Supermarkets Killing pubs

jf · Post by jf » Fri 06 Jun, 2008 6:37 pm

I think changes in society have had there part to play in the decline of 'local' pubs. Years ago people would often live near to their place of work, know their neighbours better, and probably share drinks in conveniently located places in the neighbourhood. In most workplaces now people are from all over the place, various suburbs of Leeds, Cleckhuddersfax, York etc, often limited to living where they can afford rather than somewhere on work's doorstep. At the end of the day people head off home to far flung corners of Yorkshire and tend not to socialise outside of work. Those that do tend to stick to the city centre, away from the traditional boozers (although some in the centre still do well).

Chaddy 83 · Post by **Chaddy 83** » Mon 07 Jul, 2008 5:48 pm

Decided to hit a few pubs last night. Used to always go to the Whistlestop on a Sunday night and it was always heaving. Stopped doing it about 2 years ago. Ended up there last night and had a couple of drinks but it was quiet, went to the bar again at 7 and was told last orders had already been called (didn't know as we were sat in the beer garden). Not too sure why they have started doing this but how can pubs complain that supermarkets are killing pubs when they are deciding to close there pubs at 7 o' clock. I have no problem with buying the cheap beer in supermarkets anyway. Its been going on for years people must have knew it would end up like this. In 20 years time my kids will be asking what a pub was cos I reckon they will be no more before long!

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Mon 07 Jul, 2008 10:33 pm

Chaddy 83 wrote: Decided to hit a few pubs last night. Used to always go to the Whistlestop on a Sunday night and it was always heaving. Stopped doing it about 2 years ago. Ended up there last night and had a couple of drinks but it was quiet, went to the bar again at 7 and was told last orders had already been called (didn't know as we were sat in the beer garden). Not too sure why they have started doing this but how can pubs complain that supermarkets are killing pubs when they are deciding to close there pubs at 7 o' clock. I have no problem with buying the cheap beer in supermarkets anyway. Its been going on for years people must have knew it would end up like this. In 20 years time my kids will be asking what a pub was cos I reckon they will be no more before long! I went to a Well Dressing in Derbyshire yesterday, in the Glossop area, plenty of pubs all seemingly thriving, didn's see any for sale or to let or closed. Of course in and around Manchester because there are so many independent brewers - Robinson, Hydes, Holts, Lees the competition keeps the price of the ale down.

Samson · Post by **Samson** » Tue 08 Jul, 2008 12:23 am

There are some great points on here. I started the thread to see people's ideas, mine have been posted already.I think there are three issues here re the supermarkets1. Are they killing off the pubs by selling beer/lager/cider on occasions as a loss leader? Where a pub just can not compete?(eg the 57p a pint Stella that i saw)2. Why do some pubs, such as Wetherpoons and the independents as in Manchester area (named in a previous post) and for Leeds fans Sam Smiths, manage to sell beer much cheaper than elsewhere?3. The social consequences of selling strong lager and cider at prices less than Coca Cola, chicken breast, or margarine in supermarkets.Recently it is point three that has bothered me!(BUT that is just me!)One of the points that i think everyone agrees with is that there is nothing like a great pub with good ales and lagers. Where people have a chat and social divides are broken down. It is part of society and has been for some time. In the pub you found gossip and chat, a bit of scandal etc. New residents to a town could find people to chat to and give them advice and local knowledge. It would be a pity to lose all this.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Tue 08 Jul, 2008 12:58 pm

A few points.Weherspoons can sell so cheaply because they buy beer close to its sell by date. Breweries will sell cheap rather than get nothing for it in much the same way that supermarkets do for things approaching the sell by date.The small independents like Sam Smith's can sell cheap partly because they haven't the massive overheads of the now global conglomerates. They also don't need to advertise due to word of mouth and/or captive local audiences. Tetley's and John Smiths to name but two advertise frequently and/or sponsor sports events/teams at great expense.I agree it is a bit of a problem when Supermarkets sell alcoholic beverages at less than soft drinks but this is something Pubs have also been doing for years and it costs them trade. Designated driver sir? Let me rip you off for your trouble!I have occasionally paid more for a pint of lemonade than a pint of beer in a pub and very rarely seen a massive price difference. Given that pub lemonade is usually of the quality of a supermarket budget brand (around 30p for just under 4 pints) how do they justify £2.00+ a pint

Samson · Post by **Samson** » Wed 09 Jul, 2008 1:10 am

Cheers for those points.I had heard that Wetherspoons buy beer near its 'sell by' date, but I did not know if it was true. Real ale is like a 'food' and I am told that it has a shelf life, so to speak, but i could be wrong.Yes, I think that soft drinks in pubs have been overpriced for years!Although in the supermarket, on occasions, strong drink is cheaper than both lemonade and the essentials in life.I also seem to remember that a pint of Shandy was frequently the same price as a pint of beer in some pubs!

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Wed 09 Jul, 2008 11:18 am

Good luck to Wetherspoons, you can have a pint what is just in it's sell by date and a burger for about £4, that'll do for me.Also people keep referring to Stella being sold for less than coke but we are talking about Coca Cola, not supermarket own stuff which you can get six litres of any flavour pop for £1. Stella on the other hand is Belgium's Hoffmeister or Skol, they do not drink it. We, on the other hand, fall for the advertising, it's poor beer and just about the worst "premium" lager you can drink. Foul taste and bad head the following day to boot.What I would do is ban pop flavoured alcohol like WKD, that's just like selling sherbert flavoured cigarettes.

Chaddy 83 · Post by **Chaddy 83** » Wed 09 Jul, 2008 11:27 am

We, on the other hand, fall for the advertising, it's poor beer and just about the worst "premium" lager you can drink. Foul taste and bad head the following day to boot.-------------------Agree with you there, stella really is the worst beer for a hangover. You can get plenty of beers which are the same % and they don't make you feel half as bad as StellaFunny how no one hasn't brought up yet the real reason for a lot of pubs closing is not to do with supermarkets but the smoking ban. Not being able to smoke in your local pub has made people give up there local, I don't smoke but tbh who would want to trail to a pub in the rain and sit outside on there own to have a smoke. Of course people will do it at home these days with there 10 quid crate of Carling!

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Wed 09 Jul, 2008 11:52 am

I'm not sure about that. Do many wives let blokes sit around and ingest large amount sof beer and niff the house out with 20 Regal? I doubt it. i think loads of people are giving up and lods of people are also still going tot he pub but just for an hour or two not the whole night.Pubs need to wake up and drop their prices if they want to keep their trade. If pubs are wanting to buy beer just goign out of date then the breweries ned to be dropping their prices or making the process cheaper.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Wed 09 Jul, 2008 9:50 pm

My local is as expensive as many pubs in town, with the "premium" beers not far off £3.00 a pint. If two of you go out that is £6.00 a round, or £12 an hour to put it another way.If Wetherspoons and the like can sell Stella / Kronenbourg for £2 or so a pint in town centres, then why can't pubs with far lower overheads, but with the backing of massive pub co's behind them do the same?Mind you, even a £2.00 pint is going to struggle against a 58p pint, isn't it?