Picked this article up via Twatter (thanks @sussexbrews). I’ve speculated here before about pub closures, costs, and landlords making money without stiffing us too much for the price of a pint. We’ve discussed it both here and over at Come the Revolution more than once. Brownhills Bob has documented pubs closing and opening, and we’ve all seen more close than open: I stand by what I’ve said before: Real Ale is the saviour of the British pub these days, and the only way, it seems, to make money is either do a spoons (or similar) or to open a free house like The Swan or the Lazy Hill, free of the drain of a pubco.
We all hate the fact that we’re now typically paying £2.70-£3.10 for a pint, but publicans have to make money: I overheard one locally saying he could no longer sell Wife Beater because he couldn’t buy it at a price his customers would pay. Needless to say, this was a (very nice, well run) tied house….
Having sampled a fine pint of Golden Glow last night in the Great Western, Wolverhampton, I have to agree that Real Ale will be the saviour of pubs. I’m not that sorry that Wife-Beater will be too expensive and phased out – a contact of mine tells me that Stella sales have been poor for a while.
However, I am getting the opinion that, like a Panda, the good landlord is becoming a threatened species…….
a bit out of your manor perhaps, but it’s good to see the Royal Oak at Rushall (opposite Rushall Olympic’s ground) has reopened…still finding their feet when we were in (new barmaid, couldn’t find anything)…but I daresay we’ll be back.
btw, what’s the Swan at Clayhanger like now? Been past a couple of times and thought we ought to support a local business
Didn’t know the Oak had closed- we drop in at the Manor Arms once in a while, but we go via the canal, so don’t pass by. As it happens, I grew up in Rushall, so it’s not really out of the way for me.
The Swan is rather lovely, since you ask.