TOPIC:

Pubs are said to be freezing the price of a pint[/url:189g15np]

[quote:189g15np]Groups representing over 5,500 publicans today announced a year-long price freeze on drinks with immediate effect.[/quote:189g15np]

What do you think pubs should do? I think many city centre pubs have gotten themselves into a market where they are charged very high rents. I don't think the economy now can support such high rents. This theory does not explain all the closing rural pubs though.

"a_friend_in_mead":3ucj5pvr wrote: Pubs are said to be freezing the price of a pint[/url:3ucj5pvr]
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They should stop freezing the pints themselves!

"a_friend_in_mead":2b52n11k wrote: What do you think pubs should do?[/quote:2b52n11k]Diversify and compete. Identify the niches that will bring people to drink in your pub rather than the one down the street.

I'm a little surprised that Thomas Read is in trouble: I'd have thought the airport concession alone is a money-printing licence, and the main pub is rarely short of business. That said, their outlet in Smithfield never seems to have anyone in it.

"TheBeerNut":1vscuqz5 wrote: I'm a little surprised that Thomas Read is in trouble: [/quote:1vscuqz5]

Its all well and god having a busy pub, but in a group, every unit must do well.
The airport bars cost a lot to run because of unions, and with smithfield & Floradita empty all the time, it's no wonder they're in trouble.

This is only the start of closures for bars/restaurants.
A couple of catering companies also went under this week, with more to follow.

One big problem for bars is that the banks are dropping the over draft facilities, leaving business' with no cash flow, and owing to all their suppliers, even though they are making money.

It's time for bars/clubs/restaurants etc, to stop trying to be fancy and just get back to simple basics; Quality,Value,Comfort,Service and a wide choice of products also helps.

"silenus":39n609le wrote: with smithfield & Floradita empty all the time, it's no wonder they're in trouble.[/quote:39n609le]I wasn't sure how Floridita was doing, and I'd say that franchise wouldn't have been cheap. I remember it being jam-packed when it was Life and served the offices of Abbey Street. But then that was ten years ago.

"silenus":39n609le wrote: just get back to simple basics; Quality,Value,Comfort,Service[/quote:39n609le]That, unfortunately, was what I meant by a niche which other bars don't have. I was sitting in The Long Hall one afternoon last week with my pint bottle of Guinness when four American tourists came in, admired the décor, sat down and asked to see the desserts menu. The barman explained that they didn't do food -- they [i:39n609le]couldn't[/i:39n609le] do food, in fact -- because they didn't have the space. A bit short-sighted, that, I thought: there must be somewhere in the three storeys above the bar to put a sandwich-making facility and some cakes. Are the well-established traditional bars [i:39n609le]that[/i:39n609le] comfortable that they can afford to turn away this sort of business?

Oliver from the porterhouse is on newstalk now.

Short piece but he said (roughly)
1. Below cost selling by supermarkets is bad
2. We currently have the cheapest pint price as a % of industrial income ever
3. We have to do more the customer is king.

Paudi O'Shea agreed with him.