Wetherspoons

chuky_r_law

they were having a good look around the cottage recently. seemed very interested

snubbleste

Wherever Wetherspoons go, it'll be a go-to location and has the potential to reinvent an area by attracting footfall.

biko

I know they're looking at Galway, will be interesting to see where they end up.

chuky_r_law

for anyone that doesnt know the cottage shut shop on saturday

irishgeo

Their business model is being hampered by the breweys here.

Guinness and Heineken not available.

ronnie3585

irishgeo wrote: »

Guinness and Heineken not available.

That's a big positive.

thesandeman

Cottage is a bit small for their BM even if they gut it. Unless they get to use the field out back as well. Also it doesn't have a car park.
I've been predicting the Warwick for a while now.

antoobrien

ronnie3585 wrote: »

That's a big positive.

I won't be darkening their door without Guiness, the craft swill that some of the establishments around town are getting away with selling is right down there with a lot of the puke sold in England.

thesandeman wrote: »

Cottage is a bit small for their BM even if they gut it. Unless they get to use the field out back as well. Also it doesn't have a car park.
I've been predicting the Warwick for a while now.

The Warwick was supposedly sold (by private tender) over a year ago now, but there's no sign of anything happening there, so I doubt it.

My money would be on Bar Cuba/903/The Bently (or whatever the hell they're calling it lately).

Mrs OBumble

antoobrien wrote: »

My money would be on Bar Cuba/903/The Bently (or whatever the hell they're calling it lately).

There is some pretty serious internal re-fitting going on it there.

I saw lads working on it before Christmas - it looked like they'd pulled everything out from what I could see when the door was open. Haven't seen 'em working since, but then I've not been in the city during the day so much.

snubbleste

Maybe the lease for the Chip Inn is up again?

thesandeman

That Warwick sale didn't happen in the end.
The Bentley and the Spanish Arch had crossed my mind as well but again the lack of car parks is a minus for JDW.

Osborne

It won't be the Spanish Arch. My bet is the Bentley too.

I'm all for it as a bit of competition is what the city needs.

Not bothered about the lack of Guinness/Heineken. Much better beers out there to be enjoyed.

Squeeonline

Guinness is totally optional in my book where there are far better stouts available. Try Buried at Sea by the Galway Bay crowd. So much richer and nicer.

Robbo

thesandeman wrote: »

That Warwick sale didn't happen in the end.
The Bentley and the Spanish Arch had crossed my mind as well but again the lack of car parks is a minus for JDW.

I know having carparks is part of their usual operation in the UK but neither their Blackrock or Dun Laoghaire locations have their own carparks.

kayos

chuky_r_law wrote: »

for anyone that doesnt know the cottage shut shop on saturday

Did it? Shame...

ronnie3585

ronnie3585 wrote: »

That's a big positive.

Not for most people its not. Its unlikely I'd darken their door anyway bar going in to check the place out, without Guinness the chances of my custom further reduce.

howyanow

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

There is some pretty serious internal re-fitting going on it there.

I saw lads working on it before Christmas - it looked like they'd pulled everything out from what I could see when the door was open. Haven't seen 'em working since, but then I've not been in the city during the day so much.

could that have possibly been liquidators taking out assests?
it does seem like a good option for it.
somewhere down woodquay maybe?
there is also still empty places in salthill main street as well as Warwick,cottage etc.id say the bal would have been a good option but no longer available

be interesting to see how it develops

thesandeman

The Central and Stage Door are both for sale in Woodquay. Both a bit small though.

inisboffin

thesandeman wrote: »

The Central and Stage Door are both for sale in Woodquay. Both a bit small though.

Heard Muddy's/Stage Door is to reopen soon? But maybe as another NAMA money spinner in the interim?

thesandeman

Must be. Didn't think they were letting it out again though. Maybe it sold very recently. It's definitely better value wise than the Central to buy.

Geuze

chuky_r_law wrote: »

for anyone that doesnt know the cottage shut shop on saturday

I'm surprised.

I'd have thought that GBB were doing well.

The Salthouse seems a popular success.

Galway is an affluent city, with knowledgeable consumer who would drink the types of beer sold by GBB.


Now, why would GBB allow a competitor have their site?

Zzippy

Robbo wrote: »

I know having carparks is part of their usual operation in the UK but neither their Blackrock or Dun Laoghaire locations have their own carparks.

The place they're taking over in Swords only has space for a few cars too, maybe 10-12 at most. Heard they were putting in accommodation too but were having problems with planning as it's a listed building.

Intifada

What's all this talk about car parks, I don't think I've ever seen a Wetherspoons in London that has a carpark. Not really something that goes hand in hand with drinking alcohol....

And surely the cottage/warwick are way too far out of the city? My money would be on Stage Door/Bentley, unless they made use of a non-pub building, although presume the conversion would add a lot onto the cost.

Mrs OBumble

Mr O'B has heard talk of a restaurant going in to the former Stage Door. Not sure to what extent I trust the likely source of that talk though. But I don't think it would be an off the wall location, there are very few nice options that are close to the Town Hall.

And no, the Bently was not just receivers taking their goods. Lads in hard-hats, ripping out the guts of the place. Far more than a receiver would ever do, even the most vindictive don't bother ripping out walls.

b.gud

antoobrien wrote: »

I won't be darkening their door without Guiness, the craft swill that some of the establishments around town are getting away with selling is right down there with a lot of the puke sold in England.

Anahi Quiet Sterilization wrote: »

Not for most people its not. Its unlikely I'd darken their door anyway bar going in to check the place out, without Guinness the chances of my custom further reduce.

I know they're not to everyones taste, particularly IPAs, but there are some very good craft beers available at the minute. You can get so much more flavour in your beers when you don't have to produce the same quantity that Diageo do.

I personally view Guinness as a fall back drink, i.e. if there are no good craft beers in a bar I'll have a Guinness.

thesandeman

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

even the most vindictive don't bother ripping out walls.

ehm Remember The House. It wasn't the receivers did that though.

Intifada

Remember that golden age where it was possible to discuss anything pub related without these fart sniffing 'craft' beer dogmatists finding an opportunity to lord over everyone about whatever obscure lukewarm muck they decided is superior to what normal people drink.

Mr_Spaceman

Intifada wrote: »

Remember that golden age where it was possible to discuss anything pub related without these fart sniffing 'craft' beer dogmatists finding an opportunity to lord over everyone about whatever obscure lukewarm muck they decided is superior to what normal people drink.

How right you are, Intifada. How right you are!

Osborne

Intifada wrote: »

Remember that golden age where it was possible to discuss anything pub related without these fart sniffing 'craft' beer dogmatists finding an opportunity to lord over everyone about whatever obscure lukewarm muck they decided is superior to what normal people drink.

I find it ironic you post this in a thread that hasn't yet mentioned craft beer. Posts like this are just as annoying as those who have issues with drinkers of main stream beer.

Edit: I see craft beers were mentioned above. My apologies.

Intifada

Osborne wrote: »

I find it ironic you post this in a thread that hasn't yet mentioned craft beer. Posts like this are just as annoying as those who have issues with drinkers of main stream beer.

Edit: I see craft beers were mentioned above. My apologies.

No worries. Maybe you've had one too many Wizard's Kneecaps.

Mrs OBumble

thesandeman wrote: »

ehm Remember The House. It wasn't the receivers did that though.

Ya, I saw inside the doors/windows there, too.

Sure they took toilet bowls. But they didn't rip walls and floors down to bare concrete. Whole different scale involved.

Intifada wrote: »

Remember that golden age where it was possible to discuss anything pub related without these fart sniffing 'craft' beer dogmatists finding an opportunity to lord over everyone about whatever obscure lukewarm muck they decided is superior to what normal people drink.

I remember coming to Ireland 8-ish years ago, and being dismayed by how difficult it was to find anything drinkable.

Guinness, Smithwicks or Bulmers were the standard offerings. Bud and Heinekin were still exotic. Harp was muck served to tourists.

Much has changed for the better.

Osborne

Intifada wrote: »

No worries. Maybe you've had one too many Wizard's Kneecaps.

Ha ha. I googled "obscure beer names" to try and conjure up a witty reply. However the beer that suited my post best was called " Arrogant Bastard".

Just to clarify, I'm not actually into craft beers. I'm most looking forward to cheaper pints and a lack of Guinness/Heineken wouldn't put me off. London Pride is about as "crafty" I get really.

Intifada

I'm mainly interested in whether they'll be soulless scum magnets like their UK counterparts.

b.gud

I think maybe my post was taken up wrong. I don't look down on any for their choice of beer, except maybe Budweiser :P, but I do feel that people should try a less well known drink, particularly Irish ones, as sometimes you might be surprised that you'll find a really good drink. I can't stand anyone who absolutely forces craft beer on others, and even though I said previously I consider Guinness to be my back up beer there are sometimes that nothing else but a point of it will do. Personally I put London Pride in as a craft beer, wether it's right or not, and it's one of my faves.

Anyway back on topic of Wetherspoons I know some people don't like them but I personally wouldn't mind seeing them open 1 pub in Galway, no more than that though . It's always good to have more options and jobs in the city.

charlie_says

Geuze wrote: »

I'm surprised.

I'd have thought that GBB were doing well.

The Salthouse seems a popular success.

Galway is an affluent city, with knowledgeable consumer who would drink the types of beer sold by GBB.


Now, why would GBB allow a competitor have their site?

I heard that the building owner (NAMA? I think so) had to pay the GBB crowd a big chunk of change to break their 30 year lease on that building. So they probably did OK out of it and I think business was not performing as well as they wanted in the Cottage except at the weekends.

charlie_says

Intifada wrote: »

I'm mainly interested in whether they'll be soulless scum magnets like their UK counterparts.

They're not all bad there, some decent inner city ones. Some are dodgy though. There are thousands of JDW premises in the UK.

thesandeman

LOL. I've been following two other threads since JDW came to Ireland and it feels like Groundhog Day. It will level out in a while.
I'm looking forward to their arrival if only for the reason it will make some of the distributors and pubs who are really taking the piss reduce their margins to a reasonable level. Even my local now is charging €6.50 for a half pint of an 'ok' ale.

JONJO THE MISER

I hope its in Eyre Square, a few publicans there want a right kicking down to earth.
The pucan would of been a great place for them but there a year too late.

Crumbs868

This chains marketing company are genius, really pulling the wool over the padies.

Anyone frequent this chain in the UK? They really are not that cheap unless they are doing deals such as xx on a Tuesday. Pints of Heineken / Guinness are £3.20 convert that to euros!

Once they have exhausted all this free advertising the prices will be raised to typical Irish prices

Osborne

Crumbs868 wrote: »

This chains marketing company are genius, really pulling the wool over the padies.

Anyone frequent this chain in the UK? They really are not that cheap unless they are doing deals such as xx on a Tuesday. Pints of Heineken / Guinness are £3.20 convert that to euros!

Once they have exhausted all this free advertising the prices will be raised to typical Irish prices

Yes. £2.09 for a pint of Heineken. House beer starts at £1.60. Which one was priced at £3.20?

Crumbs868

Osborne wrote: »

Yes. £2.09 for a pint of Heineken. House beer starts at £1.60. Which one was priced at £3.20?

Picture of their menu attached.

They have Irish menus. Pretty cheap are they not?

Menus can be accessed here on the left.

http://www.jdwetherspoon.ie


Didn't realise they were that cheap. No harm shaking up some of the rip off merchants in Ireland

_Whimsical_

rarnes1 wrote: »

They have Irish menus. Pretty cheap are they not?

Menus can be accessed here on the left.

http://www.jdwetherspoon.ie


Didn't realise they were that cheap. No harm shaking up some of the rip off merchants in Ireland

I've heard they are willing to operate at a loss at first. They're happy to go in somewhere new and wait until they've hoovered up the custom from their competition to be in profit.

_Whimsical_

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

I've heard they are willing to operate at a loss at first. They're happy to go in somewhere new and wait until they've hoovered up the custom from their competition to be in profit.

Where did you hear?

Post some links

Osborne

Crumbs868 wrote: »

Picture of their menu attached.

Steep alright. Was that in Central London? The ones I would frequent would be in town in Northern England and wouldn't be in the best locations. Grand with a few lads on a session but certainly wouldn't be taking the other half.

charlie_says

Seriously cheap.

Ludikrus

charlie_says wrote: »

I heard that the building owner (NAMA? I think so) had to pay the GBB crowd a big chunk of change to break their 30 year lease on that building. So they probably did OK out of it and I think business was not performing as well as they wanted in the Cottage except at the weekends.

Building owner is not in NAMA. GBB did not have a 30 year lease. Nothing was paid to break the lease. They just gave their notice.

sword of light

Are we just another GenericMainStreet Town? Topshop, River Island,Costa and now Wetherspoons?

Moon pubs.

RIP Galway's soul.

charlie_says

Ludikrus wrote: »

Building owner is not in NAMA. GBB did not have a 30 year lease. Nothing was paid to break the lease. They just gave their notice.

I just heard a rumour. I don't really know what is happening.

KevR

sword of light wrote: »

Are we just another GenericMainStreet Town? Topshop, River Island,Costa and now Wetherspoons?

Moon pubs.

RIP Galway's soul.

I agree on the one hand - too many chain shops / restaurants will make Galway exactly the same as most other towns. But I do welcome the competition that they will bring.

My hope is that local (unique) pubs will reduce their markup to make themselves more competitive. It would be great if Wetherspoons weren't the only show in town when it comes to reasonably priced drink.

Intifada

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

I've heard they are willing to operate at a loss at first. They're happy to go in somewhere new and wait until they've hoovered up the custom from their competition to be in profit.

Wetherspoons are not nice places to drink in. If they put the prices up to the same as the real pubs, people will simply leave and drink in the real pubs.

The UK menu posted earlier has a Guinness at £3.19. You can expect to pay around £4 for a pint in London.

sword of light wrote: »

Are we just another GenericMainStreet Town? Topshop, River Island,Costa and now Wetherspoons?

Moon pubs.

RIP Galway's soul.

In fairness it's just a Spoons. Can't see JDW opening a second one here, and certainly don't see O'Neills taking off in Ireland! Costa Coffee, while an eyesore for Quay St, hasn't torn apart every other coffee shop here.