The Pub trade is dying - Minimum price for Alcohol?

the_syco

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Why is it only nightclubs which do this? Couldn't ordinary pubs try having drinks promotions and NOT ripping off their customers?

IMO, nightclubs can do this, as they're open for a short period of time. If a pub were to do this, they'd have to do it all the time, and loose out due to people getting two for the price of one during the quite periods. They can't do it for short periods, I think, as this would fall under the "happy hour" thing that I think was banned?

senordingdong wrote: »

Too ****ing right.

Aye. In the "old days", you'd goto the pub, and when it closed, get cans. Now, I get cans, goto the house. Don't goto the pub. May goto the nightclub. May be drunk by such stage, and not feel like walking alllllll the way down there so someone in the group can get refused, so we stay in the house party.

matrim

the_syco wrote: »

IMO, nightclubs can do this, as they're open for a short period of time. If a pub were to do this, they'd have to do it all the time, and loose out due to people getting two for the price of one during the quite periods. They can't do it for short periods, I think, as this would fall under the "happy hour" thing that I think was banned?

I think legally if they want to do this now they either have to do it all day, as an early bird until a certain time or "run out" of the beer until they are ready to start the promotion and then "run out" again when it's over.

None of which are great options

hucktheberry

Intoxication Liquor Act 2003
Section 20.
(1) A licensee shall not supply intoxicating liquor on the licensed premises at a reduced price during a limited period on any day.
(2) In subsection (1), “reduced price” means a price less than that regularly being charged for the intoxicating liquor during an earlier period after 10.30 a.m. (12.30 p.m. on a Sunday) on the day concerned.

benjamin d

rubadub wrote: »

I doubt this, as in they might want their piss on tap but I doubt they would complain if it was the ONLY beer available -i.e. nobody is going to complain about a better choice. The most poorly stocked offlicences have far better selection than most pubs.

I think you'll find that I meant thats all that THEY want, i.e your average customer; not that they would complain about serving other beers too.

rubadub wrote: »

I would rate all the beers you mentioned as comparable quality wise, i.e. heineken on a par with bavaria. People have very odd snobbish ideas about beers. Heineken is one of the cheapest beers out there now, and so it should be. If people did proper blind tastes they might be very suprised -some of the beer fans in the beer forum did proper tests and were shocked. Others did comparisons with cans vs bottles and found little difference (blind tests are essential).

You'll also find that I was advocating better beers than Heineken/Carlsberg to be available but that there would not be enough of a market. Personally I feel that Bavaria/Dutch Gold/Tennents are as bad as it gets, however I would put Fosters on a par with Heineken etc., which more reflects badly on Heineken than looking good for Fosters. I never claimed that Heineken was good beer, the opposite in fact. Please read the thread/posts carefully before replying.

Capt'n Midnight

http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.Super_Saturday.Super_Saturday

Perlenbacher 6 pack for €4.29 , works out at 83c a pint.

rubadub

benjamin d wrote: »

Please read the thread/posts carefully before replying.

I understood exactly what you meant in both cases, and still would reply in the exact same way...

bastados

My dad always said owning a pub was licence to print money...that was then and we shouldnt be made suffer by hiking shop bought drink prices just cause they're suffering now...the fairytale is over now you greedy fooks!!

thirtythirty

hucktheberry wrote: »

Intoxication Liquor Act 2003
Section 20.
(1) A licensee shall not supply intoxicating liquor on the licensed premises at a reduced price during a limited period on any day.
(2) In subsection (1), “reduced price” means a price less than that regularly being charged for the intoxicating liquor during an earlier period after 10.30 a.m. (12.30 p.m. on a Sunday) on the day concerned.

That doesn't stop "buy one get one frees".

I also know a place that was (maybe still is?) doing "flip a coin and pay or don't depending on outcome" on beers.

Further, "reduced price" by my reading of that looks to be "relative to normal selling prices", meaning there's nothing stopping the licencee knocking a euro or more off all drinks all day and making that the "regular price".

sharpey85

Surely the landlords of those premises where the publicans are struggling to pay many of the overheads (rent being a particularly large overhead) would rather re-negotiate a drop in the rent rather than see the pub close and therefore empty premises/no rent for what could be months or even longer!!

Secondly, I would much rather drink beer in the pub,a good pub (bit of craic, preferably busy, eye candy etc) rather than drink at home. But what we are looking for is middle ground. The supermarkets charge next to nothing for beer and will continue do so for a very long time. Pubs, imo (and most people on this forum) are better places to drink than at home but are far too expensive!!!

I'd say if not just publicans but the whole in pub industry met the consumer somewhere in the middle, pubs would become busier/better places, there wouldn't be as much of an argument about supermarkets selling at this and that price. Plus it would hopefully give the publicans the freedom to create their pub for whatever market they are trying to attract i.e sports pub with sky, quiet pub with smaller booths, student pubs etc...

Vicxas

Some nightclubs are now offering 2 euro a drink.... how can you make any decent profit on this?

hatrickpatrick

the_syco wrote: »

IMO, nightclubs can do this, as they're open for a short period of time. If a pub were to do this, they'd have to do it all the time, and loose out due to people getting two for the price of one during the quite periods. They can't do it for short periods, I think, as this would fall under the "happy hour" thing that I think was banned?

Well as I say, it's allowed in many nightclubs apparently. NV, the example I gave, has a one hour free bar on the first friday of the month I think from 11:30 to 12:30 at which point all drinks are 2 for 1 for the rest of the night - but saturday night has totally different promotions. Also, the 2 for 1 thing only starts at around 11 or something like that, whereas the upstairs part is open all evening.

Many nightclubs have promotions like this. "Cheap drinks until half twelve", etc.


Why can't pubs do the same?

Weissbier

Greed is the main cause for the demise of the Irish pub, I would agree that the Government is not helping. They cite higher taxes are needed to control alcohol consumption and thereby improve health. However, as I like most now drink mainly at home or call to freinds has lead to the opposite!! Home measures and the readily available variety of drinks in most homes today are certainly not healthy for you (although I enjoy it). Some peoples homes are now like mini pubs, from Mojitos to kegs at parites. This is certainly an unhealthy attitude to alcohol.

Now to get back to the poor publican!!! Some of ye might remember the Millenium!!! This was the begining of the end of the pub in Ireland. The publicans' GREED through out the country (admitedly primarliy in the big towns) thought people the value of the house party!! In Ennis for example that night there was only 2 pubs open, as people gave the publicans the two fingers to the £50 (not euro) per person entry fee to the pubs, which did not even include a complimentary drink or finger food. £100 per couple would buy alot of drink!!! Since this momentous night the Irish pub goer is now almost a distant memory and with the regular increases of the price of alcohol at the pub has lead to the current status.

It is now also funny to see the younger generation at play on this matter. They primarily drink at friends house parties (they take it in turns), then go to the nightclub and late bar, so as not to waste their hard earned cash on paying for the publicans Range Rover, or as was the case for the late entries to the pub trade their foolishly high repayments on multi-million Euro ventures.

In a nutshell it is not untill the publican lowers their price of drink that the Irish pub will not recover. Most publicans are like Finna Fail, they are in denial and too quick to blame everyone else!!!! No one expects to pay off-licence prices in the pub, but ye could do a bit better!!!!!!!!!!

Kerikosan

3 euro for all pints in the Brog before 11pm.

Genius.

Weissbier

If only would follow suit!! €3 a pint is very good, but they should include the 330ml bottle of beer in this offer. If memory serves me right most places charge around €4.50 a bottle and €4.20 a pint.

chrisxii

The price of drink on its own is far too high and should be capped at a certain price per pint. But if the pub is giving entertainment they should be allowed to increase the price of drink by a small amount to cover any charges. But the cowboys who are just on the bandwagon to rip people off on the price of drink I have no sympathy for.

Vicxas

Temple bar is a prime example of that, ripping off tourists.

Chairman Meow

Tough ****. Publicans were gouging us for years, and now they have some competition its all waa a bloo bloo were going out of business. Shouldve thought of that before you started charging 5-6 euro for a pint.
I might go to the pub once every 2nd week or so, but thats about it. Why would i routinely pay a 5er for a pint when i can get 4 cans for the same price?

ScumLord

sharpey85 wrote: »

Secondly, I would much rather drink beer in the pub,a good pub (bit of craic, preferably busy, eye candy etc) rather than drink at home.

I'd agree to a certain extent, if you want to talk to a diverse section of people a popular pub can be a great place to socialise but I don't see pubs creating a social atmosphere. If your just meeting friends there's no advantage to going to a pub.

As long as pubs are just places to drink they're not going to attract a diverse section of people either. People avoid pubs because they don't want to drink, there isn't as much tolerance for alcohol in society any more.

senordingdong

Vicxas wrote: »

Some nightclubs are now offering 2 euro a drink.... how can you make any decent profit on this?

Easily and legally.

iPlop

senordingdong wrote: »

Easily and legally.

Especially if you own your own premises.

Not At All

shop around and you will find one with reasonable prices

Spiritofthekop

Pubs are still selling pints for €5/6 round my area. NOTHING HAS CHANGED!

Ive completley stopped going now and my friends have made rooms in their house for friends to go around and watch the sport & socialize with a few beers

ScumLord

chrisxii wrote: »

But if the pub is giving entertainment they should be allowed to increase the price of drink by a small amount to cover any charges.

The publicans job is to get people in the door to buy his drink, putting on a band is along the same lines as putting an ad in a paper and is an expected expense just like any company wouldn't think of raising the price of their product every time they put an ad in the paper.

RichieC

The good pubs should survive... a bit of innovation, landlords, that's what it takes.

Drinks deals, good music, fancy beers option, live music. ect..

Most pubs give you what you can get at home, a couch and the telly. okay for a football match.

Why arent there places like dave and busters in this country either?

mikemac

Let's see a JD Wetherspoons in the country. The ones in Enniskillen and Belfast are doing well

Yes, I'm going to get quoted by posters who don't like them
But variety is good, they have good prices, good bar food and a far better choice of wines then most pubs

risteard7

You cant justify paying 5 euro a pint its just pure greed nothing else.The small bottles of coke 2.50 3 euro in some places and there getting them in for about 30 cent.How about a maximum price in pubs?

Crazy Horse 6

Was up in my local The Goat last week for a 40th and the barman asked me for 5.85 for a pint. I told him to keep it and did'nt bother drinking at all.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

the publicans are completely right to charge those prices if people are willing to go in and pay them
can't say I have much sympathy for the irish pub goer

ScumLord

RichieC wrote: »

Why arent there places like dave and busters in this country either?

Because the Irish government is opposed to competition between pubs. Publicans are also opposed to any other publican doing a promotion that their to lazy to do themselves.

I don't think the pub can survive any more it's to narrow a business model. If I don't want to drink alcohol I have absolutely no reason to go into a pub and no amount of promotions is going to change that.

MagicSean

RichieC wrote: »

The good pubs should survive... a bit of innovation, landlords, that's what it takes.

Drinks deals, good music, fancy beers option, live music. ect..

Most pubs give you what you can get at home, a couch and the telly. okay for a football match.

Why arent there places like dave and busters in this country either?

The VFI stamp out most trade innovations in pub. And competition? Forget about it.