Waggon & Horses, Millhouses

[boyfriday]

I think it would be a shame to regard Sheffielders as simply cheap lager swillers and nugget munchers and pitch your business plan accordingly.

Sorry beefface much of my post was tongue in cheek, but Im a bit long in the tooth now and have seen fabulous restaurants/venues/ pubs in Sheffield with high ideals fail because of those ideals, yet thrive in other cities. Cities like Manchester, London and to some extent Leeds can get away with it, as much as I hate to admit it. Frankly I can't see a national chain upping their stakes and successfully pitching into this market in Sheffield, whereas decent quality, high volume fayre with great personal service and competitive prices might do it for the Flaming Grill people.

 

I think the geographical position of this pub could have ensured a healthy trade with a set up similar to The Cricket Inn, I mean the cafe in Millhouses Park is 'a bit minty' but always seems to enjoy a thriving trade.

 

I didn't visit the W&H when it was Pesto, but it seems that could have been one of the reasons for it's failure, despite generally excellent reviews on trip advisor, I genuinely believe the market for high end food in Sheffield is limited, there exist real foodies, but not in sufficient number to keep new places going or justify someone taking a chance on it.

[beefface]

I think Pesto failed, because simply put, the food was pony! ate there 3 times, once the novelty of eating lots of Ronnie Corbett sized portions wore off, you soon realised the actual food was incredibly substandard, this was reflected in its dwindling (despite initially enthusiastic) customer base.

[abbeyedges]

I tell you Stefan well done on raising the profile of the Flaming Grill at Millhouses over the 2 months prior to opening. Over 9,000 views and over 120 responses. Don't know whether it was your idea or your Head Office but you've created free publicity.

 

Looking over all these posts I cannot see anyone recommending a pool table or fruit machines. But Flaming Grill will have already had these in mind long before you set out to ask the market what they would like to see.

 

Major companies have a template that is picked up and put into each of their new sites. There is very little variation on this template.

 

If this was a privately owned operation I would say draw a 3 mile radius circle from the W&H and measure the market who live / work in that circle. In the Beauchief / Greenhill area I would imagine that there is a high proportion of retired people (opinion only) and I would therefore recommend some type of deal Monday - Friday midday for this market. But this isn't a privately owned operation so excuse me if I don't hold my breath to see if any of the recommendations put forward by Sheffield Forumers are implemented.

 

 

I sincerely wish you all the best with the venture.

[MWCC]

Thank you to Stefan who took the time out of his very busy day to meet with Millhouses Works CC and how we could both help each other going forward. Stefan was really nice and he and his team have done a fantastic job on the whole place.

 

I know for sure the cricket team can't wait to get back to their old home at the W&H!

 

Stefan is really wanting to get involved with the local community and as far as we could tell, this was not like any other 'chain' pub.

 

Thanks again Stefan!

[StefanFGrill]

I tell you Stefan well done on raising the profile of the Flaming Grill at Millhouses over the 2 months prior to opening. Over 9,000 views and over 120 responses. Don't know whether it was your idea or your Head Office but you've created free publicity.

 

Looking over all these posts I cannot see anyone recommending a pool table or fruit machines. But Flaming Grill will have already had these in mind long before you set out to ask the market what they would like to see.

 

Major companies have a template that is picked up and put into each of their new sites. There is very little variation on this template.

 

If this was a privately owned operation I would say draw a 3 mile radius circle from the W&H and measure the market who live / work in that circle. In the Beauchief / Greenhill area I would imagine that there is a high proportion of retired people (opinion only) and I would therefore recommend some type of deal Monday - Friday midday for this market. But this isn't a privately owned operation so excuse me if I don't hold my breath to see if any of the recommendations put forward by Sheffield Forumers are implemented.

 

 

I sincerely wish you all the best with the venture.

 

Great comments, and all taken on board.

 

It was my idea to come on here and ask what the people want! I have a passion for making people happy and wanted to turn this place into a thriving local once again and there is no better way than to talk to you guys for feedback directly.

 

We have been on open now for the last 2 days unofficially just to get a few people through the door so my brand new team can train without being overwhelmed by guests and have had nothing but very negative feedback regarding the pool table, on this alone and based on the comments put forward to me on here I have now cancelled my order for the pool table and turned that corner in a comfortable open fire bar seating area.

 

Fruit machines can't be removed as in my opinion a bar is not a bar without at least a few and a quiz machine to boot.

 

In your later comments regarding a good deal Monday-Friday in the afternoons and this being unavailable due to not been privately owned, we do indeed have a great lunch time deal!

 

Monday-Friday 12-4pm is our lunch club menu with a choice of 4 dishes and a pudding to go with it for a great price of £4.99, where else can you get a scampi chips and peas followed by a treacle sponge and custard for under a fiver?

 

So thank you for your feedback, and as mentioned above we WILL NOT be having a pool table installed based on YOUR FEEDBACK

 

Thanks and have a great day!

 

---------- Post added 18-02-2014 at 08:56 ----------

 

Thank you to Stefan who took the time out of his very busy day to meet with Millhouses Works CC and how we could both help each other going forward. Stefan was really nice and he and his team have done a fantastic job on the whole place.

 

I know for sure the cricket team can't wait to get back to their old home at the W&H!

 

Stefan is really wanting to get involved with the local community and as far as we could tell, this was not like any other 'chain' pub.

 

Thanks again Stefan!

 

Was great to meet you both and have a good chat, and thanks for the feedback I really appreciate it!

 

Hopefully see you on Wednesday and look forward to supporting and working with you this year!

 

Stefan

 

---------- Post added 18-02-2014 at 08:59 ----------

 

The waggon had 2 bandits and a quiz machine and was a decent pub in its time.

 

At the end of the day the more upmarket sit down restaurant approach has been tried and did not work.

 

I will reserve judgment till I have visited but have a feeling it will do ok.

 

Look forward to seeing you, give me shout when you visit so we can have a chat.

Have had a great response over the last few days with a few people returning 2 days in a row!

[Tess]

I'm really looking forward to giving this a go. Friends already planned a birthday meal there at the beginning of March - will we need to book or can we just turn up? Glad to see it up and running back to how it should be. An italian place was never going to work!

[JaKS]

We stopped going in for food, as parents were using it as a creche, kids running all over whilst you tried to have a meal.

Am sure we will give it a try.

Good Luck.

 

P.S. Not read all the posts but darts brings in regular customers at many pubs and takes up little space.

[abbeyedges]

Great comments, and all taken on board.

 

It was my idea to come on here and ask what the people want! I have a passion for making people happy and wanted to turn this place into a thriving local once again and there is no better way than to talk to you guys for feedback directly.

 

We have been on open now for the last 2 days unofficially just to get a few people through the door so my brand new team can train without being overwhelmed by guests and have had nothing but very negative feedback regarding the pool table, on this alone and based on the comments put forward to me on here I have now cancelled my order for the pool table and turned that corner in a comfortable open fire bar seating area.

 

Fruit machines can't be removed as in my opinion a bar is not a bar without at least a few and a quiz machine to boot.

 

In your later comments regarding a good deal Monday-Friday in the afternoons and this being unavailable due to not been privately owned, we do indeed have a great lunch time deal!

 

Monday-Friday 12-4pm is our lunch club menu with a choice of 4 dishes and a pudding to go with it for a great price of £4.99, where else can you get a scampi chips and peas followed by a treacle sponge and custard for under a fiver?

 

So thank you for your feedback, and as mentioned above we WILL NOT be having a pool table installed based on YOUR FEEDBACK

 

Thanks and have a great day!

 

---------- Post added 18-02-2014 at 08:56 ----------

 

 

Was great to meet you both and have a good chat, and thanks for the feedback I really appreciate it!

 

Hopefully see you on Wednesday and look forward to supporting and working with you this year!

 

Stefan

 

---------- Post added 18-02-2014 at 08:59 ----------

 

 

Look forward to seeing you, give me shout when you visit so we can have a chat.

Have had a great response over the last few days with a few people returning 2 days in a row!

 

The lunchtime offer sounds enticing. Has that been designed by Stefan and his team taking into consideration the local market and input from the Sheffield Forum or has it been drawn from the Flaming Grill company template?

In other words is that offer unique to the W&H and not also available at say the Belfry in Beighton?

 

Apologies for continuing to be cynical.

 

I wish you and all your team every success. Usually companies such as Flaming Grill employ managers who do nothing more than 'doing things right'. It seems they have someone there who does something a little more than that. I hope it works out for you all and when it is a success I hope the company rewards you for the effort you have put in.

[MWCC]

We are all very much looking forward to coming back after nets tonight. See you later!

 

MWCC

[Lockjaw]

Just been.

 

Atmosphere: pub-like but refined. Plenty of people in; some eating, some just drinking, chatting and rejoicing in the fact it's a pub again.

 

Service: excellent, though the staff are obviously new to the systems and the menu and so on, so make sure they remember to register the daily deal if it applies to you.

 

Food: great - even the little Lockjaws ate all of theirs, which is rare, and the gluten free stuff was actually gluten free, according to Mrs Lockjaw's innards, unlike the Pesto incarnation.

 

Won 40 quid on the bandit, too, so it was all free and, if Verona was there, the kerchunking of all those lovely pound coins streaming out will have wound her up a little.

 

All in all a great early evening.

 

We'll be back very soon.