Desperate times for the pub trade
LANDLORDS are being driven to drastic action to keep their pubs afloat as drinkers shun a night out in favour of staying home.
One town centre pub owner believes some could even be driven to break the law by turning a blind eye to underage drinkers as the money young people spend behind the bar can be the difference between life or death for their business.
Although he does not condone what she did, Pete Williams, of the Punchbowl, New Road, says he can understand why Royal Mail Cart landlady Sue Stoker sold alcohol to youngsters she knew to be underage and coached them on what to do if police approached them – resulting in the Spalding pub losing its licence last month.
It was given 21 days to appeal – which ends today.
Mr Williams said: “I can’t condone what she did but a lot of landlords – myself included – have been in that situation and there should be some sympathy that someone who has been in the trade as long as she has has been forced to do that as a way to survive.
“We are literally tearing our hair out and we don’t know what to do to get people into the pubs.”
He explained that recently his brewery has put the price he pays for beer up by 4.5 per cent, or 12/13p a pint, which he should pass on as a 20p increase to customers.
But Mr Williams said he hasn’t done so yet as he fears it will drive even more customers away.
He said: “I can’t afford to put prices up that much, but then I can’t afford not to either.
“As landlords we often put on a happy front to our customers that our pub is the place to come for a party on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, but I know that although we do get busy at the weekends I am still struggling to pay the bills.
“Basically we are still making the same amount of money we were 14 years ago, but the price of beer has doubled.
“People just haven’t got the money in their pocket so they only go out for a special occasion.
“I don’t want to be the voice of doom and gloom but we have already seen a lot of pubs close but these are difficult times and we are going to see an awful lot more having to shut.”
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Weather for Spalding
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
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Comments
There are 13 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
HollygoLula
Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 07:01 PM@11...its not only funny looks from under age drinkers...some middle age to OAP drinkers give funny looks if you have the audacity to sit at THEIR stool or table in a pub. Some people see the pub as an extension of their front room. Whats killing the pub trade is price, mainly due to tax. Perhaps a more even playing field should be laid between beers and ciders where tax is concerned?..sort of a spread the load effect. Also, pubs need to diversify...themed nights, live music...but most of all a FRIENDLY atmosphere when you walk in, rather than the 'this is my pub and you dont normally drink in here' attitude.
chas
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 06:16 PMThe smoking ban has been a great success. Thousands of pub and club closures. Over 150,000 staff made unemployed. More noise and litter outside pubs and clubs. Homes near pubs and clubs being devalued. People drinking more at home on cheap alcohol bought from supermarkets. A BIG increase in the number of children drinking on a regular basis, because it is more available in the home.
trickyhicky270
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 06:08 PMSmoking ban was the best thing they ever did at least you don't go home with your best clothes stinking like an ashtray. People don't go to pubs anymore because beer is too expensive (tax), taxi there and back is too expensive (this is rural lincolnshire...) and you are quite likely too get a slapping for looking at someone "the wrong way" because most of the pubs, particularly in Spalding are full of kids and teens who cant handle their ale...
mummyknows best
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 03:46 PM@ CampaigningForSpalding I don't think that 2 people spending approx £50 a week each in pubsclubsrestaurants classes me as 'wealthy' Living in the South East is expensive for leisure activities and £50 per week is not excessive.
Mr Happy
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 03:44 PMI think that the demise of the Night time economy began way before the smoking ban; that was just the final nail in the coffin. Late Licensing killed the pubs; and realistically ruined the clubs. It was the worst thing for the Leisure Industry and everyone knew it. It pushed the arrival time in town back to 10-11pm and started this pre-drinking culture we have nowadays. when the pubs closed at 11... they were busy by 8 pm, packed by 9pm and people hadnt drank so much at home... so spent more when out. Reality is noone has money at the moment; people get paid then count down the days til next pay day! Back in those days there used to be a good bar-crawl feel to spalding where every pub was busy. Nowadays it is only the Ivy Wall, Punchbowl and Bounce that ever have a crowd in it; hence isn much fun. Every night feels the same; so why would I bother going out every week. What have the punchbowl done to drag me out of my house recently?? nothing. Im not saying that when I am out I dont go to the punchbowl; but I certainly wouldnt say that the entertainment that they put on makes me jump up and get exceited about going. It is the case that I follow the crowd to the punchbowl; and if the crowd was somewhere else ultiamtely I probably wouldnt venture there at all. I remember when the Poacher was the place to be.. however I can not remember the last time i went there?! I take my hat off to Mr Williams for being honest and expressing his concerns; but I as a customer expect to be entertained in the entertainment industry; and if he is not going to put something on that entertains me more than Strictly Come Dancing I am staying at home with a can. The guys over at Loaded seem to try and put on regular events; however I am hardly just going to come out into town to go to Loaded; I want a full nights entertainment not just the early hours of the morning. There are many faults with everywhere in Spalding; be it the number of foreigners on the streets, the thuggish mentality of the bouncers in the pubs, the barstaff in all the licensed venues being very rude; the fact that shops are so much cheaper; however if mr williams was to offer something that I couldnt do at home then I will put on a shirt and shoes and head down to the punchbowl... If he just opens the door; then ill pass but i may see you one day when i am that bored and my friends are randomly out.
CampaigningForSpalding
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 03:08 PM#7 If your annual spend on socialising was 25k per year then of course you won't care if the price of a pint increases by 20p, I think you're judging the rest of your nation by your own wealth.
mummyknows best
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 02:30 PMPeople are still blaming the smoking ban for the loss of trade in pubs because it is the main reason for the loss of trade. Smokers have stopped going to pubs and due to the fact that pre-ban it was smokers that made up most of the trade and spent the most money in pubs. It is ludicrous to blame the cost of drinks. As if anybody worries that beer is 20p a pint dearer. Smokers are not concerned about 20p !! What they are concerned about is that they don't want to pay for a drink and then go and stand outside the pub. So they stay at home in comfort. Recessions have come and gone and have never negatively impacted on the pub trade. In fact pubs generally have increased trade during recessions. I really don't care if all the pubs go broke. My partner and myself (both smokers) have saved at least £25,000 since the smoking ban by not going to pubsclubsrestaurants and choose instead to stay at home or go to friends houses to enjoy a drink and a meal. So all you anti-smokers will eventually lose all the pubs that you delighted in evicting the smokers from Poetic justice methinks !!!
CampaigningForSpalding
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 02:03 PMIn fairness, Mr Williams, a seasoned publican, has stated the reasons. He doesn't mention the smoking ban, but instead points to some very real reasons. The fact that people do not have the money to spend on alcohol in pubs is irrelevant as to whether they can smoke in his pub or not - unemployment and a money hungry brewery system appear to be the main reasons and unfortunately means the whole 'job lot' of issues we have from our top level need to be rectified before the trade can recover.
sheila d
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 01:12 PMPubs have been encouraged to do food as a means of staying in business. Not everyone wants to go to the pub to eat, just as not everyone wants to go to a pub to sit in a smokefree environment. If there had been a choice for smoking or non smoking, this diabolical situation would never have happened. The major problems appear to be for village or community pubs where older people tend to go. Last week it was minus 11 outside. Last night it was pouring down. A slight clue there as to why the pubs are struggling. The older ones are not prepared to get pneumonia for the sake of spending a couple of hours down the pub.
bertie65
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 11:39 AMwhy do people keep blameing the smokeing ban on poor sales in pubs it`s the price of a pint thats the problem people cannot afford to drink out nowadays and the only way to alter the problem is to take the alcahol liecences of corner shops offsales and supermarkets this will put the pubs back in control ( also it will lower the cost of a pint in pubs because they will be selling more alcahol ) lof alcahol sales and help to control binge drinking but unfortunatly it will never happen
peekachoo
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 10:19 AMThere would need to be non smoking and smoking pubs. I am a non smoker and prefer going home after a night out not stinking of filthy fags. What Punchbowl Pete is saying I can agree with, a lot of the younger drinkers (over 18 I might add) tend to drink at home before going out, they save a lot of money doing it this way, then when they are out will only buy 1 or 2 drinks. With the cost of living rising and redundences people will be staying home more. Would it not help these landlords if they only opened so many nights a week, or on the quiet nights eg, Monday, Tuesday close early? I enjoy a night out, but just not as often now as there is too much month left at the end of the money!
handymanphil
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 09:41 AMWell, well, well ! Isn't the answer so simple when the truth is out there for all to see. Hawaii lawmakers have finally taken the truth onboard and realised that the health lobbyists are liars and cheats and used the smoking health scares to get their own way. ( http:www.khon2.comnewslocalstoryCommittee-votes-to-reverse-smoking-banx_ZRcTuV1UGFUr1khi47Gw.cspx n) yet we have idiotic councils who now think they need to employ 'Consultancy' firms to work out why the industry is dying on its knees ( http:www.cambridgefirst.co.uknewsconsultants_brought_in_to_stop_pub_closures_1_1210682 ). So, Spalding licensees, get your backsides into gear and start protesting for your rights-the rights of choice!
chas
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 09:30 AMThe smoking ban is killing the pub trade. Some countries have reversed the ban because of the harm it has done to the hospitality industry and the country's economy. It's about time the UK did the same. If we had smoking and non smoking pubs everybody would be happy.
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