Comments on: When is a pub not a pub?

By: Tyson

Tyson — Sun, 10 May 2009 16:45:49 +0000

I was famously once redused entry to Rochdale Wetherspoons(yes, Wetherspoons!) for wearing trainers. I promptly went round to the back (unguarded) entrance and enjoyed a good drink. I did make a point of showing my trainers to the doorstaff when I left…

By: Bailey

Bailey — Wed, 06 May 2009 07:26:48 +0000

That’s a really interesting point, Pete. Our local pub, which does very well, has one or other of the owners behind the bar every night of the week.

Jeff — it’s one of the things that puts me off running a pub — after a week or so, I’d just run out of energy to be extrovert and entertaining. I’d be worse than absent — I’d be bad tempered.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:34:46 +0000

I’ve got to say it frightens me to read that. I know it to be true from things my regulars say to me.

Without sounding like a drama queen (which frankly I am), the hardest part of this job is summoning up the energy to play host to your regulars when you’re really not in the mood. Yet when I listen to my customers, one of the frequent complaints they make about other pubs is as Pete relates: the landlord’s never there or upstairs. And they’re right. What I’m learning is that although people don’t come to the pub to bask in a landlord’s personality, they’re savvy enough to realise they’ll have a better experience if the person who owns the business is there, in the flesh, keeping an eye on things.

By: Pete Brown

Pete Brown — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:16:21 +0000

I did some market research for a regional brewer a couple of years ago and found out a very interesting distinction.

For older drinkers, proper beer men, it’s only a pub when there’s a gaffer who spends a fair chunk of time behind – or at least perched at the end of – the bar.

Survey after survey says people choose a pub more than anything else based on atmosphere (more than food and drink), and atmosphere in a good pub comes from a personality that’s an extension of the landlord’s own. He doesn’t have to be on all the time, but you have to be able to feel his imprint even when he’s not there.

So for these old lads Wetherspoons, for example, is not a pub cos they have managers with no personality – it’s a chain retail concept, even though it probably meets all your criteria above.

The worst thing they could say of a landlord is “he’s one of those blokes who always stays upstairs”. When you get one of them in a pub, they move on to another local.

Works for me. And Jeff, don’t start getting big-headed on us if you read this.

By: Jeff (The Gunmakers)

Jeff (The Gunmakers) — Sun, 03 May 2009 13:29:24 +0000

It helps if you have a wine merchant who likes beer, as I do. Helps me to relate to him and vice versa. I’ve long felt uncomfortable about my vine-ignorance ands it’s something I want to work on. I don’t think I’ll ever come round to loving spirits, although a dark rum and ginger beer is nice from time to time.

By: Bailey

Bailey — Sun, 03 May 2009 08:58:27 +0000

Jeff — on the wine thing, we’re specifically thinking of places where the owners clearly love wine but couldn’t give a flying one about beer. It doesn’t have to have terrible wine to count as a pub!

By: showbizguru

showbizguru — Sun, 03 May 2009 01:23:54 +0000

Actually, if you bumped into any of the posters above having a beer, you’d be in a proper pub.
Am I right ?

By: Manzapivo

Manzapivo — Sat, 02 May 2009 23:59:20 +0000

Here, in Colombia, many discotheques decided call themselves as “pub”. Meanwhile, inside of these “neo-pubs”, the loud sounds of tropical and electronic music, people drinking coctails, rum and dancing, doesn’t match with your statements.
Nice post!!
Greetings from Colombia!!

By: Woolpack Dave

Woolpack Dave — Sat, 02 May 2009 22:25:49 +0000

Ah you see, getting a table… if you can drink, without having to reserve a table then it is a pub. You might have to stand, but so long as you can get a drink and not feel like you have to eat then you are in a pub.

Chrome and wood are irrelevant, in my humble opinion, that is just style.

Nice post, by the way.

“If you can wander in wearing jeans and trainers and just order a pint at the bar, then it’s a pub, regardless of the decor.” agree 100%

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:54:46 +0000

Boak and Bailey, my pub would fail on one point half of the time (waiter service – we do it at lunchtimes) and on another at busier times of the year (not much chance of getting a table at Friday lunchtime without booking in the winter months). Also, as much thought has gone into our wine list as our beer selection, so maybe that would put your back up too!

I do agree wholeheartedly that you shouldn’t be expected to eat. I’m always reassuring people they can sit in our back room (which some consider to the the restaurant, much to my chagrin) and just drink! However, occupying an entire table for four during lunchtime while you sit on your Jack Jones drinking a half of bitter is just a bit inconsiderate. Thankfully most people have more sense so it’s rarely an issue.