Brewery Tap closed

[The Oldman]

I have never been in the Tap but I had this romantic image of a decent old fashioned pub where NSC regulars met up for a pint. It has got so bad that I have seriously felt like stopping the Mithras House P & R bus as it turns ino London Road and joining everyone. Alas, I have never had the courage to do so. I am very saddened to learn of the Taps passing.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Maybe not all lost though for the Tap. Apparently there's a meeting for staff there tomorrow. Hope it turns out OK for them, and indeed for us. Cos THPP for one won't be using the Crown & Anchor on matchdays. Or the Preston Park Hotel. Or the Sportsman even if it was the last pub-like venue on earth. Suppose that only leaves the Railway

You might finally have a reason to use your travel voucher!

 

[brighton bluenose]

Maybe not all lost though for the Tap. Apparently there's a meeting for staff there tomorrow. Hope it turns out OK for them, and indeed for us. Cos THPP for one won't be using the Crown & Anchor on matchdays. Or the Preston Park Hotel. Or the Sportsman even if it was the last pub-like venue on earth. Suppose that only leaves the Railway

Whatever happens lets hope the GORGEOUS Lena doesnt depart because I LOVE HER!!!



There I've said it!!!!

 

[Paxton Dazo]

Whatever happens lets hope the GORGEOUS Lena doesnt depart because I LOVE HER!!!



There I've said it!!!!

Is that the Eastern European lass behind the bar? Or the Young'un..

 

[elwheelio]

In 1989 most pubs made a very good living when they were owned by breweries. However there was a change in the make up of pubs and the ownership. Under the guidance of whizz kids who were property orientated the breweries set up companies to run the pubs as property owners and demanded what they called realistic rents based on the square footbage of the pubs. What they didnt take into account was that every square foot of a pub is not occupied by customers and one customer will use up a fair amount of space walkng about, to the bar, darts board toilet etc. As a result the rents were increased to unrealistic levels that people could never pay nor could they be justified. The first of these companies was Inntrepeneur, the forerunner of Enterprise Inns, which owns The Preston Park Tavern and the vast majority of pubs that are closing. The final nail in the coffin was the ban on smoking and I must admit that I wouldnt sign a petition against it because I was one that thought that the good pubs would survive this move, and after a time go from strengtrh to strength. What we didnt calculate was that the government would increase the taxes at such a rate as to make many pubs unviable. It has now been suggested that to combat 'binge drinking' the next budget will put the tax on alcohol at such a level that a bottle of whisky will rise from an average £15 per bottle to £21.50 simarly a bottle of gin. Alcopops will rise from an average £3.50 to over £5,.00 per bottle. What nobody has realised is that this will not affect the people who binge drink but the average drinker who visits the pubs. As a result many pubs are now closed and Enterprise are selling them off to property developers for flats. What it needs are realistic rents and the pubs to revert to brewery ownership whereby the brewers earn some money from their products and some money from the property and the tenants able to earn some money out of their pubs thus making a nice little earn for all.

Not sure I agree with this. I'm a surveyor and have dealt with a few acquisitions and disposals on pubs. They are generally not valued on £/sft or 'zoning' but on the profits method, specifcally on barrelage. It's simplistic to say it but since the smoking ban, unless you do big screen sport or good value/quality food you're in trouble.

 

[BensGrandad]

Not sure I agree with this. I'm a surveyor and have dealt with a few acquisitions and disposals on pubs. They are generally not valued on £/sft or 'zoning' but on the profits method, specifcally on barrelage. It's simplistic to say it but since the smoking ban, unless you do big screen sport or good value/quality food you're in trouble.

When the breweries split their brewing from the property in the late 80s I can assure you that Intrepeneur and all other leasing companies based the rents on sq footage and also imposed a minimum barrelage The shortfall on barrelage was £76 per brewery barrel. Due to the problems this caused and the adverse publicity it brought they have since revised their ideals.

My pub as a Watneys tennant was rented at £13,500p.a. When Inntrepeneur took it, the rent went up to £28,000 p a and finally when I left they wanted £36, 000 p.a my annual barrelage was set at 240 per year. Recently the pub was on the market at an asking rent of £18,500 pa with no minimum barrelage.

 

[Barry Izbak]

She was working in Ladbrokes on First Avenue a few years ago.

A "bird" called Denise served me in Ladbrokes in First Avenue LAST NIGHT!

 

[Paxton Dazo]

The Railway? Always looks packed in there when I walk past it on the way home from Work.

 

[cunning fergus]

They don't do Surf and Turf in The Evening Star or in any of the pubs I use.

I think it's very naive to always blame the Government for everything that's going wrong in the pub trade. There's a lot more to it than that.

You need to read my email again, I said the key factors. Taxation and the smoking ban are key factors.

Really made up for you that your social life is going so well an not impacted by any pub closures..............that's great news. Thanks for that.

 

[OzMike]

Sad to read that the Park View has closed as I worked there when I was a student.
It was a good laugh, apart from the 'knocker boys' in the upstairs bar.
Had a few barmaids between the sheets as well.
Great days

 

[csider]

Sad to read that the Park View has closed as I worked there when I was a student.
It was a good laugh, apart from the 'knocker boys' in the upstairs bar.
Had a few barmaids between the sheets as well.
Great days

Closed, since when??

 

[gong]

Maybe not all lost though for the Tap. Apparently there's a meeting for staff there tomorrow. Hope it turns out OK for them, and indeed for us. Cos THPP for one won't be using the Crown & Anchor on matchdays. Or the Preston Park Hotel. Or the Sportsman even if it was the last pub-like venue on earth. Suppose that only leaves the Railway

Noooooooooooooooooo Tom you'll drink where you're told to, sad news if true just got the pub back to being half full matchdays free food after for the last season or so and the new landlord in his wisdom takes out sky sports, result last saturday hardly anyone in there.
Mind you less people to share the free spare ribs, chicken, sausages and chips with.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Noooooooooooooooooo Tom you'll drink where you're told to, sad news if true just got the pub back to being half full matchdays free food after for the last season or so and the new landlord in his wisdom takes out sky sports, result last saturday hardly anyone in there.
Mind you less people to share the free spare ribs, chicken, sausages and chips with.

What's the plan hon? Such times call for a fearless leader: & you're the chosen one innit. No preasure, like..

 

[csider]

Whatever happens lets hope the GORGEOUS Lena doesnt depart because I LOVE HER!!!



There I've said it!!!!

Told you, get into the newsagents

 

[brighton bluenose]

Is that the Eastern European lass behind the bar? Or the Young'un..

Tall slim Russian one - unfortunately with a good-looking Russki boyfriend in tow!!

 

[Dover]

The Tap has not been the same since Denise left. I last visited a couple of weeks go on a Bar Billards night and they had no draft bitter on except John Smiths, so it was cider for me.

I understand though, that the present licensee was also involved with the Horse & Groom, so that's two pubs that have closed under his management.

 

[rusty redeyes]

Tall slim Russian one - unfortunately with a good-looking Russki boyfriend in tow!!

You didn't stand a chance anyway, boyfriend or no boyfriend in tow!!!!!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Noooooooooooooooooo Tom you'll drink where you're told to

Er, OK!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

What's the plan hon? Such times call for a fearless leader: & you're the chosen one innit. No preasure, like..

We salute The Chosen One!

 

[dougdeep]

He'll have to ask the wife first.