Punch Pubs in Portobello

Sue Allen · Post by **Sue Allen** » 21 Mar 2005, 14:26

I've been invited into the Forum as I am Operations Director for Punch Taverns PLC and we own a number of pubs in Portobello... I'd really like your input on issues....

Firstly, the Tides Inn down at the bottom of Kings Road - RE-OPENS THIS WEEKEND - FRIDAY 25th... Please go down there and see what you think.. We've spent money and hopefully it's a better localpub for it. Any feedback on email...

Secondly, the Old Pier is about to have an investment to take this to a more upmarket pub with great food! Watch this space for the launch date!

Now a problem we have - the FIGGATE WHINS in the High Street. I have read residents' comments and understand what a problem this pub has been in the past.. Punch have not long bought the site (it was part of the Pubmaster pub group).. Noise and control issues I understand....

Well the people have now left and we're going to spend money again. My thoughts are to make it more female-friendly with some sort of food offer. Sadly, there's no kitchen, so it would just have to be soup, paninis, baguettes etc... but to open the place up and upgrade it.. What do you think? Comments onto the forum or email me if you wish...

Also, do you know anyone interested in taking this pub as a lease? If so, can they contact Elaine Edwards, our recruitment Manager, on 07768 142744...

DG · Post by DG » 21 Mar 2005, 17:00

Sue, your plans for the Figgate Whins and the other pubs sound great. I'm really glad you've taken over the Figgate Whins and are taking the comments of local residents seriously. I have already shared my views with you by e-mail but welcome to the forum and well done

DG

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 21 Mar 2005, 19:47

I'd just like to echo DG's words of welcome Sue. If you've ever visited Portobello then you'll appreciate the potential that lies here both in terms of local and passing trade. Unfortunately I don't know of anyone who is interested in a pub tenancy, but will follow developments with interest.
Paninis and a welcoming, clean exterior and interior would get the thumbs up from me

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 21 Mar 2005, 20:17

...and if it's female-friendly I'll be there too!

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 21 Mar 2005, 20:25

mr magnolia wrote:...and if it's female-friendly I'll be there too!

Why's that, Mr M? ? ?

Getting in touch with your feminine side, perhaps?

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 21 Mar 2005, 20:27

Poppy wrote:
mr magnolia wrote:...and if it's female-friendly I'll be there too!

Why's that, Mr M? ? ?

Getting in touch with your feminine side, perhaps?

You think he'd have enough of the wimmin folks at home, wouldn't you?

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 21 Mar 2005, 20:31

Ecm, maybe he's caught some wimmin germs off them all!! Spooky!

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 21 Mar 2005, 20:32

I agree with Marya in that it needs to be upgraded externally as well as internally (could we have some hanging baskets like the Forester's thanks). That's always been a depressing, dirty looking side of the street so something classy to give the other shops something to aspire to would be nice! No teenagers, no dossers, no children, no drunks, no pool table would also be lovely

Oh, and dog friendly.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 21 Mar 2005, 20:37

no drunks

Tricky one that, in a pub!!!

[I know what you mean, really!]

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 21 Mar 2005, 20:44

Oh.... and particularly..... NO KARAOKE

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 21 Mar 2005, 20:52

Poppy wrote:
mr magnolia wrote:...and if it's female-friendly I'll be there too!

Why's that, Mr M? ? ?

Getting in touch with your feminine side, perhaps?

Can't get too much of a good thing, you know!

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 21 Mar 2005, 20:56

Epykat wrote:Oh.... and particularly..... NO KARAOKE

And air guitars are also on the prohibited list!!!

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 21 Mar 2005, 21:01

Poppy wrote:And air guitars are also on the prohibited list!!!

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 21 Mar 2005, 22:09

Sue, sounds great re Figgate Whins, a nice pub just up the road would be bliss. Also looking forward to seeing the revamp of the Old Pier, might just make it along to Tides Inn this weekend.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 21 Mar 2005, 22:11

Frankly, let's face it, you need to do whatever it takes to discourage the old clientele from returning, otherwise you will find that the new clientele won't materialise.

At least some of Portobello's pubs need to be 'gentrified'. At the moment, they are all pretty much without exception of the 'spit and sawdust' variety, with few if any redeeming features. That doesn't accurately reflect the diversity of people living in the area.

I think there is room for at least one bar that looks as though it belongs in the 21st century. This side of the street doesn't get much sunlight so it needs to be light and airy inside, modern without being trendy. Real ales, good wines, cocktails would be nice.

But here's the real selling point - a totally NO SMOKING bar would definitely get my vote. And I would make it over 21s only to discourage under-age drinking. No TV, no fruit machines, no jukebox. I would continue but I think you have probably got the idea by now.

Isn't it nice that people are listening to us? Welcome to the forum Sue. I hope you find our feedback useful.

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 21 Mar 2005, 22:31

But here's the real selling point - a totally NO SMOKING bar would definitely get my vote

Um...

I thought that was just around the corner anyway?

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 21 Mar 2005, 22:39

Is it? I can't remember when it comes into effect, but my admiration and respect goes to those who have pre-empted the enforced ban by introducing their own - and I'm sure they are doing great business.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 21 Mar 2005, 23:35

Yes, welcome indeed. How interesting to have such a big player visit our tiny forum. We'll be keeping an eye on your share price!!

Here's CAMRA's take on Punch (2nd para, scroll down a bit) :

http://www.cambridge-camra.org.uk/ale/2 ... stry1.html

Hopefully this won't happen here :

http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/BathNES/media ... PR1964.htm

Here is a writeup from the BBC on the whole leased-pub thing:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3644122.stm

Anyway, I'll stop causing trouble. What with the DTI and the Competition commission, you must have enough work to do!!

Sue Allen · Post by **Sue Allen** » 22 Mar 2005, 09:59

Don't know who "Dadaist" is, but just to cheer him up this morning - Punch in Scotland runs a little differently than England and Wales - we have a separate management team and an office in Stirling.
And I'm all FOR cask ales in Scotland... We work closely with Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh and are continually talking to other breweries to use their products. We run a "Finest Cask" list which gives a lot more choice.. With 450 pubs in Scotland, the issue for the very small brewery is quantity and delivery - but we keep talking.

We'll make sure some of these ales reach Portobello Sir!!

so give us a chance and don't knock us when we're trying to help..let's be positive eh?

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 22 Mar 2005, 10:22

Dada said

I'll stop causing trouble

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 22 Mar 2005, 15:24

This is such a joy. It's not often I get told to cheer up by such a heavyweight - what with Punch Taverns being 20% owned by Goldman Sachs - a major US Investment Bank - the business model of leasing, and the whole fake "we care" bit, there are so many angles here. Sue, I'm not in a bad mood. You have to believe me.

Right. For starters, I don't know how many of you have asked Sue for the pub to be no smoking, but have you read the submission to the Scottish Parliament by Punch Taverns on this very subject?

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/busin ... averns.pdf

Especially the bit -

"The pubs in question really form the heart of the local community ... often made up of the retired and elderly. ... To impose a ban .... ludicrous ... can't expect the elderly smoking population to nip outside in the middle of winter ... forced, to stay at home"

Er, this would seem to fly slightly in the face of this cosy wine and baguette franchise the rest of you are salivating about ...

Brian McCrow · Post by **Brian McCrow** » 22 Mar 2005, 17:54

Sue

I'm really pleased that you've joined our Forum. Most of us are positive.

I think this could be a good role model for other businesses to communicate with the local community.

I'm all for a Real Ale, Good Wine and simple food bar. No smoking would have my vote especially in such a small bar. Hanging baskets etc would cheer it up.

A bar where you can meet for a quiet chat and a light meal would be superb.

Light, bright decor please.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 22 Mar 2005, 20:42

In summary - here are the likes and dislikes of the forum so far :

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PUB MUST HAVE :

food : paninis

interior : hanging baskets, welcoming, clean, classy, female-friendly, dog friendly, gentrified, light and airy, modern, ale, wine, cocktails, quiet, light meals

PUB MUST NOT HAVE :

under 21s, dossers, children, drunks, pool, karaoke, old clientele, smoking, TV, fruit machine, jukebox, drunken teenagers, the wrong sort of people.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In time I'd like to add a few ideas of my own to those lists.

edit - added some more members' likes/dislikes

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 22 Mar 2005, 21:36

Personally Dadaist, I can take or leave the hanging baskets but if we're going to have them I'd prefer they were on the exterior.
I'd also like some elderly smokers to keep me company

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 22 Mar 2005, 23:00

Has anyone been to Utopia (the pub) and if so, what did you think?

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 22 Mar 2005, 23:52

mr magnolia wrote:Has anyone been to Utopia (the pub) and if so, what did you think?

No, but we could make it the next POL night out

Gedge · Post by **Gedge** » 23 Mar 2005, 14:41

Sue Allen wrote: so give us a chance and don't knock us when we're trying to help..let's be positive eh?

Well said. Too many people looking for an opportunity to take issue for the sake of it rather than accept something in the spirit it was meant.

It would be great to have a decent non intimidating pub one could pop into. I love the Ormelie but it's a bit of a trek. I was in the Barony on Broughton Street last week - blissful. Great atmosphere, good beer, no tv, traditional surroundings, no music. No smoking would probably suit me too but doesn't bother me overmuch. A non smoking area perhaps. Snacks but please not a bar/restaurant. Montpeliers in Bruntsfield is the pits.

But in the end things depend on the clientele. They will create the atmosphere.

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 23 Mar 2005, 14:47

Gedge wrote: I was in the Barony on Broughton Street last week

ah yes, if only every area could have a Barony, life would be cool.

Great thing about it is that it doesn't have an apparent 'niche' clientel - all ages and types. Even magnolians (although sadly only from time to time these days)

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 23 Mar 2005, 14:59

Gedge and Mr M, I quite agree with the two of you.

As far as the wine goes, for me it would be nice of there was a small but quite good selection to choose from to buy by the bottle as well as by the glass.

I think that a place like the Figgy would be what Punch Pubs would call "Chameleon" premises - mostly coffee and snacks during the day for casual trade and local workers [esp if Pheonix House is re-let] and a 'local' at night/weekends.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 23 Mar 2005, 15:23

Gedge wrote:
Sue Allen wrote: so give us a chance and don't knock us when we're trying to help..let's be positive eh?

Well said. Too many people looking for an opportunity to take issue for the sake of it rather than accept something in the spirit it was meant.

The spirit it was meant. Riiiight. Well allow me to be slightly more specific then and we'll see what our new friend has to say.

1) If I was a landlord of a Punch Taverns PLC establishment, and my pub burnt down in a fire, would you expect Punch to help with the refurbishment and let me off my payments due to loss of earnings, or send in the lawyers, refuse to pay a red cent and demand their money ?

2) If Punch Taverns PLC are so local-friendly, will they join in with PCATS and all of the other *local* businesses and condemn the proposals for a superstore as being contrary to the wishes of the locality ?

3) Will Sue condemn the fact that her owners, Goldman Sachs, sponsored a conference where Richard Perle gave businesses advice on how to exploit the Afghan and Iraq wars for profit ?

If the worst criticism I have to put up with here is that I am taking issue for the sake of it, or being negative, then call me an issue-taking party pooper. So far, the only thing Sue has got back to us on is a vague reference to cask ale. Oh, I almost forgot :

4) Do the pipes in the new Punch bars in Porty have those computerised monitoring systems to automatically send exact stats back to home base?

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 23 Mar 2005, 15:41

I really don't think this is the place to air your 'grievances' about the politics, or whatever you want to call it, of Punch Pubs, Dada. And I think it's very discourteous to challenge Ms Allen in this way. I work for the government - does that mean I have to defend the government's actions?

If you don't like the way PP do business, just don't visit their pubs!

And take up your grievances with them in a more appropriate 'forum'. Please.

Brian McCrow · Post by **Brian McCrow** » 23 Mar 2005, 16:27

Poppy,

I agree wholeheartedly with you re. the Dadaist's negative comments. Perhaps he needs to find a good pub so he can chill out.

On a positive note, if we could have a Barony type bar that would be excellent. It's one of my favourite bars up town. Good beer, good service, great atmosphere and a very varied clientele.

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 23 Mar 2005, 17:48

Brian McCrow wrote:On a positive note, if we could have a Barony type bar that would be excellent. It's one of my favourite bars up town. Good beer, good service, great atmosphere and a very varied clientele.

Only problem I'd have with that is that Mr E would have to pass it every night on his way home........or not

Brian McCrow · Post by **Brian McCrow** » 23 Mar 2005, 18:17

Perhaps we could persuade Punch to offer a special POL Happy Hour

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 23 Mar 2005, 18:23

Tsk, Brian, tsk!! Don't you know that Happy Hours encourage binge drinking!!

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