Useless Weekend Nighsts in Rural Pubs

Caliden · 27-01-2014 12:49PM

You made the mistake of going out on the weekend, you need to go out Thursday night (or whatever day the dole is given out)

gobnaitolunacy · 27-01-2014 12:50PM

I think the locations of most isolated pubs were fine for the days of horse and cart and push bike. 'Keepin' her between the hedges' doesn't fly anymore, unless you've got a big selling point like really good food it's adapt or die I'm afraid.

Dyr · 27-01-2014 01:21PM

I'd imagine culchies will be wanting entertainment/drinking buddies piped out to the arsehole of nowhere just like all those other services

BuilderPlumber · 28-01-2014 12:14AM

Caliden wrote: »

You made the mistake of going out on the weekend, you need to go out Thursday night (or whatever day the dole is given out)

I think this is true. Now, when one is working, this is not possible. I have said in the threat deliberately useless WEEKEND nights in pubs.

Because the other side of the same coin is: of those pubs not closed, many have in fact thrived and survived in holding entertainment (ranging from card to darts to trad sessions to pool to table quizzes) on nights like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday instead of the obvious Friday and Saturday. Tuesday is a great night out around here. It is a cynical and calculating move by publicans to fill their quiet nights. I guess they leave the two weekend nights to their own devices. Now, if no one comes in, that is not a big issue.

BuilderPlumber · 28-01-2014 12:23AM

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

There's a good bit of inventiveness in the uk, open mic nights, specials on food and pints, quizzes etc. There are people here who tend to pooh-pooh uk pubs as not having 'craic'...usually the '800 years of oppression' people with chips on the shoulder...and follow the Premiership and/or Corrie at the same time.

True. UK pubs are actually very good and way better craic than anything in the Southern half of Ireland. Some of the above ideas are badly needed in Irish rural pubs. I was over in Bristol, Somerset and Devon as well as Kent another time and found the two weekends in these refreshing and great fun. English rural villages are very picturesque and the people act as a true community.

BuilderPlumber · 28-01-2014 12:33AM

Bambi wrote: »

I'd imagine culchies will be wanting entertainment/drinking buddies piped out to the arsehole of nowhere just like all those other services

While outside factors contribute somewhat, I think that the main faults of rural pubs is their own doing. For example:

-Cynical publicans rather have crowd catching events on weeknights as a cynical exercise to get customers in those nights. This is a hangup from the socalled Celtictiger (weekends take care of themselves, let's get more in other nights as the people have money!).
-No effort made. A sourpuss publican will not attract one in.
-Local talent, events, etc. exists but the publican will not nurture it. Yes, there are many strange rural pubs with all sorts of bans or at least discourage of many things for example singing and music, couples kissing or even holding hands, joking, cards, pool, darts, indeed women on the premises, etc. You'd swear it was Afghanistan and the Taliban with drink! Because other than drinking, nothing else seems to be allowed.
-Erratic closing times. There is one or two places you could travel out to in rural Cork and you'd find them closed at 10PM one night and they could open until 5 in the morning the next!
-A boring, uninspired clientele who won't lead nor drive. In this case, the publican gives up on them.
-A rough element. Yes, there are some co Cork villages with rough estates and some pubs are to be avoided because of regular fights. In the end, this empties the pub of most customers.

BuilderPlumber · 29-01-2014 12:12AM

anncoates wrote: »

Exactly what I'm talking about.

Business is failing and it's everybody else's problem - and expense - to rectify it.

What is to stop rural publicans getting their hands on, or renting, a minibus and targeting a particular night to put on something in the pub. Get somebody in the community to drive the bus. Charge a fiver a head to sort out the driver.

Fair enough though the government could do their bit by making it easier to make these types of initiatives work.

I love the pub and I know it's a vital resource in small communities but it's a business and if the margin is that tiny as to make the initiative impossible, then it's not viable. I know plenty of people from rural areas that have adapted: taking turns to drive, etc.

As with anything in Ireland (look at taxi drivers) it's often just a cry to unfairly shore up business that is refusing to adapt to demand and there are no shortgae of vested groups to do the bidding.

This is true. I can see that most publicans and the vintners don't really care about their customers. Negative government policy is their godsend: blame everyone else except themselves. Do nothing, whinge about it, etc.

But: granted, a lot of local politicians are useless more often than not. Depending on them is no option. Publicans though prefer the cynical methods to get money in rather than providing a truly entertaining night. In short, many publicans don't make any effort whatsoever.

How many times do people have an idea and the publicans won't allow or are lukewarm about events on their premises (and, no, I'm not talking messy stag parties and drunken 18th birthdays where they have grounds to justify their attitudes). Some publicans have no manner or personality for the job. I know one great pub, but the owner is fierce.

The vast majority of Southern half of the country rural pubs all need to change. First off, their attitude (which often borders on contempt for the customer) needs to change: a 'say no' attitude to all customers' suggestions or a sourpuss is not going to get in the crowds. Secondly, the transport could easily as you have stated be sorted (and killed 2 birds with one stone: get in customers and provide an extra income to either the publican's family or another driver in the area). Also, why have all the good events on weeknights?

Typical entertainment at best on Saturdays around my area is an impersonal band playing played out covers on backing tracks plus some awful Irish country. They don't interact with audience, call singers, deviate from their programme (in fact, the same 15 songs are played in the same order every week) and generally have a bad attitude. Useless. It was not always like this but I have seen the trend: bands have become poorer quality, crowds leave and then no music at all. Then, no people. 2 years ago, the music was good, with something for everyone (people could dance, listen, sing with the band backing them and the band knew music). Then, they changed it to these backing track cowboys and then everyone left and then the backing track cowboys were fired!

I have a feeling though a lot of publicans are more than happy to continue the way they do because they don't even realise what they are doing half the time. Other times, I feel they can do all the good stuff on weeknights and let the weekends to chance. Many publicans are just poor businesspeople and cannot see what their audiences want and make changes to the entertainment that drives people away. An impersonal idiot with a sourpuss playing the same 15 played out standards week in week out will drive anyone away. The publicans should see this. Then again, many may not be the brightest shillings either.

Useless Weekend Nighsts in Rural Pubs

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