The Deep End pub in Hillsborough - to reopen as The Rawson Spring (Wetherspoon).

[Blacksheep 10]

...........................

[Blacksheep 10]

..........................

[jamesogt 11]

I can see your point - however, i simply do not know how a brewer can sell their beers to JDW at these prices.

The Rawson Spring are selling a pint of 7.2% imperial stout at £1.69 from a local brewery.

It just doesn't add up in terms of production and duty costs.

Even cheaper comes the infamous brands of Green King and Marstons who are marching through the land on a take over and growth quest.

£1.49 a pint seems a good deal but have you tasted Abbot?!

The only thing suppliers to JDW can compete on is price - i.e. mine is cheaper than theirs.

And small local businesses cannot compete in a market place where the big boys make the rules. By patronising these sort of establishments you get a good deal cost wise but don't in any way support local sustainability.

Therefore as with anything supplied cheap, the quality will eventually suffer.

The very choice and cheapo prices that Wetherspoons customers believe they are getting is the very thing that will bring demise to the local business who will struggle to compete and supply at such low cost.

Pay nowt get nowt - they'll soon be selling nothing but the big brewers brands.

Lets see how long it is before you start to see the ubiquitous JDW signs hanging from several pumps stating 'Nearly ready' which is code for 'Haven't got any'.

A local micro brewer is keeping alive a traditional artisan craft and uses only fine natural ingredients.

Everything is aimed at quality, whereas the pricing structure dictated by pub co's such as JDW is only aligned with volume and a quick buck.

 

Thank you Blacksheep, I am glad I am not the only one with this type of thinking!

 

As for loss leaders they really aren't in percentage terms for them.

They are buying beer in at approximately 30p per pint and selling at 1.60, that is 5x what they pay. Lease holder pubs are paying 1.20 per pint and selling at 2.40 that is only x2. So there is no 'loss' involved for them! All you are doing is supporting corporate takeover and my previously mentioned 'Tesco' effect. I have nothing against Wetherspoons it is obviously a well run business, it is the mentality of people who abandon all others for the sake of 60p, and a generally inferior product. I know for sure that almost all their food is microwaved and comes in individual packs with microwave times printed on them!

[Blacksheep 10]

.........................

[Blacksheep 10]

...................................

[Rich 12]

I went in yesterday afternoon for a meal and a drink with a friend.. They forgot to bring the friend's drink after she ordered, and when they did they brough normal coke even though she'd ordered diet

 

Also, I ordered my usual Scampi and chips, no salad or peas, plate comes back full of salad! I queried this and said that I'd specifically asked for no salad, so they took it away and came back 5 minutes later with a plate of scampi and chips.

 

Not impressed with the service at all, I have seen better service in other Wetherspoons branches to be honest but to be fair it was only their third day of being open so I'll give them another chance.

[cityman 10]

I went in last night,it was full,seemed like half of hilsborough was there,still I enjoyed it and was suprised how big it was.

[Frazer1974 16]

We live in a global economy these days, and big chains of shops and pubs are here to stay, whether you like it or not.

 

How many people have pension funds which invest in FTSE 100 or 250 companies?

 

I'd guess most of us if you take the time to ask your pension trustees - therefore we are all benefitting in a roundabout way from national chains.

 

I agree it's a shame that local shops are being squeezed, but as for keeping the money in the local area, things aren't as simple as that nowadays.

[SimonS 10]

I went in last night. it was very, very busy - The staff in there were doing their best but the place was full of tables with used plates and glasses for most of the night. Apparently 9 staff have walked out since it opened (the bar man said this to a customer irate about waiting so long to be served). So the staff that have stuck it out deserve a medal.

 

I'm Hillsborough Hotel all the way.....

[Becky B 31]

I went in last night. it was very, very busy - The staff in there were doing their best but the place was full of tables with used plates and glasses for most of the night. Apparently 9 staff have walked out since it opened (the bar man said this to a customer irate about waiting so long to be served). So the staff that have stuck it out deserve a medal.

 

I'm Hillsborough Hotel all the way.....

 

Though it is a little further away for me than the Rawson Spring...

Not gone in there yet, looks veeery busy

[Meaks 11]

We went in to use our wine vouchers and had a pleasant evening in the small side room away from the main bar.

 

Everyone seemed to be crowding round the end of the bar and so were taking ages to be served, we didn't have too much trouble by moving a bit further up.

 

The cracks are certainly starting to show - a table across from us had glasses and pots piled on it for the entire evening, looked pretty much the same all over.

 

I'm Hillsborough Hotel all the way.....

 

There's no contest.

[theripsaw 10]

Yes i guess you can look at it like that, but once your foot is inside the door they don't magically give you a better price for your products.

They simply keep squeezing. Its good for no one.

The more they make the less you make, which i know is business, but eventually small local suppliers won't be able to make it pay and so can't supply and that is when the offer on the bar will change.

You may not see a big difference, just different ales from other brewers from surrounding areas, or some pumps not utilised or swapped for generic smooth flow.

Behind the pumps is always a story, not a sob story of high costs and low profit but that of a dream of keeping alive brewing tradition in Sheffield.

Not many people get into brewing for huge profit but low profit means cash flow death to local small businesses.

 

The Cricket (Totley) (the lease of which is part owned by Thornbridge Brewerys owner) sells Thornbridge Jaipur beer at £3 a pint - A small local brewer blatantly ripping off the public. Business is business i suppose