Weatherspoons in discussions for Carlow Site

Nokia6230i wrote: »

Ad on noticeboard in Carlow Library.

Can post image but here's the text > "Urgent Vacancy!!! A new place is opening in Carlow! Start Shift on May 1st 2019. Please call this number! 0899421116. Requirements: 1. PSA Security Licence (Door Preferable). 2. Flexible for 3 or 4 nights in a week. 3. Energetic, Hard Working and Customer Friendly. Be an early applicant."

Hard to think it's for anything other than 'Spoons given the starting date.

Just seeing from the Senators Facebook page how there appears to've been a soft launch of JDs tonight, Friday?

Wonder who got chosen and why?

Team Jen on basis of It's All About Anthonys FF Leanings perhaps?

Or BOTH local national politicians?

Cllrs.?

Chamber of Commerce, Love Carlow, Carlow Tourism members perhaps?

Anyone knows comment on here or PM.

Not sure if Nationalist/KCLR/Carlow Live got the nod; guess we'll find out Tuesday re Nationalist.

I think they just open the doors for those soft openings I've wandered upon a few different ones over the years. Obviously staff would know so they'd spread the word to a degree it almost always happens in these kind of place a week or so before official opening more of a fault finding exercise than a money making one. Also gives staff a chance to see where and what they're doing, there's nothing worse than seeing staff stumbling over one another trying to get food/drinks organised.

Not sure what time it started at today or finishes at tonight but there's another "Invite Only" for Friends & Family of employees in JDs on Tullow St. currently.

Not sure what time it began or ended at on Friday night too; think todays was a replacement for yesterdays (Saturdays) due to flooding/structural damage....

It was open today and seemed full enough when I walked past this afternoon.

I saw a load of tracksuited white socked teenage/early 20's lads walk out of it and well that put me off of going in to have a look.

If that is the client base they are getting it won't be for me.

They are well entitled to go in I never said they weren't.

What I did say was if that is the client base I won't be going in.



So ride off there on your high horse!

Lol Giddyup and off you go!

While I presume it opened on time this morning for/from normal trading hours since 8 bells, Mayor of Carlow, Cllr. Ken Murnane's doing official launch @ 5pm.

Not wholly sure I'm comfortable from a moral/social p.o.v. with a politician, particularly one who holds such a, relatively speaking and in local terms anyway, high office performing such a role; we need to be managing our drinking & controlling it not necessarily promoting it.

But there's an election on the way I guess so all that goes out the window with the unelected Ken.

the black celt wrote: »

Wonder where he parked his car today?

He was a busy man today; cutting the ribbon on the path outside of 'Spoons (not sure quite why not at the door itself.....) before heading to the new garden on Barrack St. for a photo op with LEO Carlow; think he'd an EBS gig on Tullow St. before all that too as I spotted Ml. O'Rourke (Nationalist Photographer) & Kathleen Holohan (CEO/CE of Council) & Cathaoirleach Brian O'Donoghue at that.

As per KCLRs Edwina Grace report live from launch it holds 550; the video on KCLRs social media is quite underwhelming; surely they could've got a local er, personality to do it?

Richie? Sean? Kathryn? With his millions, Saoirse?

EG also indicated that just after ribbon'd been cut 50 people "piled in"; steady on there, that'd barely fill the good room in Scraggs like.

Was told today that it's FREE coffee refills (presumably tea too); initial purchase is 1.80; sure you could spend all day in there if so reading your book/paper & using their Wi-Fi like in that case.

Or is there a limit to amount of refills?

Kitchen Staff is already being advertised; thought they'd filled their quota by last Wednesday the 1st of May.

Someone drop a rake of plates?

€10.31 p/h starting off rising to a pay increase after 13 weeks.

I presume this "Under 21`s may attract a lower rate of pay" bit's legal? Think it's to do with perceived lack of experience?

Here's the full spec > https://www.wetherspoonjobs.ie/recruitment/vacancyView.php?requirementId=391828

Nokia6230i wrote: »

2.1 Stars Reviews from 7 Punters (though the 2 x 5 Stars seem like bots/fake ones to me so it's probably lower if they're excluded) on Google for JDs > https://www.google.com/search?q=Wetherspoons+Carlow&rlz=1C1GCEA_enIE776IE776&oq=wetherspoons&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j69i60j69i59j69i61j69i59.9128j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lrd=0x485d4305e6fd0723:0xfa606ec4b42b90dd,1,,,

Also, and I don't know what it says about the clientele or establishment but there's bouncers on the door 7 nights of the week from 6 O'Clock!

Yeah I'd say a couple of those 1 stars are utter ****e aswell No way would someone sit there for 2 hours waiting for food I don't care how patient you are I call BS on that. As for the one with the unclean table why not sit at another? It also wouldn't be uncommon for tables to get cleared and not wiped down during busy periods. The place is open a wet week I'll reserve judgement and as per the usual with reviews you only ever hear the bad.

Nokia6230i wrote: »

Kitchen Staff is already being advertised; thought they'd filled their quota by last Wednesday the 1st of May.

Someone drop a rake of plates?

€10.31 p/h starting off rising to a pay increase after 13 weeks.

I presume this "Under 21`s may attract a lower rate of pay" bit's legal? Think it's to do with perceived lack of experience?

Here's the full spec > https://www.wetherspoonjobs.ie/recruitment/vacancyView.php?requirementId=391828

Absolutely legal. Different rates of pay from under 18 through to 20 where minimum wage is €9.80.
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/pay_and_employment/pay_inc_min_wage.html

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Yeah I'd say a couple of those 1 stars are utter ****e aswell No way would someone sit there for 2 hours waiting for food I don't care how patient you are I call BS on that. As for the one with the unclean table why not sit at another? It also wouldn't be uncommon for tables to get cleared and not wiped down during busy periods. The place is open a wet week I'll reserve judgement and as per the usual with reviews you only ever hear the bad.

I was there the Bank Holiday Saturday, there were two penneys staff sitting near us who waited 1hr 20 minutes for food. We were waiting close to an hour, can easily imagine others were waiting 2 hours. Staff member said they were completely snowed under in the kitchen and couldn't keep up. Place was absolutely packed, this was around 1.45pm we went in. Food was awful, wife had a curry which had clearly been sitting somewhere to keep warm and had developed a skin on top of the sauce. I had the scampi and chips, scampi was about the same as Lidl frozen bag, chips were terrible. Seems like it'll be fine for drinks and good value there but i wouldn't go near the place for food. Would rather pay the extra few quid for Mimosa or if i want pub food i'd go to Teach or Dinn Ri.

ScallionAyter wrote: »

Tried it yesterday too. Hard to believe they spent 3 million quid on the building - it looks dark and dated already, not helped by carpet. It feels more like a restaurant than a pub. The bar is probably the nicest part of the interiors. The tables are small and very close together. High stools are very uncomfortable. Reddy's somewhat keep the lounge / bar and the eating area separate but in WS's it's one big eating area with self-service coffee docks. Lots of very young looking drinkers in there, and a fair amount of them dressed in their finest tracksuits and peaky-blinders haircuts. Two door staff outside and at least one bouncer inside.

Hopefully it attracts all the worst types going forward, and actually improves the other pubs.

Went to Ewings for a second pint just to get WS's out of my system. Will try La Boheme next time i'm out.

What's Ewings like? I've always mean't to drop in for a pint it looks like a decent spot for a quiet pint and a match.

Popped in for a few beers and lunch on Saturday which was grand. Noticed they don't show any sports which will cost them in the long term such as GAA and Champions League Final coming up

Nokia6230i wrote: »

There's a TV down end of bar on L.H.S. in corner; no idea of dimensions but probably 40" Screen?

Wasn't on Saturday when I was in at tea-time but that might've been to do with lack of Sky licence.....maybe?

Just a hunch because Heineken Rugby Cup Final was on at that time and it wasn't on; other than that there wasn't much live sport on; no Play Offs for example and Wicklow v Kildare wasn't on til 7; that brought a few in beforehand though.

I seen the TV alright but it wasn't on.

i dont understand the logic of having a carpet. It'll be stinking after enough beer has been spilled on it

As someone currently living in the UK, I'm well used to Wetherspoon's. They pretty much keep it the same in every one, so I'm not surprised it's carpeted as I've never seen one with a timber or tiled floor. You'd never go into them for atmosphere that's for sure!

I do quite like that they don't show sport, as there's plenty of other places that will show that. Mad to see cask ales in Carlow, wonder how they'll go down. I've grown partial to it over here but wonder how it'll do at home.

Regarding the food, Went in twice now to give it a chance. On both morning's the food was only warm when served, not hot at all. On both days it took ages for the food to arrive. On the second day I went to get a coffee refill and by the time I got back the food was cold, and I found eggshell in the fried egg. This was not helped by the fact that one of the self service machine's wasn't working, meaning there was a bit of a que for the one that was working. They need to install more self service machine's as only having two is a bad idea for such a busy place. The milk and sugar was running out fast too. The carpet is a terrible idea, food and drink will wreck it. Also the toilets are nice, but the floors were very sticky on both days. Very cramped seating arrangement near the front door. I would hope the middle line of seats are removed at nights/weekends as I can imagine a lot of arguments between drunk people if they bounce of each other as a result of the tight quarters. The upstairs terrace is very nice though. Haven't tried the drink, but I'll be in there Saturday to test it out. So hoping it's better at night time than during the day. As another poster has said, avoid the place if only looking for food.

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Myself and the missus were thinking of traveling to weatherspoons either this evening or tomorrow driving from blessington. Mainly for food as driving so no drinking.

But from reading this Looks like not the best for food so maybe will give it a miss.

Or has it improved

I'm not sure why you'd travel a distance to go to a pub that's not renowned for its food

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I'm not sure why you'd travel a distance to go to a pub that's not renowned for its food

Lot of ppl over here were sayin they’ll travel over to see what weatherspoons in Carlow is like.

It’s the first weatherspoons outside of Dublin in Ireland as far as I know

iwillhtfu wrote: »

There's another in Cork also and they're just another pub to be honest the beer and deals are a bit better but their target is the beer drinkers food is an add on imo. As above the clink is a nice spot and sure you may aswell make a night of it and book a room you can try out wetherspoons also . I'd also recommend pimento or mimosa tapas bars.

The missus loves the tapas. We’ve been there maybe 3 times over the last year or so. Always decent but prices are not cheap

Nokia6230i wrote: »

Becoming an occasional haunt now; despite myself.

Pizza & a pint is my usual order; no 5 go mad on a foodie adventure for me; wouldn't want to tax the staff to be fair.

Bit mad though to have to identify a table/number before ordering; I was hoping to just say "over there" etc. esp. as it wasn't too hectic at 7 or 8pm this evening; that's the time it struck em as soulless; do they ever turn on the TV at all I wonder?

I was in there last week and was speaking to one of the staff. They're waiting on an aerial / receiver seemingly. They'll only have FTA channels, but will be showing some sport (he mentioned the rugby world cup).