Showboat pub the glen

nidge123

Showboat has been closed down yesterday by banks, where will it end in waterford.

Martin_D

nidge123 wrote: »

Showboat has been closed down yesterday by banks, where will it end in waterford.

and The Mansion and The Halfway House - bad news for all the staff.

nidge123

Omg i did not hear there was more in group of pubs. Sure they are all owned by the same family. Yes terrible for all the staff involved.

jkelly85

All owned by the same family. More bad news for Waterford. More staff out of work in Waterford. Half way had a great food trade going for all week long. The owners had the Grand hotel in tramore which was closed in Jan

Cake Man

Is the Showboat snooker hall also gone?

The Bowling Alley

Horrible news :-(

obezyana

If the banks closed them I wonder will they go after their other businesses. If places keep closing down there will be nothing left in the town in 5yrs time.

Max Powers

nidge123 wrote: »

Showboat has been closed down yesterday by banks, where will it end in waterford.

A good place to start for us all would be to bring your business into the city centre, support shops, pubs, arts events, restaurants, cafes, etc in the city centre, create a vibrant city centre. yes, there is a problem with jobs, a big one, but if we all made an effort it would help massively

Sully

The family owned the Grand Hotel in Tramore which closed sometime ago and is up for sale. It was closed down by the owners rather than the banks, at the time. The closures have been coming for sometime and were reported on (without being named) by media sources before they closed.

Harry Palmr

Can Mamas Boys play a show to raise some money?

wonderfulname

Anyone know what the craic is with the staff staging a sit in?

Luckycharms_74

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Can Mamas Boys play a show to raise some money?

Say what

Harry Palmr

They used to play the Showboat every year and they also played Katie Reilly's Kitchen (Halfway House)

ei9go

Anybody hear that Premier Inn had bought the Grand Hotel?

Sully

ei9go wrote: »

Anybody hear that Premier Inn had bought the Grand Hotel?

There are loads of rumours, including a number of chains. I was also told it was marked 'Sold' on the website but it's not. There was a buyer who placed down a nominal deposit. It wasn't a chain from what I was told and there was no guarantee the purchase would go ahead.

lassykk

Will this effect the pitch and foot at the halfway house or is that separate?

Sully

lassykk wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Awaiting clarification on that. Separate business afaik but part of the site/building so might be shut up as a result.

fricatus

Harry Palmr wrote: »

...Katie Reilly's Kitchen (Halfway House)

I was going to ask where the Halfway House was, but you've answered my question. Showing my age!

I'm sorry for the staff involved - tough situation for them.

AdMMM

I'm sure at least the Showboat and the Mansion would be able to survive on their own.

Sully

lassykk wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Pitch & Foot is remaining open and will be business as usual.

TheQuietFella

Sully wrote: »

Pitch & Foot is remaining open and will be business as usual.

Pitch & Putt!

Harry Palmr

I'd pay to watch Pitch the Foot.

lassykk

TheQuietFella wrote: »

Pitch & Putt!

No it is pitch and foot

MRnotlob606

showboat was some place for the charity quiz nights.

Sully

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I'd pay to watch Pitch the Foot.

Pay away! You're not limited to any time when you pay in:) tis great craic altogether!

Pitch & Foot it is, it's like golf but with a football!

More: http://www.discovertramore.ie/view?p=Pitch_and_Foot

TheQuietFella

lassykk wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Fair enough so!

looder

TheQuietFella wrote:

Fair enough so!

should have stayed quiet, Fella ;-)

pmy.murphy

So sad to hear about the Showboat today such an iconic spot and a huge loss to the City. Apparently all the staff had a sit in protest in the pub today when the bailiffs arived to change the locks. Heres hoping there is light at the end of the tunnel and someone who appreciates the uniqueness and importance of the Showboat to Waterford City will come in and re-open it. A similar thing happened to Quinns pub in Drumcondra Dublin when the banks came in, a popular spot on match days in Croke Park and that place survived in the end. So sad though, looks like I have no-where to play snooker now, I was one of their best customers in that regard, only in there playing just last thursday. Hopefully the place will re-open, Snooker and all.

Smiley Burnett

Very sorry for the staff involved to lose their jobs under such circumstances, but I find it laughable the way Sinn Fein Public Reps are laying this at the door of the Government!!! I'd like to know the following before I'd blame ANYONE---#
1---did the owners over-extend themselves in their dealings with the banks i.e. did they borrow money for other uses and use these properties as collateral??
2--were these pubs viable businesses in their own right?

when sinn fein and their cronies can answer these questions, they can speak with authority on the issue. In the meantime they can stop seeking cheap headlines and scoring cheap political points off the back of 50 people losing their jobs and livelihoods!!

pmy.murphy

Cake Man wrote: »

Is the Showboat snooker hall also gone?

Id imagine the snooker hall is also gone, it was part of the pub albeit a separate place at the back. A real pity as I was one of their best customers, absolutely loved playing in there and was in there only last thursday. Looks like we all have nowhere to play snooker now

TheQuietFella

looder wrote: »

should have stayed quiet, man ;-)

T'sure I only thought it was a typo' error. No one died!

Cake Man

pmy.murphy wrote: »

Id imagine the snooker hall is also gone, it was part of the pub albeit a separate place at the back. A real pity as I was one of their best customers, absolutely loved playing in there and was in there only last thursday. Looks like we all have nowhere to play snooker now

Ah that's a disaster, used to go down once or twice a week myself when I was living at home. There was a good few regulars that played snooker there for years, where are they all going to go now? Is there another snooker hall in the town, Sullys maybe?

Wonder what they'll do with all the tables aswell, maybe try flog them in an asset stripping exercise?

tramoreman

two people from england were supposed to of brought the grand thats only rumour. but wont believe anything until its either back open or work is done on the place

pmy.murphy

Cake Man wrote: »

Ah that's a disaster, used to go down once or twice a week myself when I was living at home. There was a good few regulars that played snooker there for years, where are they all going to go now? Is there another snooker hall in the town, Sullys maybe?

Wonder what they'll do with all the tables aswell, maybe try flog them in an asset stripping exercise?

Sullys is still there too down on O Connell Street, that place used to be big many years ago. ive often been in there since they moved down to O Connell Street from beside Alfie Hales but theyve only got the one full sized snooker table and its not the best, its mostly games machines in Sullys with a few pool tables up the back and the one big table which isnt the best, the cloth is fairly worn on it. I actually played in both in the one day about a month ago and I noticed the difference in the quality of the tables straight away. The tables in the Showboat are much better.

Id be a regular in the Showboat Snooker Hall myself, a fantastic spot, best place in the town for me nothing like a few games of snooker and a few pints and as you said there its the only decent place for snooker. Where are all the regulars going to go now is right? Many avid snooker players in the city, I live on the other side of the bridge myself but Im certainly a regular myself as I play snooker and pool competitively too. I dont know where Im going to go now thats for sure. Sullys certainly isnt the best for more reasons than one

Id imagine if the banks sell off all the tables that the pub wont go to the trouble of buying more tables should it re-open again. Its a huge loss to the town though, the importance of the Showboat as a social spot especially the snooker side as its the only real place in town to play is so underrated. I for one will miss it hugely, I nearly always head in for a game any time im in town. I certainly hope the banks dont flog the tables anyway, ruins any chance of it re-opening again I think

aziz

There is a full sized snooker table in downes, just around the corner from the showboat.

Cake Man

pmy.murphy wrote: »

Sullys is still there too down on O Connell Street, that place used to be big many years ago. ive often been in there since they moved down to O Connell Street from beside Alfie Hales but theyve only got the one full sized snooker table and its not the best, its mostly games machines in Sullys with a few pool tables up the back and the one big table which isnt the best, the cloth is fairly worn on it. I actually played in both in the one day about a month ago and I noticed the difference in the quality of the tables straight away. The tables in the Showboat are much better.

Id be a regular in the Showboat Snooker Hall myself, a fantastic spot, best place in the town for me nothing like a few games of snooker and a few pints and as you said there its the only decent place for snooker. Where are all the regulars going to go now is right? Many avid snooker players in the city, I live on the other side of the bridge myself but Im certainly a regular myself as I play snooker and pool competitively too. I dont know where Im going to go now thats for sure. Sullys certainly isnt the best for more reasons than one

Id imagine if the banks sell off all the tables that the pub wont go to the trouble of buying more tables should it re-open again. Its a huge loss to the town though, the importance of the Showboat as a social spot especially the snooker side as its the only real place in town to play is so underrated. I for one will miss it hugely, I nearly always head in for a game any time im in town. I certainly hope the banks dont flog the tables anyway, ruins any chance of it re-opening again I think

Jaysus, it doesn't say much for the tables in Sullys if the tables in the Showboat are much better quality because they were fairly old themselves! But no I agree, they did the job and to be fair held together well despite being there for the last 20 odd years.

Yeah I loved the place myself, there was a great atmosphere in there when all the tables were full. You'd always notice every April the place would be packed with the Snooker World Championships on, everyone would be into it. I remember once having to wait nearly a half hour for a table (around 2003?) but you'd notice in the last few years since the recession, there'd be times on a Friday or Saturday night and you and some friends would be the only people in the whole place. Sign of the times I suppose.
It's a pity they never seemed to run any snooker or pool competitions, they surely could have drummed up some business. Although in saying that, I do know they were quite selective as to who they let in, if you know what I mean.

Yeah I couldn't imagine the regulars heading to the likes of Sullys, different scene. But then again, I don't know where else there is to go. Such a pity as I'd have no doubt if you went to any other city or big town in Ireland there'd be a snooker hall so it certainly is a big loss to the town.

There is a full sized snooker table in downes, just around the corner from the showboat.

Ah but I think people go to places like Downes to drink and not so much play snooker whereas in the Showboat people came to play and maybe have a pint or two while doing so, if that makes sense.

lassykk

TheQuietFella wrote: »

T'sure I only thought it was a typo' error. No one died!

Sorry mate didn't mean it to come across abrupt. Used to be a pitch n putt course out there but last year it was reopened as a pitch n foot course. Essentially longer holes than pitch n putt with a football instead of a golf ball. Pitching iron is optional!

Sully

The hotel requires a fair bit of work which I assume is the delay in finding a buyer. The English buyer is the strongest signal but no guarantees.

I believe the bars in the city have potential and could find itself a buyer which will be the aim of the banks. Not sure about the Halfway.

Sadly, people turn to politics when they hear about closures. The reality is that pub trade in Ireland has gone to pot and the blame is being laid more at drink driving ban (so many publicans say) and off licences having much better value.

Rates have been in place for years and years (and dropped for many in the rates review) but many businesses borrowed/invested too heavy to pump up failing or struggling businesses. Revenue and businesses who supply to pubs are often left high and dry because the businesses are directing their finances elsewhere.

Eventually, these debts catch up on you and enough is enough when efforts are made to restructure or delay payment and it remains a problem. So the businesses will be sold on with the cash being distributed across those owed money but it's often the case many businesses wont get paid as there isn't enough funds to spread as other debts owed were much bigger.

I know as i've been in a situation where I was left without payment from a failed business and that's the advise I got from an accountant.

Luckycharms_74

I was talking to one of the managers in one of the pubs last night.
He made the point to the accountant why not keep the business open as a "going concern". They answer he got was there are 2 receivers.

1. They will keep the business open as a going concern
2. They close the business

It just so happened they got the wrong guy.

Regarding the half way house, it was making money. I was told they did 500 lunches there last Sunday. I'm sure someone will take the business on before too long (hopefully).

cococoady

Is the snooker hall still going in the bridge hotel, in where Crokers bar used to be?

pmy.murphy

cococoady wrote: »

Is the snooker hall still going in the bridge hotel, in where Crokers bar used to be?

No the one in the bridge hotel is long gone since it was closed down before and re-opened. I can see a similar trend happening with the showboat

looder

TheQuietFella wrote: »

T'sure I only thought it was a typo' error. No one died!

I tried to play on your username.

Obviously went over your head (and everybody else's)

Wanderer2010

Where is our junior minister Paudie Coffey in the midst of all this? He should be out there publicly backing any action that will save these jobs, he surely knows Waterford cannot afford to lose a single job, never mind 3 pubs worth of staff. His silence here is deafening...sign of things to come? This is prime opportunity to come out and make a statement backing the workers who are sitting in and imploring the management to come to a decision that would halt or at least minimize the damage.

If Eisthec announced another 100 jobs, himself and Conway would be grinning right in the middle of the photograph :rolleyes:

Baby4

This post has been deleted.

Smiley Burnett

a politician's job is to fix the economy in order to ensure that this doesn't happen, but businesses always fail...I'm intrigued that in Waterford city, a politician's worth seems to be based on how many sit-ins and strikes they can be seen to attend and support!!

are the electorate really that gullible???

Sully

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Where is our junior minister Paudie Coffey in the midst of all this? He should be out there publicly backing any action that will save these jobs, he surely knows Waterford cannot afford to lose a single job, never mind 3 pubs worth of staff. His silence here is deafening...sign of things to come? This is prime opportunity to come out and make a statement backing the workers who are sitting in and imploring the management to come to a decision that would halt or at least minimize the damage.

If Eisthec announced another 100 jobs, himself and Conway would be grinning right in the middle of the photograph :rolleyes:

What exactly can he do? It's not the job of politicians to get into the thick of a private businesses failings, unless there is a clear cross over and the state can do something. When you see Sinn Fein and other opposition groups do it it's only because they are buying into a potential vote pool by making people believe politicians have power here. But 99% of the time they don't. They can't meddle into the affairs of Banks, Revenue and other small businesses who are owed money and who behind closed doors I am sure have done everything they can to give businesses more time to get back on their feet. But at the end of the day, there is a cut off point.

TDs might make representations but this is done behind closed doors. Between the businesses, the TDs and the public body. Just because you don't hear about it, doesn't mean they haven't tired. No TD wants mass unemployment.

mozattack

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Where is our junior minister Paudie Coffey in the midst of all this? He should be out there publicly backing any action that will save these jobs, he surely knows Waterford cannot afford to lose a single job, never mind 3 pubs worth of staff. His silence here is deafening...sign of things to come? This is prime opportunity to come out and make a statement backing the workers who are sitting in and imploring the management to come to a decision that would halt or at least minimize the damage.

If Eisthec announced another 100 jobs, himself and Conway would be grinning right in the middle of the photograph :rolleyes:

What is he supposed to do, buy the pubs and give people back their jobs? Give the failing business support while those who were better run are ignored.

There is nothing that can be done, it is just general economics and if the businesses are as good as what people here think they are they will be bought, re-opened, and jobs will follow.

kilkennycat2004

The banks are perfectly within their rights to take over businesses failing to pay their bank debts.
Hopefully all three will reopen down the line with a business model that works.
This has nothing to do with local politicians, its the economy in action.

Wanderer2010

Baby4 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Im not going to launch into an ill-informed rant about how you are whats wrong with this city and voters like yourself give rise to useless and incompetent politicians who can peddle a few false promises and they get to sit pretty for another 2 years. I will, however, pick you up on a few of your points.

1. The family who own these business are NOT broke, they are not struggling and they are nowhere near even needing to go bankrupt. I know this as a stone cold fact. If i tell you how in know thus I would be up for libel. But the fact remains that its greed and not hard times that led to these closures. People's livelihoods being amongst this decision is of no consequence to these people.

2. I know full well its not a TDs job to join in sit ins or tell businesses how to operate. That isnt my point. The simple fact is that when we elect politicians into out city they are supposed to represent the fears, concerns and hopes of their constituents. What other reason would we elect them? Waterford has suffered massively with job losses, training funds being slashed, we have a bad reputation (this goes back to the striking dock workers in the 1960s, an act which unfortunately tarred all recent workplace disputes with the same brush), we are not even recognised by certain tourist board and its been fair game to dump all over us because we dont have anyone to represent us in the Dail.

We finally have a junior minister but he has very little power still, essentially anything Enda Kenny says, Paudie has to say yes sir, and judging by his recent actions (signing off a petition to privatize bus services) its an ominous sign of things to come. He wants the wage packet, the perks, the expenses, the rubbing shoulders in a certain hotel with local bigwigs and fellow FG heads. But he wont get in there and support local real workers who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and feed their family. He wont because he doesnt want to rock the boat as he may have to face the very people behind this decision later down the road. Its all scratch my back ill scratch yours. Thats how the world works.

I supported the sit in at the Park Inn, a cause for which the workers had to fight a long time to get their redundancies. And the ONLY public faces who sat behind them were Independents, not the faceless FF or FG puppets who only care about their own nest. I really wish the workers of The Showboat well, because Christ only knows they wont get any official support. Anyone who can vote in a party which stands behind water and college fees, slashes to disabled services etc etc is as much part of the problem as the people who make these barbaric decisions.

Wanderer2010

Sully wrote: »

What exactly can he do? It's not the job of politicians to get into the thick of a private businesses failings, unless there is a clear cross over and the state can do something. When you see Sinn Fein and other opposition groups do it it's only because they are buying into a potential vote pool by making people believe politicians have power here. But 99% of the time they don't. They can't meddle into the affairs of Banks, Revenue and other small businesses who are owed money and who behind closed doors I am sure have done everything they can to give businesses more time to get back on their feet. But at the end of the day, there is a cut off point.

TDs might make representations but this is done behind closed doors. Between the businesses, the TDs and the public body. Just because you don't hear about it, doesn't mean they haven't tired. No TD wants mass unemployment.

No offense Sully but you are clearly and wholeheartedly a 100% FG man, and therefore I cannot take any of your points seriously. If you are a FG man, you are by extension a supporter of what they do, the laws they pass, the cuts they make and their corrupt ethos. If you are not part of the solution....

Nypd

These sit ins are to acehieve what ?