Comments
John
- February 24, 2010
There is room for all. Why not have 2 sections one for posh dining and another for less posh. Also I often see ploughman lunch's that are so over the top.
Petral
- February 21, 2010
Interesting as we have just got a Marco Pierre White pub The Swan opened recently. Went and enjoyed myself and will go again but at about £40 a head a la carte not including drinks I wonder about the future, we are a relatively affluent area outside Liverpool but the Swan has had several owners and styles over the last few years and all failed ! So we shall see, I personally think it will do very well as I enjoyed the food very much.
Monster Munch
- February 19, 2010
I think where pubs often go wrong is to try and please too many segments of the market. Stick to what you're good at, I say.
Fred Jones
- February 17, 2010
Well said blofeld. The pub trade has been a slow dying beast for years, made worse with the recession. Peoples attitude to pub going is different now, no longer do you finish work at 5pm and walk over the road to sink a few with colleagues before heading home, all of this within a 1/2 mile radius. Sure we would all like it to be as it was with log fires, cheap ale and free ploughmans but we dont go often enough to make that style of pub attractive to pub owners. They have to diverse, knowing that people will only visit their local sparingly, so maximising their profit by offering quality food, priced accordingly. I know that a couple spending £80 on a meal with wine is more profitable than 8 chaps sinking 3 beers each (even at £3 a pint) . There should be an emphasis on quality to draw out a discerning punter, if you want deep fried fish, cheap beer and decent sport on tv then you can stay at home. Quality food and great service are what make people leave their home comforts. Pubs close for many reasons, its close to 50 a week now, but location, rental cost, beer ties and deluded licencees added to the weight of the public change in attitude all but diminish these properties to future apartments/housing. Seems strange they were not making money at the Goose because there is nothing, absolutely nothing, like the PR of Michelin.
Blofeld
- February 16, 2010
It seems incredible that a publican would choose to change his food policy after winning a Michelin Star. The financial benefits of the award are huge as a result of the PR it creates. As a diner I do sometimes get sick of "poncey" food and yearn for scampi in a basket or pie and chips but as a businessman why on earth would you make such a big change and such a stupid time! I admire the commitment of the cooking team who walked as a result!
Interesting blog... tough call I think for pubs in the changing world. Seems the line between pub and restaurant has blurred for many and I wonder if there isn't room for all players? A pub serving a simple inexpensive menu will suit certain communities better than a pub/restaurant with a sumptuous, chef driven menu of mouthwatering delights at 'gasp-inducing' but often valid prices. Like [John's] comment about two sections but again I wonder if our desire to categorise everything - trims the beauty of diversity?