TOPIC:

[quote:1suf98rl] Why do pubs do this ? Get their clientele so badly wrong ? It's the main reason I don't go to the Porter House...sometimes you can't get seats far from the guys making a racket up stairs, so you have to head home early. I'm all for music, if it's appropriate. But I go to pubs to drink and talk. Not drink and listen.
[/quote:1suf98rl]

We initially had a band upstairs and decided that it went against the beer hall style, then we had no music only background music but the nights died a death after about 11:30 and everyone left or fell asleep. We tried to stay away from the loud music but keeping some entertainment in place. We did haveto explain to the DJ a few times that it is not a disco and the music should be background,

"bigvalen":2uz9mr0x wrote: So, what do you think the worst thing a pub can do ?

I was in the Bull and Castle for the first time with a few mates on Friday. We had a ball. Loads of wonderful and interesting beers to try, big open benches in the beer hall allow a good chat. They don't serve food upstairs, so the place doesn't smell of food, and there are no babies & buggies.

And then, just as the night gest into full flow, some wanker starts making a racket in the corner with a CD player. Only that I might want to go back some day, I'd have thrown a bottle at him.

Why do pubs do this ? Get their clientele so badly wrong ? It's the main reason I don't go to the Porter House...sometimes you can't get seats far from the guys making a racket up stairs, so you have to head home early. I'm all for music, if it's appropriate. But I go to pubs to drink and talk. Not drink and listen.

John[/quote:2uz9mr0x]

I was away when this was posted, and only found out when Declan told me, but here is my response.
1, we are [b:2uz9mr0x]not[/b:2uz9mr0x] the porterhouse
2, the BEERHALL is [b:2uz9mr0x]not[/b:2uz9mr0x] a PUB
3, calling the dj a "w**ke* is not appropriate, except if you go on the piss with him, and then decide you dont like him
4, not serving food upstairs is due to the fact our tiny kitchen cannot handle two levels, but believe me, if it could, i would serve food in the beerhall. Would i then recieve complaints about the smell of food ??

We are trying to create a concept that nobody has tried before, so it stands to reason that we have nobodys mistakes to learn from.

But here is the big problem, MONEY.
When you invest in a business(you would be shocked if you knew how much went into turning upstairs from a shithole into a nice room, and how much went into safety features, one of a kind coolers etc), you need to make a return ASAP.
And if it were your money, you would do whatever it takes. Turnover is paramount.

So if one late night a week with a DJ helps us to survive in a very competitive, expensive world, so be it.

Here in the B&C, we would rather be judged on product, service, cleanliness & staff product knowledge.

Myself & Declan find it hard to get served in the PH, let alone get a seat, or a nice word or smile for staff.

But maybe we see things differently
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[quote:2qrvzh76]Myself & Declan find it hard to get served in the PH, let alone get a seat, or a nice word or smile for staff. [/quote:2qrvzh76]

Couldn't agree with you more about that. The B & C is a joy to visit and as I stated before, it would be a tragedy if you had to close.

[quote:3vn4eodk]So if one late night a week with a DJ helps us to survive in a very competitive, expensive world, so be it.

But maybe we see things differently [/quote:3vn4eodk]
I don't think you see things differently at all. Many of us (most?) understand that there are commercial realities in place and we have 6 other nights of the week to visit if we really don't like Saturday.

I think the title of this post is very harsh. As I said earlier in this thread, there are much worse things a pub can do. For example I was in one of the Wetherspoons pubs in London earlier this year when a customer returned to the counter and asked the barman to top up his pint. He topped it up from a different tap (different beer) and on being spotted he smirked and walked away without apology. Incidents like these are what I would class amongst the worst things a pub can do as it shows total disprespect to their customers. I can't imagine this happening in B&C.

Definitely a lot worse could be done by a bar. Stinky dirty toilets, assholes for staff and crap beer top my lists. None of which apply to the B&C (although I don't like the brand of air freshener used in the toilets, but hey <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->)!

[quote:1otuihfm]Why do pubs do this ? Get their clientele so badly wrong ? It's the main reason I don't go to the Porter House...sometimes you can't get seats far from the guys making a racket up stairs, so you have to head home early. I'm all for music, if it's appropriate. But I go to pubs to drink and talk. Not drink and listen. [/quote:1otuihfm]
Although I can't stand the level of music in the PH, they obviously aren't getting their clientele wrong if you can't even find a seat in the place <!-- s;) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s;) -->

The levels in the B&C when I have been there on a music night weren't nearly a loud as the PH or many city centre pubs, and frankly I'd happily put up with it as I like everything else about the place. In fact, I haven't been to the PH since last April! <!-- s:shock: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_eek.gif" alt=":shock:" title="Shocked" /><!-- s:shock: -->

[quote:1otuihfm]Only that I might want to go back some day, I'd have thrown a bottle at him. [/quote:1otuihfm]Lucky you weren't in full medieval mode, or swords would have been drawn! <!-- s:P --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_razz.gif" alt="" title="Razz" /><!-- s:P -->

&amp;quot;silenus&amp;quot;:52tjbeue wrote: [4, not serving food upstairs is due to the fact our tiny kitchen cannot handle two levels, but believe me, if it could, i would serve food in the beerhall. Would i then recieve complaints about the smell of food ??
[/b][/quote:52tjbeue]
ate for the first time downstairs in b&c on wednesday, have to say was hugely impressed with the food as was my mate. as a vegetarian the haloumi skewers are delicious and such a nice change from the veggie burger type options offered elsewhere. the place was hopping too had to wait upstairs for a while before being called down for a table. of course would have been nice to eat upstairs but can understand the problem. great food, couple of pints of hooker and then wilco in vicar street great night!