Pubs closing NOW- in our time.

Leeds-lad · Post by **Leeds-lad** » Thu 04 Aug, 2011 2:25 pm

Shutters went up on Tues evening at The Beech on Tong Rd

Phips · Post by **Phips** » Thu 04 Aug, 2011 2:31 pm

Red Lion in Otley now closed.

edgey2001 · Post by **edgey2001** » Fri 05 Aug, 2011 12:42 am

I've noticed a planning application to put up Mcdonalds signage at the New white Bear at Tingley, originally just a pub, then a pub/restaurant. planning ref 11/03080/ADV Correction - There going to build a Mcdonalds in the existing carpark of the New White Bear.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Sat 06 Aug, 2011 12:12 pm

I'm not sure how many of these recent pub closures are down to Punch Taverns. But from what I've started to notice they seem to be the biggest culprits at the moment. I'm not really sure if there is some kind of deliberate policy of killing off the local boozer or not?From an article I've just seen online herehttp://wortleyweb.com/pubs.phpAt the moment Punch Taverns are having all their pubs valued (more pubs going up for sale)It would appear that Public Houses are being 'centralised' into the City Centres, where they are more easily contained. Big Brother or what?Sad times!

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Sat 06 Aug, 2011 12:21 pm

One of the issues with Punch, I think, is that they borrowed an awful lot of money based on their property holdings - ie the pubs. Selling beer is a largely incidental part of their business.Property prices are falling and the pub trade is dying in some areas (due to the smoking ban, higher taxes on alcohol, supermarkets selling beer at less than cost price and unfortunately, changing habits and in some areas cultural changes too).Punch (like others) are essentially a property company that happens to own a lot of pubs - the company value rose sharply during the property boom due to it's property assets. Now prices are falling, the company is worth less and will no doubt be finding itself caught in the perfect storm above, plus the cost of borrowing has gone through the roof. They are trying to increase their profits by charging their tied tenants more for beer, which means the price of beer in the pub goes up, so the cheap supermarket booze looks more attractive and less people go to the pub to buy beer - it's a vicious circle.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Sat 06 Aug, 2011 12:26 pm

It's kind of ironic how the Beech Hotel was only just granted Grade II listed building status in 2010.The pub was remodeled by Melbourne Ales in 1931, many of the pub internal fittings and fixtures are original and it is a rare surviving example of its type.The whole story herehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/local/leeds/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8735000/8735820.stm Photos from this very interesting local pub website herehttp://www.heritagepubs.org.uk/pubs/pubguide-p ... %28West%29

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Sat 06 Aug, 2011 12:28 pm

I took this shot of the now closed Beech Hotel with the new shutters up yesterdayhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/601198 ... hotostream

liits · Post by **liits** » Sat 06 Aug, 2011 2:26 pm

Phill_dvsn wrote: I'm not sure how many of these recent pub closures are down to Punch Taverns. But from what I've started to notice they seem to be the biggest culprits at the moment. I'm not really sure if there is some kind of deliberate policy of killing off the local boozer or not?From an article I've just seen online herehttp://wortleyweb.com/pubs.phpAt the moment Punch Taverns are having all their pubs valued (more pubs going up for sale)It would appear that Public Houses are being 'centralised' into the City Centres, where they are more easily contained. Big Brother or what?Sad times! Punch Taverns and its predecessors [in various guises] are a disreputable outfit of shysters. They picked up much of their property portfolio [pubs] when the “big four” started to divest themselves of their managed estate and massively over declared the value of the company based on the speculative price of the land-holding for development purposes.Being only a middle-man in selling the beer on to the tenant, they have, greedily, priced themselves out of their own business and their chickens have now come home to roost! Punch, not being a brewer, has no need of outlets to sell beer. Sadly, this means that pubs are closing because the land is still [speculatively] worth more than the business that stands upon it.

drapesy · Post by **drapesy** » Sun 07 Aug, 2011 9:34 pm

Terrible, Terrible news about the Beech. I hope and pray it survives, the Melbourne mosaics and windows are priceless.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Sat 20 Aug, 2011 10:55 pm

There is a report with some photos about The Queen pub on Burley Road in the Times Past section on page 14 of the YEP today (Aug 20 2011). This link should bring up the online report in the YEP website:- http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... 3697839The report in the YEP has two small black & white photos taken inside the pub but they are not in the online version.