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why are there no J D Wetherspoon pubs in ROI?

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    #1382
    suicide_circus
    Registered Users Posts: 19,802 ✭✭✭✭suicide_circus


    The increase in prices of irish craft beers iver the last 12 months has certainly changed my drinking habbits. Would mainly enjoy them at home now. Far too many 6euro+ pints in against the grain etc now


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    #1383
    Beaner1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 819 ✭✭✭Beaner1


    LuckyLloyd wrote: »
    They provide a diverse range of quality products; good food and well kept and comfortable establishments. They are expensive, but they are offering quality and choice for the price. I think there will always be a market for such things.

    The issue we should have is when we are being charged expensively for a non quality offering that offers little or no choice. And it is precisely that which Weatherspoons will challenge.

    They provide a lot of amateurish Irish beers for six euro a pint in drafty, uncomfortable bars.

    I've been going to their bars since 2006 or at least the first weekend they opened. The choice was welcome then but they don't get a free ride on the bad points like they used to.

    Those beers should be sub 4 euro.

    Seriously, what a horrible place to drink and relax.

    https://beerprole.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/smallirelandmarch2011-1246.jpg


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    #1384
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users Posts: 17,849 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    The building does create an atmosphere, but any wetherspoons I've gone to in the UK has been fairly quiet, which is grand and like I said I'd start off with pints in there have a chat and so on in peace but eventually I might like to go to somewhere louder, especially once I start to get drunk.

    we Irish are a lot louder in general I find, my gf is from the uk and always remarks on that, she has a spoons in her town... I do agree with you though, that more often than not, it probably wouldnt be somewhere I would spend the entire night.
    I don't know if the Irish are prepared for the style of pub Wetherspoons is, they won't be jamming people in the doors, in England they'd turf you out for being too loud, over here that's just the barmans way of knowing when to line up the shots.

    yeah but we are in Ireland dealing with Irish staff who know the set up...


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    #1385
    ScumLord
    Registered Users Posts: 28,789 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    Idbatterim wrote: »
    yeah but we are in Ireland dealing with Irish staff who know the set up...
    As an English company with a rigid structure I expect they'll want the Irish staff to play by their rule book. They'll be very strict to keep their costs down and big companies like that have strict rules for employees to prevent accidents that could end up with the company being sued. they don't have much room for individual initiatives.


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    #1386
    Beefy78
    Registered Users Posts: 8,163 ✭✭✭Beefy78


    This image of the quiet Wetherspoons pub isn't one that I overly recognise. At 11am on a Tuesday maybe but at the times you'd expect a pub to be very loud and very busy a lot of their pubs will be very loud and very busy.

    I'll be in The Last Post in Southend in Essex on Friday night. It'll be five deep at the bar, standing room only and even without music I'll still need to shout so that the person next to me can hear me over the sound of 700 people enjoying themselves. The Roebuck in Rayleigh on Christmas Eve will be a smiliar story just with half the people because it is a lot smaller.


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    #1387
    JONJO THE MISER
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 12,333 ✭✭✭✭JONJO THE MISER


    The sooner they come to Galway the better and give those publicans around eyre square a good pasting.


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    #1388
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users Posts: 19,619 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    Vic_08 wrote: »
    Those particular corrupt incompetent shysters are no longer an issue. Although this being Ireland I am sure more will emerge as soon as the vacancy arises.

    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/temple-bar-trust-to-be-wound-down-by-the-end-of-the-year-30549569.html
    Thanks for that Vic, I remember hearing something about the Temple Bar Trust and the umbrellas but never knew it was the final nail in their coffin due to incompetence. Incidentally John Tierneys name pops up here associated with wasting public money. And now he is CEO of Irish Water and blowing over €150m on consultants and legal services alone. This guy has no lack of ambition when it comes to wasting taxpayers money
    Antrim_Man wrote: »
    Missus had a pint of Thatchers Gold and was impressed and so was I, and 3 soft drinks for the weans. .

    haha I haven't heard children called weans since I lived in Donegal, is it slang in all of Ulster or just specific counties?
    Agree with you about the Aldi/Lidl thing, Dunnes and Quinnsworth were running cosy cartels here in the 80's. Even when Tesco came in the market never got the shake up we thought it would as Tesco always charged higher prices here and one of the executives referred to Ireland as 'Treasure Island' in relation to their profits here. Ever since the horse meat scandal people have been leaving Tesco in their droves and heading to Supervalue and Aldi/Lidl. JDW will never get so big in Ireland that they have the same impact on pubs as the German discounters do on the grocery sector but nonetheless in the locations they set up in their presence will be felt locally.

    As Idbatterim said in a previews post their opening in Waterford should be very interesting to see how the pubs around them react. Unemployment in Waterford is very high so no doubt price is king when it comes to little luxuries like eating and drinking out so my guess is that JDW opening up there is such a city centre location is really going to put the frighteners up the local publicans in their vicinity. Also likely is that people in all the hinterlands around Waterford like Dungarvan, Tramore, etc will pop into JDW when they're in Waterford City and then they'll go back to their local publican in Dungarvan/Tramore or the suburbs around Waterford city telling them how they got pints for under €3 in Waterford City and how come they can't get it for that 'out here in the schticks'.


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    #1389
    Links234
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,944 ✭✭✭✭Links234


    I'd been along to defend Galway Bay Breweries before, because they were always consistantly priced and fairly reasonable I thought. Pints of cask were always €5, and so forth. When I was in the Black Sheep the other week, handed the barman a fiver, eh no that'll be €6.50. :eek: Seems like they're marking stuff up in Dublin lately, and that's not really on. I hope Wetherspoons knock 'em back down.


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    #1390
    LuckyLloyd
    Registered Users Posts: 36,237 ✭✭✭✭LuckyLloyd


    Beaner1 wrote: »
    They provide a lot of amateurish Irish beers for six euro a pint in drafty, uncomfortable bars.

    I've been going to their bars since 2006 or at least the first weekend they opened. The choice was welcome then but they don't get a free ride on the bad points like they used to.

    Those beers should be sub 4 euro.

    Seriously, what a horrible place to drink and relax.

    https://beerprole.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/smallirelandmarch2011-1246.jpg

    Well isn't that the great thing about choice!! I love that bar. May you take your business elsewhere and may weather spoons increase the choice for us all.


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    #1391
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users Posts: 17,849 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    I'd been along to defend Galway Bay Breweries before, because they were always consistantly priced and fairly reasonable I thought. Pints of cask were always €5, and so forth. When I was in the Black Sheep the other week, handed the barman a fiver, eh no that'll be €6.50. Seems like they're marking stuff up in Dublin lately, and that's not really on. I hope Wetherspoons knock 'em back down.
    E6.50 for a pint of something that will be pissed out shortly afterwards, absolute joke, these is only so much alcohol is worth to me. I paid in and around that the other day in Dublin for a pint, but if I order something I like or like the look of and its that price in that particular location I wont order it again. In fairness that was in Fade Street social which I had never been to, its outrageous anywhere, but in Galway, come one!

    Edit I now note the black sheep is in Dublin!


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    #1392
    Links234
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,944 ✭✭✭✭Links234


    Idbatterim wrote: »
    Edit I now note the black sheep is in Dublin!

    Yeah, still a fiver for a pint of whatever's on cask in Galway


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    #1393
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users Posts: 17,849 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    you would wonder should the breweries introduce maximum pricing to publicans, never mind minimum pricing or would the pubs simply stop serving that beer?


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    #1394
    WoollyRedHat
    Registered Users Posts: 10,462 ✭✭✭✭WoollyRedHat


    Leeleather wrote: »
    Buildings don't have souls, you can have "the craic" anywhere.

    Take me to church.


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    #1395
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users Posts: 19,619 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    suicide_circus wrote: »
    The increase in prices of irish craft beers iver the last 12 months has certainly changed my drinking habbits. Would mainly enjoy them at home now. Far too many 6euro+ pints in against the grain etc now

    I'm the same and tend to only enjoy them at home, in between my homebrews. I'm not a fan of this idea that seems to prevade Dublin pubs that craft beers *have* to be more expensive, they don't IMO. Its just the pubs that tend to sell a lot of craft beers are positioning themselves in the pub market towards the higher end of price because they know that many people who enjoy craft beers have pretty decent disposable incomes. That's great and everything but not all have us have wads of cash to burn so €6+ pints are a bit of a turn off.

    While off licences are marginally better for craft beers I'd still like to seem them have more offers on. Also offers often seem to be based on four beers when it is six I really want which is a bit annoying.

    Finally I see no reason why some microbrewry cant come along and supply a quality IPA to supermarkets for €1.50-€1.75 per/500ml. There are plenty of lads brewing commercial quality craft beers at home in their garages for 30c-40c a pint so if the likes of Aldi/Lidl were so inclined they could bring the prices of craft beer down significantly by doing a deal with a few microbreweries to produce for them.Even after all packaging, exise, VAT is added onto the manufacturing cost it should still be possible for the consumer to be able to buy six x 500ml quality craft IPAs for under €11 IMO. If they can do that and the quality is good they could really make inroads into the ale drinkers market as well as hoovering up aome of the majority of Irish beer drinkers who haven't tried craft beer yet due to refusing to pay a premium over 'normal' beers


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    #1396
    Beaner1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 819 ✭✭✭Beaner1


    Bars in the UK have really top notch cask ales for 2-3 pound and have had for a long while now. Weatherspoons included. I'd take that over against the grain any day.

    If Irish brewers are going to spend zero on marketing and if the pubs are not going to spend anything on decor then at least pass the savings on.


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    #1397
    Highflyer13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 954 ✭✭✭Highflyer13


    Wetherspoons are planning a rapid expansion opening 30 to 50 pubs in the next three years. This will surely drive prices down.

    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/wetherspoons-3-pints-spark-allout-pub-price-war-30852907.html

    Great to see feathers in the cosy cartel of the Vintners Association being ruffled. Ripped off for far too long.


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    #1398
    SaveOurLyric
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,138 ✭✭✭SaveOurLyric


    Highflyer13 wrote: »
    Wetherspoons are planning a rapid expansion opening 30 to 50 pubs in the next three years. This will surely drive prices down.

    http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/wetherspoons-3-pints-spark-allout-pub-price-war-30852907.html

    Great to see feathers in the cosy cartel of the Vintners Association being ruffled. Ripped off for far too long.

    And their battle with the brewers is terrific as well. They can sell Heineken cheaper and make a profit, but the supplier doesnt want them to because they deem it a 'premium' brand. Shows how much they are creaming from the price and dont like real competition in the market. Fair play JD.


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    #1399
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,325 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    Muahahaha wrote: »
    There are plenty of lads brewing commercial quality craft beers at home in their garages for 30c-40c a pint so if the likes of Aldi/Lidl were so inclined they could bring the prices of craft beer down significantly by doing a deal with a few microbreweries to produce for them.Even after all packaging, exise, VAT is added onto the manufacturing cost it should still be possible for the consumer to be able to buy six x 500ml quality craft IPAs for under €11 IMO. If they can do that and the quality is good they could really make inroads into the ale drinkers market as well as hoovering up aome of the majority of Irish beer drinkers who haven't tried craft beer yet due to refusing to pay a premium over 'normal' beers
    Well I suppose it's a debate about what is and isn't craft or quality, but aldi do have Carlow brewing company ales and stouts at under €2 per 500ml, and wychwood ales at just over. Quite often I don't get what's on my request list when the missus is doing the shopping either as they'll be out of some of the options!

    Lidl have introduced a red ale too, not sure by whom, or what its like (yet), but it was 4 for a fiver.

    Incidentally, i read a report about the rumoured location in Bray in the local free sheet - unnamed locals are raising concerns about such a large establishment being near a playground. Its actually further away from the playground than the 3 "superpubs" that are already along the front! You can see how the debate is going to go though.


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    #1400
    hatrickpatrick
    Registered Users Posts: 17,797 ✭✭✭✭hatrickpatrick


    I was reading earlier that what has essentially happened in Ireland is that a cartel of major beers has held the Vinters by the balls and refused to give them beer as cheaply as they do in other EU countries because they know they can get away with it. Is this indeed the case?

    IMO where you really see it is with spirits. Ordering a spirit with mixer, handing over a tenner and getting a few 10c coins back is ludicrous.

    I find it hilarious the way the Vinters attack and lambast the off license trade when their true competition is coming from nightclubs which actually offer drink at reasonable prices, even with the extra cash they have to hand over for late licenses, music royalties etc.


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    #1401
    Beefy78
    Registered Users Posts: 8,163 ✭✭✭Beefy78


    Drank a shed load of very pleasant American IPAs on Friday at £1.99 a time then had a perfectly edible Christmas dinner + a pint for £8.99. Plus the place was rammed and had a great atmosphere.

    Can't wait for their first Dublin City Centre venue to open.


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    #1402
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users Posts: 19,619 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    Does anyone know exactly where the site is on Camden St? When I heard they were setting up there I thought they might have bought the Camden Palace venue but I'm not sure if this is it as the article above says they are planning a 165 bedroom hotel as well as a Spoons pub. It sounds like a massive project. Anyone know what should we expect from a Weatherspoons hotel, more cheap prices or how do they position themselves in the market? A new hotel will be pretty welcome in Dublin IMO, hotel prices have been creeping back up for around 18 months now


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    #1403
    AndonHandon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,384 ✭✭✭AndonHandon


    Coincidental that Leo Varadker is introducing new legislation to put a minimum pricing on alcohol. I wonder what spurred that on?


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    #1404
    Lyaiera
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭Lyaiera


    I paid a fiver for a half pint of beer the other day. The beer was awful but it was worth trying. Choice in beers is a good thing. If they can do that while reducing prices (but not screwing the producers) it'll be great.


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    #1405
    thesandeman
    Registered Users Posts: 10,128 ✭✭✭✭thesandeman


    AndonHandon wrote: »
    Coincidental that Leo Varadker is introducing new legislation to put a minimum pricing on alcohol. I wonder what spurred that on?


    <<< Conspiracy Theories that way. He's been talking about that since before Boardsies could even spell Wetherspoon.


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    #1406
    VinLieger
    Registered Users Posts: 17,797 ✭✭✭✭VinLieger


    AndonHandon wrote: »
    Coincidental that Leo Varadker is introducing new legislation to put a minimum pricing on alcohol. I wonder what spurred that on?

    That has been part of FG health policy since they got into government


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    #1407
    recyclebin
    Registered Users Posts: 3,504 ✭✭✭recyclebin


    AndonHandon wrote: »
    Coincidental that Leo Varadker is introducing new legislation to put a minimum pricing on alcohol. I wonder what spurred that on?



    Minimum pricing won't have much of an effect the pubs. Its the supermarkets and off licences that it will be aimed at.


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    #1408
    Caliden
    Registered Users Posts: 5,982 ✭✭✭Caliden


    recyclebin wrote: »
    Minimum pricing won't have much of an effect the pubs. Its the supermarkets and off licences that it will be aimed at.

    Hopefully they learn from Scotland's mistakes in terms of the minimum pricing laws but for some reason I think Ireland will repeat them (as with everything else)


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    #1409
    ScumLord
    Registered Users Posts: 28,789 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    hatrickpatrick wrote: »
    I was reading earlier that what has essentially happened in Ireland is that a cartel of major beers has held the Vinters by the balls and refused to give them beer as cheaply as they do in other EU countries because they know they can get away with it. Is this indeed the case?
    I wouldn't say it's completely the drinks companies. The vintiners like to keep their prices high. In my town a young lad opened a pub selling discount drinks and he got awful trouble from the other pub owners in town trying everything to get him shut down.

    In Ireland we don't do competition. We charge as much as the next guy rather than try to undercut him.


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    #1410
    AndonHandon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,384 ✭✭✭AndonHandon


    thesandeman wrote: »
    <<< Conspiracy Theories that way. He's been talking about that since before Boardsies could even spell Wetherspoon.
    VinLieger wrote: »
    That has been part of FG health policy since they got into government
    recyclebin wrote: »
    Minimum pricing won't have much of an effect the pubs. Its the supermarkets and off licences that it will be aimed at.

    So it's just a coincidence then.


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    #1411
    Hunterbiker
    Registered Users Posts: 1,259 ✭✭✭Hunterbiker


    Probably but you wouldn't put it past the established trade to use the 'cheap' prices levied in spoons as a stick to try and get the Government to act tough on reckless drinking ...


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