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Another one going - Hikers Rest to close







BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
IMHO the only hope for it as a pub would be as a destination pub with very good food and a couple spending £100 £150 + per visit. Failing that it will become more flats.
 


bobby baxter

Well-known member
Jan 31, 2014
719
Why not try The Bevy in Hillside, Moulsecoomb? Friendly, community pub with free bus to The Amex on Saturday match days.
 








Mellor 3 Ward 4

Well-known member
Jul 27, 2004
10,233
saaf of the water
Really? Where did you hear this (not suggesting you are incorrect BTW!)?

Been closed since Thursday with some work going on in the accommodation upstairs.

A bistro pub won't last two minutes.

Shaun, at least I think that his name, husband of the landlady.

They're taking over at the Cobden, but not till November.
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath

Sorry dont understand the laughs. As a standard boozer it will never live down its old reputation as a destination pub that people have to make a special journey to go it it stands a chance but it will need to have very good food that people will want to travel for. Because the number of customers will initially be very low it will need a big spend per head to survive.
 


pearl

Well-known member
May 3, 2016
13,126
Behind My Eyes
Sorry dont understand the laughs. As a standard boozer it will never live down its old reputation as a destination pub that people have to make a special journey to go it it stands a chance but it will need to have very good food that people will want to travel for. Because the number of customers will initially be very low it will need a big spend per head to survive.

excuse my naivety, but what old reputation?
 




surrey jim

Not in Surrey
Aug 2, 2005
18,162
Bevendean
Now the Hikers has shut I'm not sure where I will go before home games. I used to go there on my own and found it a very friendly local. Where do you go please? I'd like to avoid wherever it is

Tried the Hikers a couple of times after home cricket matches in Stanmer park back in the last century - never felt welcoming ...
Switched to the Swan and once you'd been served by grumpy John there was an okay atmosphere - table footy was also popular using the old 1d coin.

Also remember the strip at the Ship - marvellous scenes ....

Can I recommend the Bevy on Hillside in Higer Bevendean/Moulsecoomb. Its a community owned pub and does good food / has real ales. On match days has a free bus to the Amex. Its around a 5-10 min walk from Mithras park and ride and on 49 bus route.

http://www.thebevy.co.uk/
 




CHAPPERS

DISCO SPENG
Jul 5, 2003
45,092
one that thinks it's a restaurant

have been told buyer wants to turn Hikers into student accommodation, not sure how true this is

Not a huge surprise. Both universities are desperate for accommodation.
 






pearl

Well-known member
May 3, 2016
13,126
Behind My Eyes
It was always a council estate football supporting pub and to lose that tag will take some time especially if their aim is an upmarket bistro type pub.

oh, right, thought someone had been shot there or something

hasn't Btn got enough Bistro pubs .... I'm surrounded by them
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
oh, right, thought someone had been shot there or something

hasn't Btn got enough Bistro pubs .... I'm surrounded by them

There are Bistro Pubs and Bistro pubs I am talking of very top range and expensive not pretentious food pubs who give small portions and call it nouveau cuisine,
 




pearl

Well-known member
May 3, 2016
13,126
Behind My Eyes
There are Bistro Pubs and Bistro pubs I am talking of very top range and expensive not pretentious food pubs who give small portions and call it nouveau cuisine,

Oh I see! Kind of like a restaurant then ... ha ha, not sure the location's right, but happy birthday anyways
 




Warren

New member
Jan 10, 2016
31
The Bevy Pub
If you want to survive as a pub nowadays you have to be more than just a pub. The Bevy runs everything from seniors lunch club, disability groups, running club, choir, knitting, cooking classes for kids etc - but its still a lively community owned boozer with traditional stuff like darts and quiz nights
I've heard the Hikers needs loads of cash spent on it for refurbishment and will be a pub and Indian restaurant - the owner runs the local corner shop so not sure he wants it to become a Sainsbury!
I hope they re-open - everywhere needs a place where people can meet their neighbours.
 






Bob'n'weave

Well-known member
Nov 18, 2016
1,972
Nr Lewes
It always annoys me that the smoking ban gets the blame for the demise of pubs.... in almost all cases it's the defunct business model of the various Pubcos..... buying pubs, charging landlords extortionate rents, then putting them on the market to gain a huge profit from the sale to cover the massive debts these corporations carry to finance the strategy in the first place.

Scandalous

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Agreed. Seen lots of good managers lose pubs because of this approach. The big monopolies (Scottish Newcastle/Whitbread etc) got broken up years ago only to be replaced by lots of little Pubcos doing the same thing. I like the way that the "Bev" has bounced back with the community based approach. More please.
 




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