I’ve been (again) thinking of pub closures lately; this has mostly been prompted by the reports from Andy that the Pyle Cock is to close next year (as reported here) and picked up by WV11 here. The Pyle Cock has long been one of my favourite pubs, one that I don’t visit enough, because it’s 2 bus rides away.
There’s an interesting post here (and the comments are worth a read too) from The Pub Curmudgeon. My views don’t entirely align with his (or the linked report) (he’s of the view that the smoking ban has had a large effect, I agree it has had an effect, but not as large as some think, and the linked article dismisses PubCo behaviour to some degree), but it does make the point that pub closures are a complex matter: it is not just beer pricing (via taxation), competition (from supermarkets) or the smoking ban: all of these factors have a role to play, as does social change- as the comments point out, increased car commuting (and greater distances to commute), and a change in working patterns also play a part. It’s noticeable in large cities with more people travelling by public transport, pubs continue to thrive, but again, it’s not that simple.
Good pubs thrive, and taking the Pyle Cock as an example, it’s difficult to see why it is closing: it was for sale for a time, and has now been sold to a developer. That suggests a PubCo taking the option to cash in on real estate, but anecdotal reports suggest the pub was not busy in general, though the current landlord has been given notice, rather than quitting himself, it would seem, so perhaps it was making *enough* money: the beer was always good and the atmosphere was fantastic, old traditional pub.
Oddly, just up the road, the ever lovely Vine
is thriving and busy, with a new, young landlord and fantastic beer, and I’m told the nearby Dog and Partridge is fine too. It’s hard to see, though, what is so very different that makes the Pyle Cock unsustainable. It remains a fact that good pubs, even those not serving food can do well, and I’ve recently been in a very traditional backstreet pub with no real ale or food that seemed to be very busy (including with smokers, outside on a cold day), which makes me wonder exactly what the factors are that close pubs?
I’m a bit gutted about The Pyle Cock but to be fair, the mild on a Sunday has been quite poor. But I intend to go on Saturday and hope it’s the usually excellent standard. As you know, I adore Banks’s Mild and the Cock has been a mecca for a good pint for years, as the Dog is now.
One of the contributors to this debate I would suggest is that people drink at home more and socialise less. The advent of big TV’s and more digital content means that there is more entertainment at home, so you are cocooned in a bubble of your own choosing. The Min is a case in point here; would you rather be berated by an out of control landlady or sit in your own space with some bottled ale watching Strictly Come Dancing or the latest American TV series?
Another thing is the health issue. The medics have always had it in for the alcohol industry and armed with bad science, they have hammered people into a state of fear.
One last thing is cost. £2.50 down the pub or even £3.20 or £1.15 from Asda?
No fucking thanks. That’s exactly why I go to the pub.