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The Bankhouse Diner (and quirky crafts) formerly B H Grill, Bean Encounter & B H Wine Bar.
- Thread starter Wormella
- Start date
db
#chaplife
i think it was pretty clear
i agree with @Carole.. every person who has been (with me, at least, and others judging by this thread) has made the same comment - lovely burgers, but why no fries? the owner's bizarre reason of "the oil on fries ruins the palate" is just nonsense - he's entitled to his opinion, of course, but (at least) 90% of customers would disagree with him, and ultimately if he wants customers he has to cater to their desires..
obviously he has a niche that he wants to pursue - no-one is suggesting he should drop everything and just sell the same as everyone else - but being quite so rigid about what he wants (and not the customer) does seem to drive away the more casual visitor..
i went a few times when it first opened, as the burgers were amazing and i desperately wanted the place to succeed, but ultimately the bizarre little niche that he has carved was a little too narrow to fit in with my needs..
John Marwood
I ♥ cryptic crosswords
"He's obviously not in the least concerned about making a profit"
Yerrwot!?
Yerrwot!?
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
Fair point I'd say. And judging by the lack of customers when I've walked past (on my way to somewhere else to spend my money) lots of other people obviously feel the same way.
Burgers but no fries? Bloody fool!
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
Ok @John Marwood
I shall attempt at a little more clarification.
Perhaps I should have said this...
"One might question whether the owner is interested in making a profit, after all some people open a place for a hobby, something to pass the time. If it makes a profit, great, if it doesn't then it's no big shakes, they have enough money anyway.
It could be of course that the owner would love to make a profit, but just doesn't have any idea of how to make it work"
One could say ( I personally would say) that anyone with a bar/restaurant within a one minute walk from a successful busy theatre should be making a roaring trade.
Added to this, my son runs comedy nights in bars near to The Curve Theatre in Leicester.
There is an area surrounding the theatre, ..... bars, restaurants, cafes, all busy and thriving. All a little different to each other, all complementing each other.
I understand that it's a much bigger area, but the concept is the same.
It could work in Stafford with the same ideas.
John Marwood
I ♥ cryptic crosswords
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
John Marwood
I ♥ cryptic crosswords
No
You can create a demand
But you need to educate , entice and delight
5 years ago if you'd said gin bar, Stafford, jazz music, quirky .......you'd have said something similar
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
Well, for his sake, I hope he manages it.
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
Here lies the problem.
@John Marwood you think that we need to be educated, enticed and delighted?
There are enough people in Stafford who would delight in/ spend money in the area if good quality venues were available in abundance.
However, if those who own the businesses assume that the town is only fit for the cheap crowd then that's what we get.
You only have to read this forum to realise that people travel to Newport, Telford, Brewood, Stone, Birmingham etc for a good night out.
Would you travel so far if the variety and choice of excellence was in your own town centre?
I'm not disparaging the fantastic venues already in the town... just saying that we need more of the same to give our town a boost and make it what it could be.
I agree, sort of. Gin is very on trend nationally, and I think a couple of bright people in the town have cottoned on more quickly than others and made a grand success of things as a result. I can't really see Stafford being the place that starts a trend, but No 7, for example, is a great place that otherwise would've sat vacant for some considerable time.
As for The Bank House, I think one of its biggest problems has been it's indecision about what exactly it is; boutique coffee house? Cafe? Bar? Restaurant? I'm sure it could manage a combination of those things.
I don't use the theatre often, but my assumption would be that many of the patrons would drive into town, and presumably would've parked on the north walls car park. Given they now can't do this and will be parking elsewhere in town, it hardly encourages anyone to remain local to the theatre for food/drinks/entertainment.
I've eaten at Bean several times, I always found the food to be very good. Yes a (delicious) burger is strange without fries, but it doesn't put me off. I'm a fairly regular quiz night visitor and it's always a popular event.
proactive
Enjoying a drop of red.
Trying to create a demand for burgers without fries because fries ruin the palate, will ultimately be as successful as starting a Korean restaurant with sliced Labrador and nothing else on the menu.
Not just in Stafford (even though we all know you think Stafford people are stupid) but anywhere in the UK.
Why make the whole process of trying to establish a successful and hopefully profitable business even harder by putting these nonsensical ideas in the mix?
It just doesn't make sense from a business point of view.
Your gin analogy is mistaken because that has come on the back of a national trend towards gin establishments and experimentation with gin. It's not like Stafford is leading the field here.
John Marwood
I ♥ cryptic crosswords
zebidee
Well-Known Forumite
I don't know think the opening hours are particularly memorable. I don't go into town in the evenings any more, but are they open only Friday and Saturday evening now plus weekends daytime at some random hours?
I think somewhere being shut through the week makes the venue slip ones mind, and when somewhere isn't memorable you will go for somewhere more predictable. Furthermore, if there isn't a constant menu it makes life difficult for me with food restrictions so I won't chance it when I do get the opportunity. The Swan got my brunch custom the other weekend because I know what's what there and in my time limited capacity these days I don't have chance to try options, the decision making part of my brain can't keep up
It's a shame. Cos before the change the Bean got my choice every weekend I had available. Which wasn't many.
I think somewhere being shut through the week makes the venue slip ones mind, and when somewhere isn't memorable you will go for somewhere more predictable. Furthermore, if there isn't a constant menu it makes life difficult for me with food restrictions so I won't chance it when I do get the opportunity. The Swan got my brunch custom the other weekend because I know what's what there and in my time limited capacity these days I don't have chance to try options, the decision making part of my brain can't keep up
It's a shame. Cos before the change the Bean got my choice every weekend I had available. Which wasn't many.
industryarch
Well-Known Forumite
Taken from website
Hi All,
The Bank House will temporarily close to complete the building work.
I will post when I am ready to open the business, hopefully it will be only a couple of weeks.
Thanks for your support and understanding.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Hi All,
The Bank House will temporarily close to complete the building work.
I will post when I am ready to open the business, hopefully it will be only a couple of weeks.
Thanks for your support and understanding.
Cheers,
Jonathan
The Hawk
Well-Known Forumite
markpa12003
Well-Known Forumite
Stafford needs more high quality restaurants, so I hope this place meets that demand.