The Pub trade is dying - Minimum price for Alcohol?

CorkMan

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

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

Did you have a problem with the supermarkets selling alcohol for the price they were charging?

€5-€6+ for a pint is way too much.

RoyalMarine

few of the clubs in waterford have started to contend for student nights out.
last year, there was maybe 1 that had drink promotions that were reasonable. 3 for €10 etc.
this year, nearly all of them are now charging €2 entry and €2 on all drinks.
they seem to be doing very well considering they are packed to the gills every night.

as for places that charge €5+ a drink, well i wont be sorry to see them go.

risteard7

Crazy Horse 6 wrote: »

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.

Fair play if every one done the same they wouldnt be long bringing down the prices but unfortunately people will still pay it

Spiritofthekop

Crazy Horse 6 wrote: »

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.

That place is a complete rip off.

A pint of rock shandy is €6...which i told him to shove it.

Fighting Irish

CorkMan wrote: »

Did you have a problem with the supermarkets selling alcohol for the price they were charging?

€5-€6+ for a pint is way too much.

Prices are determined by the customer!!!!!

Business' are there to make money, as much as possible!!

Nothing is a rip off, nobody forces anyone to buy anything!

MagicSean

Fighting Irish wrote: »

Prices are determined by the customer!!!!!

Business' are there to make money, as much as possible!!

Nothing is a rip off, nobody forces anyone to buy anything!

In a normal market prices are controlled by the customer. The pub trade is far from a normal market as it has to pander to the VFI as well as deal with regulation.

RichieC

Fighting Irish wrote: »

Prices are determined by the customer!!!!!

Business' are there to make money, as much as possible!!

Nothing is a rip off, nobody forces anyone to buy anything!

nothing's a ripoff my hole.

how many times social gatherings such as weddings or christenings have compelled people into pubs for long hours? Ah sure just drink coke then! *buzzz*

BBDBB

If you only have a set budget for your social life, then eventually you make a decision as to value you are getting for your money. The prices of a pint are simply not worth it when you can get much more value from your local off licence or supermarket

In the current economic climate it really isnt rocket science as to why pubs are struggling and shutting. Social norms change and staying in with bought in booze has become more socially acceptable since the millenium.

fontanalis

I always wondered how some of the bars in Dublin got away with changing the price every so often.

BigDuffman

Some fierce hypocracy in this thread....Ireland is a nation of beer guzzling pub goers. Our culture and tradition is based on it. If every local pub in Ireland would close tomorrow, I'm sure you would all be happy sitting in your boxers drinking cans of Dutch and staring at your mates every weekend.

I have traveled around the place sampling the alcoholic delights of the world in fact just back from Toronto where you would pay $8/9 and beyond for a pint (tip not included) and charge $20 in to most spots . Many other countries eg. Norway €9, Lithuania (yes a pint is pricey there €5 as standard in the tourist spots) are more expensive than Dublin.

Ireland is an expensive place to operate. For example my local boozer (a family run pub) has a crew of barmen where there are 5 or so senior barmen, many of them have been working for the same bar for 20+ years. As you can imagine the cost of Wages for keeping these lads in work is substantial.

Would you prefer that they sack these lads, who pull a mean pint of the black shtuff, and sub them in with a Brazillian part timer for minumum wage? Who can barely speak English in order to keep the pints down. While we are at it why not fire all senior / Irish bar staff replace them with foreign low paid staff? That would mean our pint may be cheaper...

In saying this there are some shocking yuppy bars that charge a fortune for no good reason. However these pubs are not the ones that will be closing down. Our local family run traditional pubs are the ones being hit as people are now only going out to a night club after a feed of cans, then playing crouching tiger hidden naggin in the club.

I enjoy looking at wimminz and the banter associated with the pub scene. Sure I save a few quid now and again by staying in with the lads a bag of Lidls finest but I do not plan to lock myself indoors on the weekend on account of shelling out for a gargle!

ScumLord

RichieC wrote: »

nothing's a ripoff my hole.

how many times social gatherings such as weddings or christenings have compelled people into pubs for long hours? Ah sure just drink coke then! *buzzz*

It's still up to the buyer to decide weather they want to buy or not. Irish people have this problem of succumbing to peer pressure and being ashamed of not following the heard which we need to get over.

Seachmall

ScumLord wrote: »

Irish people have this problem of succumbing to peer pressure and being ashamed of not following the heard which we need to get over.

In fairness it's not just Irish people, it's global issue.

revell

BigDuffman wrote: »

Some fierce hypocracy in this thread....Ireland is a nation of beer guzzling pub goers. Our culture and tradition is based on it. If every local pub in Ireland would close tomorrow, I'm sure you would all be happy sitting in your boxers drinking cans of Dutch and staring at your mates every weekend.

I do not even worry about it considering such a big culture of drinking and Ireland is in fact still one of the richest country in the world......

Helix

BigDuffman wrote: »

I have traveled around the place sampling the alcoholic delights of the world in fact just back from Toronto where you would pay $8/9 and beyond for a pint (tip not included) and charge $20 in to most spots . Many other countries eg. Norway €9, Lithuania (yes a pint is pricey there €5 as standard in the tourist spots) are more expensive than Dublin.

the difference is that people in these places you mention know how to have A drink, as opposed to 12 on a night out

Seachmall

BigDuffman wrote: »

If every local pub in Ireland would close tomorrow, I'm sure you would all be happy sitting in your boxers drinking cans of Dutch and staring at your mates every weekend.

90%+ of the time I'd much prefer to be at home bantering with friends. I think that's where my generation and younger ones are going (most under 23 y/o get locked before going out in my experience and I imagine it'll stay that way for a while).

BBDBB

people vote with their feet BigDuffman

ardinn

Seanbeag1 wrote: »

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

How exactly? Please explain in detail!

ardinn

Seanbeag1 wrote: »

In a normal market prices are controlled by the customer. The pub trade is far from a normal market as it has to pander to the VFI as well as deal with regulation.

The VFI has no control over what pubs do - No publican has to join the organization.

Caveman1

My local had a special deal on for the All Ireland Final, 3 bottles of beer for €10 this to me was still robbery as they bought the boxes of beer in the supermarket for no more than €20, so if they sell 6 bottles that covers the cost of each box, then they have the rest to sell for pure profit.

ardinn

Caveman1 wrote: »

My local had a special deal on for the All Ireland Final, 3 bottles of beer for €10 this to me was still robbery as they bought the boxes of beer in the supermarket for no more than €20, so if they sell 6 bottles that covers the cost of each box, then they have the rest to sell for pure profit.

Yes - this is how business works - will you please run for minister for finance - the country needs you!

Caveman1

ardinn wrote: »

Yes - this is how business works - will you please run for minister for finance - the country needs you!

They wouldnt let me as I'm over qualified (I knew I shouldnt of done my leaving cert)

I know how a business works but if you walk into nearly any pub in Ireland during the week you'll be lucky to see a half dozen people there and its because these pubs are still way over charging in a recession for a product that is 4 or 5 times cheaper if you decide to drink at home. Why cant they take a hit on the profits if it means they'll actually still have customers to serve in these places.

Helix

Caveman1 wrote: »

if you walk into nearly any pub in Ireland during the week you'll be lucky to see a half dozen people there

how is that a bad thing? jesus id be more concerned if they were packed to the gills during the week

Blazer

ardinn wrote: »

The VFI has no control over what pubs do - No publican has to join the organization.

bollix,
Any pub that even attempts to sell drink far below their competitors is warned fairly rapidly by the VFI what will happen if they don't play ball.
Stuff such as making sure they're refused credit by all breweries etc means they've little choice but to fall in line.
It's basically one giant cartel.

ScumLord

Caveman1 wrote: »

My local had a special deal on for the All Ireland Final, 3 bottles of beer for €10 this to me was still robbery as they bought the boxes of beer in the supermarket for no more than €20, so if they sell 6 bottles that covers the cost of each box, then they have the rest to sell for pure profit.

A 50% mark up is common on just about any product sold by anyone.

ardinn

Caveman1 wrote: »

They wouldnt let me as I'm over qualified (I knew I shouldnt of done my leaving cert)

I know how a business works but if you walk into nearly any pub in Ireland during the week you'll be lucky to see a half dozen people there and its because these pubs are still way over charging in a recession for a product that is 4 or 5 times cheaper if you decide to drink at home. Why cant they take a hit on the profits if it means they'll actually still have customers to serve in these places.

Not entirely true

Its because if you live more than 1/2 mile away, you cant get home (rural), its because women dont want to have to stand on the street like a prostitute to have a cigarette. People still want to go out imo, and the price of drink in pubs outside of dublin is still relatively cheap. Dublin is its own problem, and for those who want to rant on about the VFI - please be aware that the VFI operates outside of the capital mostly, The LVA is the cities representatives.

Caveman1

Helix wrote: »

how is that a bad thing? jesus id be more concerned if they were packed to the gills during the week

Why would you be concerned? When I used to work in a pub before things got bad, we would have lots of people in everyday for a couple of pints after work, or couples coming out for a quiet drink. Obviously you get your dipsos that never leave but now there the only ones the pub trade can depend on

Blazer

ardinn wrote: »

Not entirely true

Its because if you live more than 1/2 mile away, you cant get home (rural), its because women dont want to have to stand on the street like a prostitute to have a cigarette. People still want to go out imo, and the price of drink in pubs outside of dublin is still relatively cheap.

and again complete bollix....
Pint down in Limerick..about €4.50..bottle of corona? €5 so not much cheaper..at least not enough to justify going to a pub.
Most pubs now have a smoking area so the women doesn't feel like a prositute outside having a ciggie:eek:

Fact of the matter is Hotels/pubs have been ripping off people for many years now, people didn't care when they had loads of money but now that we're in a recession every cent counts.
So I can skip my pub at the weekend and not spend the €100 or so on a night out, instead I can buy a 24 pack of Corona for €20 and have it last me the week...
It wouldn't matter if the supermarkets had to sell it dearer...people will just cut out both together so then everyone is screwed.

ardinn

Sc@recrow wrote: »

bollix,
Any pub that even attempts to sell drink far below their competitors is warned fairly rapidly by the VFI what will happen if they don't play ball.
Stuff such as making sure they're refused credit by all breweries etc means they've little choice but to fall in line.
It's basically one giant cartel.

Back that up please immediately.

I would love to see evidence of this - which by your post im sure you have.

As a former member, I can tell you this isnt true - Making sure they are "Refused credit" HAHAHAHAHAHAHA - Good god man - conspiracy forum for you I thinks!!!

You actually believe Diageo and the likes will refuse credit to people based on the opinion of the organization that has prevented it raising prices for over 2 years by 43% like they have gotten away with in the uk?

You believe the breweries and the VFI work together on this sort of stuff???

Your next post will be interesting.

Blazer

ardinn wrote: »

Back that up please immediately.

I would love to see evidence of this - which by your post im sure you have.

As a former member, I can tell you this isnt true - Making sure they are "Refused credit" HAHAHAHAHAHAHA - Good god man - conspiracy forum for you I thinks!!!

You actually believe Diageo and the likes will refuse credit to people based on the opinion of the organization that has prevented it raising prices for over 2 years by 43% like they have gotten away with in the uk?

You believe the breweries and the VFI work together on this sort of stuff???

Your next post will be interesting.

I'd back it up except that chap that owned that pub died a couple of years ago.. He used to run a 3 hour "happy hour" every friday night and was cleaning all the other pubs out in the town I lived.
Diageo didn't own Guinness at the time so maybe things has changed etc but he had the local VFI rep call in to him and spell out exactly what would happen if he didn't withdraw the happy hours.

Temptamperu

Happy hours have been illegal the past ten years though