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Pubs closing down in Sheffield area megathread

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Go for a walk around the Kelham Island pubs most nights (especially weekends) and you can see with the right set up / product the pub trade still has a place in todays society

 

It'll never be what it was - because the demand for it has fallen. People of my dads era (born 1940) were living through the 60s & 70s when there were only 2 TV channels and not much else entertainment wise at home, so they socialised in the pub. Even upto the 80s and early 90s. Then so many changes occurred, more TV / video libraries, internet at home video games etc. 25 years ago the only way you talked to your friends was in the pub, now with facebook etc it all changes........

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Go for a walk around the Kelham Island pubs most nights (especially weekends) and you can see with the right set up / product the pub trade still has a place in todays society

 

It'll never be what it was - because the demand for it has fallen. People of my dads era (born 1940) were living through the 60s & 70s when there were only 2 TV channels and not much else entertainment wise at home, so they socialised in the pub. Even upto the 80s and early 90s. Then so many changes occurred, more TV / video libraries, internet at home video games etc. 25 years ago the only way you talked to your friends was in the pub, now with facebook etc it all changes........

 

Spot on. The pubs that are failing are the ones that for some reason never changed. The ones that try to survive by simply offering what you can buy a crate of for a tenner in your local supermarket. Either by their own choice, or because they are tied to a PubCo who won't let them offer anything more creative. These days most people don't go to the pub to socialise they do that online. They do it for something different to do. I go out on average 3 times a week because I like good beer. But rarely visit the same place more than once a week tops. Because I also like variety.

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Some pubs do remarkably well considering. The Kelham Island Tavern does not major on food but is packed. Remarkably the Fat Cat across the road from there doesn't major on food and is often packed. Remarkably the Shakespeare across the road from there doesn't do any food and is often packed.

 

I see a pattern of excellent pubs putting on decent beer. With occasional non- amplified music. (Amplified in the separate music room in the Shakespeare).

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The thing all these pubs have in common are that they are close to new apartment buildings full of students and reasonably well-off professionals

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I used to work at Kelham Island and when the Fat Cat was then called the Alma Hotel it was always empty so its a remarkable turnaroud.As for Kelham I sland Tavern or whatever it is now,that used to be The White Hart and was pretty busy in its day,mainly lunch time trade with the workers.I havn't been in there since it changed names.

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I used to work at Kelham Island and when the Fat Cat was then called the Alma Hotel it was always empty so its a remarkable turnaroud.As for Kelham I sland Tavern or whatever it is now,that used to be The White Hart and was pretty busy in its day,mainly lunch time trade with the workers.I havn't been in there since it changed names.

 

I do remember a shooting in the White Hart not long after my first and only visit probably around 1987 because the Fat Cat was too full to get in ..anyone recall it?

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I think that the Brothers Arms in Heeley is a the perfect example of pubs are successful or not. Not too many apartment buildings full of students and reasonably well-off professionals in Heeley.

 

Within months it was turned from a uninviting empty pub with England bunting to a successful business model and they dont do food.

 

if you need to know why pubs fail & succeed then look no further than what they have done at the brothers arms.........

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I think that the Brothers Arms in Heeley is a the perfect example of pubs are successful or not. Not too many apartment buildings full of students and reasonably well-off professionals in Heeley.

 

Within months it was turned from a uninviting empty pub with England bunting to a successful business model and they dont do food.

 

if you need to know why pubs fail & succeed then look no further than what they have done at the brothers arms.........

 

Or The Blake Hotel, or The KIT, or The Sheaf View, Broadfield, Beer Engine perhaps, Rutland, Shakepeares.

 

Unfortunately I encountered the down side of success at Shakespeares on Saturday, the sun came out and so did the lager drinking lackwits, fighting outside the pub then threatening people when they were refused service later.

 

No chance of that sort of behaviour at Cask and Wellington because they don't sell lager.

 

Take's your choice...invite a certain crowd and have to budget for crowd control or do a range of train based home brew and have two men and a dog in there.

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I do remember a shooting in the White Hart not long after my first and only visit probably around 1987 because the Fat Cat was too full to get in ..anyone recall it?

 

My old brother and sister in-law had it around that time.There used to be some uns went in there but I don't recall any shootings.I knew a bloke that went in there that did time for shooting somebody years ago,maybe that's what you heard/

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The thing all these pubs have in common are that they are close to new apartment buildings full of students and reasonably well-off professionals

 

And all free of tie?

 

---------- Post added 06-07-2015 at 23:31 ----------

 

Spot on! Pubcos have deliberately acted towards pubs becoming unviable by not refurbishing, restricting what drinks can be sold and increasing overheads for their managers. Result - "tired" pubs which became unpleasant to sit in, "tired" managers, who were constantly treading water rather than making a decent living and an opportunity for Pubcos to sell off yet another pub to developers.

Happened in our village but we opposed planning applications for development into housing, got the pub listed as an asset of community value, bought it and it will re-open shortly.

 

Great to hear, that just happened to The Plough at Sandygate, to ensure that Sainsburys couldn't get hold of it.

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Some pubs do remarkably well considering. The Kelham Island Tavern does not major on food but is packed. Remarkably the Fat Cat across the road from there doesn't major on food and is often packed. Remarkably the Shakespeare across the road from there doesn't do any food and is often packed.

 

There's a new culture of "beer tourism". People from all over now travel to Sheffield to visit these pubs.

 

I was staggered to see the amount of real ale now in Rotherham too.

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