I picked up, via my twatter feed, this article in the Daily Fail. Now I’m not usually one for the Fail, but this article actually caught my interest, both because it had pub content, and because it mentioned a pub I’ve been meaning to visit for years.
The article in the main is concerned with the JD Wetherspoon chain, and if they’re ‘doing a tesco’ by driving the other pubs out of business or not. From the article:
Andrew Gayle, 49, is facing the prospect of a Wetherspoon opening in the former library building next to his pub, the Waggon & Horses in Oldbury, a small industrial town near Birmingham.
Oldbury is not a big place and there are already four pubs,’ said Gayle, 49, who has been an SA Brains tenant there for 12 years. ‘I complained to the council but they took no notice. Times are hard enough anyway and some of the pubs are going to have to close – that’s the effect Wetherspoon has.’
At least one pub closed in nearby Stourbridge after a second Wetherspoon pub opened there, while another is up for sale.
Now, I’d be ready to believe some pubs being driven out of business by a ‘spoons. Love them or hate them, you can’t argue with the fact that they serve Ok food and usually decent beer at a low price. I’d question however, that they’ll impact the traditional pub like the Wagon & Horses. A spokesman for CAMRA said:
Wetherspoon can have a halo effect where other pubs benefit from people coming into the area, and if pubs can’t compete on price they can certainly compete on atmosphere, events and offering a more cosy, traditional pub experience.
Which I’d agree with. I do use wetherspoons, and they have their good points, but I much prefer a proper, traditional pub- as previously discussed here and here.
I agree. I like the ‘Spoons but much as I do find them good pubs, I prefer a traditional pub. For example, I like the Moon in Wolves but I’d rather end the evening in the Great Western.
But if its consuming great quantities of ale, why would you drink other than the ‘Spoons? That’s what the locals iin the Min say when they disappear down “the Zoo” in Wednesfield.
Hmm- you perhaps like ‘spoons more than I do. They’re perfectly OK, and you can’t deny the value, but they’re rather soulless: I’d actually rather pay a bit more and go elsewhere, mostly. The important question is “What do *most* people want?”.
Most people will want the cheapest drink and if there is some grub there as well it’s a bonus! However, despite the Glaswegian Virago in the Min, there are some loyal drinkers but not as many as there were, and even these decamp to The Zoo for some cheap ale. That said, they often end up in The Vine.
The thing is do you want cheap beer and a reasonable selection of Ales which I think they do, The Spoon’s fit the bill, even if it is drinking in a warehouse. Given a choice though, I’d rather have a cosy traditional local than Tesco’s.