Taking a break from shots of Clipstone for a few days but have run out of time today to use my camera. A busy day on projects, discussions about my office business and taking Sam for a driving lesson in his new car after school.
This shot was taken while we were on holiday in Sherwood Forest recently.
It is another sad example of a closed pub, on Edwinstowe High Street. Pubs are closing at the rate of 4 a day in the UK at the moment. We should be thankful, it was 7 a day a few years ago!!
As the nature of family and work changes, many pubs have failed to reinvent themselves and have an offer that suits people. I have no doubt that many pubs have closed because of this.
Sadly though, many pubs have closed because of the greed of the pubcos that own them. They charge their tenants exorbitant rents and force them through their tied agreements to buy beers wines and spirits from them. This is beer that the pubcos don't brew, but buy from the major breweries around the UK. The pubcos inflate the price the tenant pays to around £1-40 plus VAT a pint, and hey presto a pint can cost the man in the street more than £3-50 in the East Midlands, and the poor old landlord is lucky to make £10,000 a year out of running the place.
No wonder that once thriving businesses, in prime locations like this one are closing. There was another large pub boarded up a few yards up the road from this as well.
As I own a small brewery, I know that it costs less than 50p to make pint of beer, so I don't think that any pub should have to sell a pint at more than £3-00, and in reality should sell it at no more than £2-50!!
It is my plan one day to own a local pub that we sell our beer in, where our tenant can make an reasonable living and our customers pay a fair price for a pint. I misssed out on one last year, but have my eye on another that may be for sale someday soon.
Really sad to see these pubs going the way they are, pubs all over London are being converted into housing - but how often do you go out to the pub these days? I used to a lot when I was younger and don't any more, and I like bitter to drink.
It has such a sad look, you have caught the look of seen better days very well. You are so right in your comments above, my daughter and partner used to run a pub and any attempt to better things brought in a rise in rent or cover charges as they call them. Also the worst thing is that while they were forced to buy their beer from the owners at a fixed price, but these owners sold the beer more cheaply to another village pub who could then undercut them.
Very intriguing to read this. My father owns a property in Melbourne and has recently been approached by a group of people wanting to start up a real ale pub. We seem to really struggle in this area for proper pubs, they are either cheap chains or gastro.
A well captured shot of a very sad building. Unfortunately, this sad story is replicated throughout the UK. Your business plan is a great idea and I wish you much success with it Sean.
I knew I liked you, Sean. You make beer! Beer! BEER!
A fascinating read to go with a great picture. I was devastated to go back to Cambridge a few years ago and see my favorite pub turned into a cafe. Gone was that fabulous mahogany looking furniture and beer soaked rugs. How can England lose her pubs?! I look forward to visiting the O'Neill family's pub someday.
My old pub in Tunstall, the Green Man, is still there, but is a fancy restaurant now. Of course the Air Base is gone, so it had to change somehow. It would be wonderful if you had a tasting room / pub with your brewery. This old building has character, but sure looks gloomy boarded up.
That is very sad news, I spent most of my late teens etc in pubs & to think they are falling away is terrible!
Lovely shot & I hope you get your pub & I look forward to visiting it when I come to England :)
You must let us know if your plan comes to fruition - we can have a 365 convention in your pub. I posted a similar story over a year ago - it is a sad business. Part of British culture in collapse and the ones that do re-invent themselves are not pubs as we knew them.
You own a brewery?! What's the name of the beer and where do you supply to - any pubs in Brum? This is a great, if sad shot. Lovely processing as always
@rachelwithey Yes, a 14 year old hobby brewery supplying local pubs and restaurants in the Loughborough area. Called Wicked Hathern Brewery, we have 6 bitters, 2 ciders and soon will have a proper Lager too. We no longer brew in Hathern (long story) but brew over in Staffordshire regularly. I will bring you some bottles when we do that photo walk in Brum sometime in the spring hopefully!!
I think you are right, pubs haven't moved with the times and certainly not helped by being able to buy a bottle of spirits for not much more that 4 pints and it lasting a week!
A fascinating read to go with a great picture. I was devastated to go back to Cambridge a few years ago and see my favorite pub turned into a cafe. Gone was that fabulous mahogany looking furniture and beer soaked rugs. How can England lose her pubs?! I look forward to visiting the O'Neill family's pub someday.
Lovely shot & I hope you get your pub & I look forward to visiting it when I come to England :)
All the very best with putting your plan into action.