Stafford Arms to be demolished

[henryscat]

It looks as though the Stafford Arms is to be demolished - someone mentioned it to me yesterday, so had a look on Stafford BC's website.... A planning application was granted on 19th October for: "Demolition of buildings and use of land for parking/display for sale of motor vehicles in association with adjacent motor dealership."

 

[Wormella]

That's a shame - it was a nice pub - strange how it never seemed to stay open, you'd think being that close to the train station would be a dead cert.

 

[Silverfish]

Christ, I hope not. It was a great pub when Bob Bell ran it, and with the Castle Tavern turning into a restaurant, the death of the Stafford Arms would mean there's only the Railway Inn left. Why can't they move the car dealership? It's not like Castletown is the ideal place for it.

 

[Silverfish]

I notice The Lamb is closed too. There's a note on the window saying money owed for the bonus ball would be returned, and all stock has been removed. This would imply it closed suddenly and won't be open any time soon. Does anyone know what happened here?

Also, what happened to Elaine at the Rose & Crown? It was a good pub when she had it, but now it's all loud music and bizarre opening times.

 

[The Hawk]

Great shame about the Stafford Arms. I always thought the place was doomed from the moment Punch Taverns got their hands on it.

 

[Augustus Gloop]

I used to really enjoy the Stafford Arms. Would often spend a Saturday evening absolutely wrecked in there.

A decent stop off after returning from Old Trafford too.

Went to the Lamb on Saturday afternoon for a jar but it appears to have closed for good.

 

[Sofa]

Shame, shame, shame. There are so many traditional pubs closing for good. Where will it all end?

 

[Augustus Gloop]

Shame, shame, shame. There are so many traditional pubs closing for good. Where will it all end?

With folk staying in and drinking at home?

I do see it as a problem tbh. I'm not fond of boozers like Apres, Hogshead, Litten Tree et al. The same goes for places to drink when I'm in Manchester. There are plenty of nice bars but I just prefer the alternative, a traditional boozer.

Having said that, on Saturday I did visit one of these boozers and tbh the beer was appalling. Hey ho!

 

[Moley]

It's a trend happening everywhere, when the cost of living increases people tend to avoid their local boozers. So many many of them are brewery owned as well with breweries imposing big wholesale prices on the beer, how can anyone make a profit.

 

[Silverfish]

Having said that, on Saturday I did visit one of these boozers and tbh the beer was appalling. Hey ho!

That's where modern chains like The Hog's Head come in. It's like the McDonald's of the pub world. Its main advantage is you always know what you're getting, wherever you are in the country, but that's also its main disadvantage too - no individual character like you'd get from a traditional pub. No history either. :-(

The Stafford Arms coming down would be a terrible loss to the town. It's not as if it's not a viable business - it did fine until Bob Bell left, then it was cursed by a series of short-term landlords who each brought to the pub a unique problem.

Does anyone know what the score is with The Lamb too? the note on the door says it's shut for 'a few weeks', but it seemed to shut in a hurry. Whatever happened, I hope it reopens soon, with a new management that are less inclined to book karaoke-quality professional singers at weekends.

 

[cookie_monster]

It's a trend happening everywhere, when the cost of living increases people tend to avoid their local boozers. So many many of them are brewery owned as well with breweries imposing big wholesale prices on the beer, how can anyone make a profit.

i dont think its just hitting proper pubs.

i have it on good authority that staff at chicago's have all had their hours cut and the experienced staff are jumping ship before things get really bad.

apparently things havent been good for a while and there are a lot of disgruntled staff.

personally, this wouldnt be my watering hole of choice, but it shows that its not limited to decent boozers.


x

 

[Sofa]

Could it be that a recession is around the corner???

 

[Scuttlingb]

It's because folk aren't going out anymore. The smoking ban has hit hard. The pubs with the traditional smoke rooms and snug, well what's the point now. One big open room and NO customers. You takes your choice, I guess!

 

[Silverfish]

It wasn't the smoking ban that closed the Stafford Arms. And The Lamb seemed busier after it than it ever was before, though that's anecdotal.

 

[My Name is URL]

I agree, its not the smoking ban that stops me going out often, if anything that encourages me as a non smoker, its tha fact that my pay goes up 3% per year (if i'm lucky) but my leisure centre bills go up 25%, 5% on my council tax, 37% increase in the price of petrol since 1997 etc.... we are getting taxed into oblivion.

Unfortunately for me that means picking and choosing very carefuly where and when I spend my hard earned.

 

[My Name is URL]

Could it be that a recession is around the corner???

Might not be too far of the mark there....

News just heard on radio 1:

Mortgage approval down 20% in September
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7067170.stm

House reposessions could rise by 50% next year
No link for this sorry

900 jobs to go at Seagate
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7067980.stm

I'm not normally a pessimist but things don't look too good :-(

 

[Attaboy!]

That's a shame - it was a nice pub - strange how it never seemed to stay open, you'd think being that close to the train station would be a dead cert.

I have fond memories of Roosters ........ upstairs disco in the early 80's, when it really was cool to live in Castletown !!

 

[Mrs M]

That's a shame - it was a nice pub - strange how it never seemed to stay open, you'd think being that close to the train station would be a dead cert.

I have fond memories of Roosters ........ upstairs disco in the early 80's, when it really was cool to live in Castletown !!

Roosters, Boiler house blues band, brilliant.

 

[BBC]

Gutted! This could and should be a great pub. Loads of potential both with the building and location. Castletown is no place for a car dealership.

Apparently there used to be a big hotel on that corner before it was knocked down for the monstrosity of a building that stands there now!

 

[tek-monkey]

Can't believe nobody wants it as a pub, especially now the castle tavern is a restaurant. Has a lot of potential, very sad. I know at one point the women who ran vision were looking at it, would have been ideal for them really as the customer base they had weren't just you're typical wander in off the street kind. Not sure why but it never happened, can only guess the price was wrong as otherwise it seemed fine.