Stafford rural pubs - I reckon 12 months and they will all be gone

[Gramaisc]

Stayed with friends in Devon last Thursday night, their local is four miles away in the sticks and the landlord gives regulars a lift home after closing. Many years ago the gaffer at the Roe Buck at Hilderstone used to run a mini bus, the boozer cruiser.

I believe that the Saracen's Head used to run a mini-bus.

Quite a common scenario in Ireland...

 

[Trumpet]

Probably tax deductible as used for runs to cash & carry etc. The way forward for rural boozers. An enterprising person with a mini bus could probably sort out some form of a deal with outlying pubs.
I know a camp site owner in Wales that does runsin a (very) old mini bus to & from the nearest village, about 3 miles.

 

[John Marwood]

If your best customer ( Mike the roofer 12 pints of Carling each and every night ) sez Im not coming anymore the drink drive laws are ridikkulos I guess its worth popping him home

Dunna bother at the George in Ecce tho - more sour Top Totty last night!

 

[basil]

If people won't go to the pub then take the pub to the people....

 

[Thehooperman]

After a evening on the beer I used to ask the local kebab or curry house I was frequenting if they delivered and when they said yes I used to get them to take me home with my food.

My girlfriend at the time used to find it hilarious when I'd tell the driver that it looked like the occupiers were out.

It doesn't seem to work anymore with "insurance" being the main objection

 

[Mr J C]

Stayed with friends in Devon last Thursday night, their local is four miles away in the sticks and the landlord gives regulars a lift home after closing. Many years ago the gaffer at the Roe Buck at Hilderstone used to run a mini bus, the boozer cruiser.

I believe that the Saracen's Head used to run a mini-bus.

Quite a common scenario in Ireland...

When I had the Avenue Hotel in Kettering I provided a minibus service f.o.c for our customers

 

[Withnail]

If people won't go to the pub then take the pub to the people....

I saw a mobile bar travelling down the Newport Road a week or two ago. It had a memorable name that i have now forgotten.

Hold on, i think it had 'Bass' in it somewhere - the name that is, there was probably Bass in the bar too but i didn't get that close a look.

 

[basil]

If people won't go to the pub then take the pub to the people....

I saw a mobile bar travelling down the Newport Road a week or two ago. It had a memorable name that i have now forgotten.

Hold on, i think it had 'Bass' in it somewhere - the name that is, there was probably Bass in the bar too but i didn't get that close a look.

Did it have 'Alfie' in the name?........

 

[Gramaisc]

If people won't go to the pub then take the pub to the people....

I saw a mobile bar travelling down the Newport Road a week or two ago. It had a memorable name that i have now forgotten.

Hold on, i think it had 'Bass' in it somewhere - the name that is, there was probably Bass in the bar too but i didn't get that close a look.

Did it have 'Alfie' in the name?........

Snudge, snudge...

 

[John Marwood]

Just ridden by the Hand and Cleaver ( at 1.30pm on a Sunday lunch ) - zero cars in the car park

Sad or what ? Who wants to drink alone, even after excercise ? I can do that in the park/on the bus/at a Conservative branch meeting/

It was open by the way - but for how long I know not

The Holly Bush at Seighford gets flogged at auction in a fortnight
toodle pip cycle clip

 

[proactive]

Just ridden by the Hand and Cleaver ( at 1.30pm on a Sunday lunch ) - zero cars in the car park

Sad or what ? Who wants to drink alone, even after excercise ? I can do that in the park/on the bus/at a Conservative branch meeting/

It was open by the way - but for how long I know not

Well perhaps they ought to be a little proactive about getting customers?

Unless I'm missing something, the only things I've ever seen or read about the H&C in the past couple of years has been on this forum. They should be advertising, coming up with interesting theme evenings, quizzes, football teams etc etc etc.

They don't seem to do any of that and I can't even check to see if I might like their Sunday lunch menu because they don't have a website, or at least I couldn't find it on pages one or two of Google when I just searched.

There seem to be quite a number of rural pubs that just expect the customers to come to them by magic, or because of past reputation. They seem to be the ones not doing so well. Whereas the likes of the Hollybush in Salt that do things to attract customers (and also happen to have great food and nice ales), seem to do very well.

True of all business though isn't it.

 

[Goldilox]

Given that this thread is now 14 months old, I take it Mr Marwood's original prediction was incorrect?

 

[Miss Red]

If you go out to lunch at any pub nowadays you have the pick of the seats! Ive heard its to do with supermarkets selling cheap booze lol - i personally think its the smoking ban (especially in winter) - apparantley the bingo halls are the same, pick your seat - perhaps they are selling cheap bingo tickets in the supermarkets too

 

[basil]

Tuff luv, smokin ban is a smokescreen...

 

[Miss Red]

pubs are doin a roarin trade, packed to the hilt like the good old days

 

[tek-monkey]

The Sun is always rammed.

 

[flossietoo]

Just ridden by the Hand and Cleaver ( at 1.30pm on a Sunday lunch ) - zero cars in the car park

Sad or what ? Who wants to drink alone, even after excercise ? I can do that in the park/on the bus/at a Conservative branch meeting/

It was open by the way - but for how long I know not

Well perhaps they ought to be a little proactive about getting customers?

Unless I'm missing something, the only things I've ever seen or read about the H&C in the past couple of years has been on this forum. They should be advertising, coming up with interesting theme evenings, quizzes, football teams etc etc etc.

They don't seem to do any of that and I can't even check to see if I might like their Sunday lunch menu because they don't have a website, or at least I couldn't find it on pages one or two of Google when I just searched.

There seem to be quite a number of rural pubs that just expect the customers to come to them by magic, or because of past reputation. They seem to be the ones not doing so well. Whereas the likes of the Hollybush in Salt that do things to attract customers (and also happen to have great food and nice ales), seem to do very well.

True of all business though isn't it.

I agree. It is so frustrating because I'd love to see The Hand + Cleaver succeed. When it closes, the assumption will be that "you can't make a pub work in the country" and another wonderful place will be lost to property developers. In fact, it COULD work - it just needs marketing. They did advertise at first but the adverts were really weird, like a CV for the manager instead of showcasing good food. The facebook hasn't been updated since mid-October and doesn't seem to be maintained as part of any kind of attempt to build a relationship with prospective customers.. Somewhere like the Hollybush gets it brilliantly right - I wish they could be persuaded to preserve some of our other rural pubs.

 

[proactive]

The Sun is always rammed.

That's a great example of a pub that went through several owners who, frankly, didn't know what they were doing and kept closing. Now the new owners know how to market themselves and provide people with what they actually want (decent ale and acceptable food) there's no shortage of customers, as you say.

 

[Withnail]

If i may be so bold...

i think the point tek-monkey was making was that the Sun thrives despite the smoking ban, which makes said ban the 'smokescreen' basil describes.

Ultimately it's the economy, stoopid.

(not that i'm calling you stoopid or nuffink)

 

[Gramaisc]

I blame the breathalyser.