cork market fairly tied up, with Ernest Cantillon always adding to his portfolio. "Wetherspoon's has no stout". They have two. "It's unconscionable to think of a pub without Heineken". Eh, why?

One of them puts in a pop about the 800 years of colonial rule, then says how Irish pubs are giving value by showing Sky Sports. At least they rubbished the whole slot machines thing, by saying how it's unlawful in Irish pubs.

Overall, though, it displayed a total lack of knowledge and research. The Irish Times should hold itself to a higher standard than that.

BMJD

Paz-CCFC wrote: »

What a terrible, uninformative podcast. The same old tired clichés being thrown out. "Will people accept big chain pubs?" We already have. "Ireland only has small chains, nothing like Wetherspoon's 30". Louis Fitzgerald has close to 30 and Benny McCabe has the Cork market fairly tied up, with Ernest Cantillon always adding to his portfolio. "Wetherspoon's has no stout". They have two. "It's unconscionable to think of a pub without Heineken". Eh, why?

One of them puts in a pop about the 800 years of colonial rule, then says how Irish pubs are giving value by showing Sky Sports. At least they rubbished the whole slot machines thing, by saying how it's unlawful in Irish pubs.

Overall, though, it displayed a total lack of knowledge and research. The Irish Times should hold itself to a higher standard than that.

Smacks of someone completely out of touch with what customers want.

hawkwind23

Spoons getting a miss tonight , no buses and taxis double their fares.
Local pub instead , but no fear have a load free on the loyalty card so works out ok.
Normal spoons service resumed next week

BaZmO*

hawkwind23 wrote: »

Spoons getting a miss tonight , no buses and taxis double their fares.
Local pub instead , but no fear have a load free on the loyalty card so works out ok.
Normal spoons service resumed next week

Taxis don't double their fares at Christmas, they're not allowed to. Doesn't stop the rogue one trying to rip you off but then you just ask for a receipt.

hawkwind23

They do up here mate
although just noticed its time and a half? not sure about that myself , been years since i used them on Xmas or New Years and was always a rip off.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/how-much-will-a-taxi-cost-what-day-will-bins-be-collected-from-bus-timetables-to-pub-opening-hours-everything-you-need-to-know-in-belfast-this-christmas-30856622.html

Taxi fares

Both of Belfast's main taxi companies Valuecabs and Fonacab are charging "fare-and-a-half" from 5pm on Christmas Eve to 5am on December 27th; and the same applies again from 5pm on New Year's Eve to 5am on January 2nd.

Shop opening hours

Reputable Rog

Paz-CCFC wrote: »

What a terrible, uninformative podcast. The same old tired clichés being thrown out. "Will people accept big chain pubs?" We already have. "Ireland only has small chains, nothing like Wetherspoon's 30". Louis Fitzgerald has close to 30 and Benny McCabe has the Cork market fairly tied up, with Ernest Cantillon always adding to his portfolio. "Wetherspoon's has no stout". They have two. "It's unconscionable to think of a pub without Heineken". Eh, why?

One of them puts in a pop about the 800 years of colonial rule, then says how Irish pubs are giving value by showing Sky Sports. At least they rubbished the whole slot machines thing, by saying how it's unlawful in Irish pubs.

Overall, though, it displayed a total lack of knowledge and research. The Irish Times should hold itself to a higher standard than that.

Conor Pope also didn't know that Beamish is part of the Heineken group also bull****ted about noisy fruities, bull**** since Wetherspoons have no music playing whatsoever not even from fruitier.

n97 mini

Reputable Rog wrote: »

Conor Pope also didn't know that Beamish is part of the Heineken group also bull****ted about noisy fruities, bull**** since Wetherspoons have no music playing whatsoever not even from fruitier.

It was one of the worst pieces of "journalism" I've come across. Conor Pope really showed himself up to be not very knowledgeable at all.

Orion

Geuze wrote: »

Update:

Six pubs now listed on www.jdwetherspoon.ie

Still showing Heineken under their World Beers splash on that site.

cunnifferous

Planning to open 30 new bars apparently.

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/agribusiness-and-food/wetherspoon-to-spend-50m-opening-30-new-irish-pubs-1.2050425