why are there no J D Wetherspoon pubs in ROI?

HalloweenJack

Wetherspoon axes Heineken and Murphy's

Cynic in me says the VFI have something to do with this. As mentioned in the article, Heineken is Ireland's biggest seller so Wetherspoons not being able to sell it for €2 less is going to hurt them.

I don't see why people would think Heineken is a superior beer to anything you can get in Wetherspoons or any other places but if there are people out who are willing to pay a fiver a pint than I'm sure there are some of them who are thick enough to avoid Wetherspoons because it won't serve Heineken.

Of course, there could be something else going on here but knowing the types that are involved in the VFI, it wouldn't surprise me if they've put pressure on Heineken not to play ball with Wetherspoons while continuing to refuse to address their business models in light of some competition.

Anybody else have more on this?

craggles

Personally I think Wetherspoons have their work cut out. Diageo are against them, Heineken are against them and the all powerful Vintner's Association are heavily against them, and understandably so.

The only positive about this chain of pubs is that they are cheap. Their food is diabolical and their pubs are soulless places devoid of all atmosphere and warmth. They are a cancer on any bar and pub scene in any area they move into and as much as the greed of publicans in this country turns all of our stomachs, in comparison with this vile pub chain they represent a lesser of two evils.

Of course competition is always a good thing but Wetherspoons gaining a foothold has the potential to be irreversibly detrimental to Irish pub culture if it is allowed to happen.

cloud493

craggles wrote: »

Personally I think Wetherspoons have their work cut out. Diageo are against them, Heineken are against them and the all powerful Vintner's Association are heavily against them, and understandably so.

The only positive about this chain of pubs is that they are cheap. Their food is diabolical and their pubs are soulless places devoid of all atmosphere and warmth. They are a cancer on any bar and pub scene in any area they move into and as much as the greed of publicans in this country turns all of our stomachs, in comparison with this vile pub chain they represent a lesser of two evils.

Of course competition is always a good thing but Wetherspoons gaining a foothold has the potential to be irreversibly detrimental to Irish pub culture if it is allowed to happen.

Lies :eek:

Beefy78

craggles wrote: »

Personally I think Wetherspoons have their work cut out. Diageo are against them, Heineken are against them and the all powerful Vintner's Association are heavily against them, and understandably so.

The only positive about this chain of pubs is that they are cheap. Their food is diabolical and their pubs are soulless places devoid of all atmosphere and warmth. They are a cancer on any bar and pub scene in any area they move into and as much as the greed of publicans in this country turns all of our stomachs, in comparison with this vile pub chain they represent a lesser of two evils.

Of course competition is always a good thing but Wetherspoons gaining a foothold has the potential to be irreversibly detrimental to Irish pub culture if it is allowed to happen.

Absolute nonsense.

VinLieger

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Wetherspoon axes Heineken and Murphy's

Cynic in me says the VFI have something to do with this. As mentioned in the article, Heineken is Ireland's biggest seller so Wetherspoons not being able to sell it for €2 less is going to hurt them.

I don't see why people would think Heineken is a superior beer to anything you can get in Wetherspoons or any other places but if there are people out who are willing to pay a fiver a pint than I'm sure there are some of them who are thick enough to avoid Wetherspoons because it won't serve Heineken.

Of course, there could be something else going on here but knowing the types that are involved in the VFI, it wouldn't surprise me if they've put pressure on Heineken not to play ball with Wetherspoons while continuing to refuse to address their business models in light of some competition.

Anybody else have more on this?

Id agree with the theory the VFI are involved.

TBH last time I was there I didnt drink Heineken anyway since the vast amount of beers they sell are far superior for the same prices if not cheaper.

keano_afc

craggles wrote: »

Personally I think Wetherspoons have their work cut out. Diageo are against them, Heineken are against them and the all powerful Vintner's Association are heavily against them, and understandably so.

The only positive about this chain of pubs is that they are cheap. Their food is diabolical and their pubs are soulless places devoid of all atmosphere and warmth. They are a cancer on any bar and pub scene in any area they move into and as much as the greed of publicans in this country turns all of our stomachs, in comparison with this vile pub chain they represent a lesser of two evils.

Of course competition is always a good thing but Wetherspoons gaining a foothold has the potential to be irreversibly detrimental to Irish pub culture if it is allowed to happen.

Maybe you should visit one, I would disagree with a lot of what you've posted.

VinLieger

keano_afc wrote: »

Maybe you should visit one, I would disagree with a lot of what you've posted.

I disagree with everything they posted, wetherspoons are a breath of fresh air to the pub scene in this country.

About time somebody challenged the all powerful ripoff triefecta of the VFI, Heineken and Diageo.

HalloweenJack

craggles wrote: »

The only positive about this chain of pubs is that they are cheap. Their food is diabolical and their pubs are soulless places devoid of all atmosphere and warmth. They are a cancer on any bar and pub scene in any area they move into and as much as the greed of publicans in this country turns all of our stomachs, in comparison with this vile pub chain they represent a lesser of two evils.

Have been to Wetherspoons in the UK and they're great places. Food is very good for the price, drink too. The atmosphere is grand if you actually want to have a conversation with someone.

The atmosphere in Irish pubs that Wetherspoons seem to threaten is all make believe. Having music blaring so loud that you can't really chat, sports all over the place or ceili nights isn't what everybody wants. My favourite pubs are the more laid-back old man places where you can have a quiet pint and a chat. That's what Wetherspoons is. If I want to have loud music pumping, then I'll go to a nightclub. If I want to watch football, I know where to go but if I fancy a quiet pint it makes perfect sense to go for the considerably cheaper option.

Personally, the atmosphere in any Wetherspoons I've been in is no different to the quiet old man pubs back home. The atmosphere in modern gastro-pub/sports bars that most ones seem to be nowadays is not something special or intrinsically Irish. They've places like that too in the UK. Don't fall for this VFI bull**** propaganda about how our pub culture is special. Apart from trad sessions and those slot machines in the UK, there's no difference between Irish and UK pub culture and Wetherspoons offers no threat whatsoever to that status quo. The only threat they offer is to the VFI coffers.

Grayson

craggles wrote: »

Personally I think Wetherspoons have their work cut out. Diageo are against them, Heineken are against them and the all powerful Vintner's Association are heavily against them, and understandably so.

The only positive about this chain of pubs is that they are cheap. Their food is diabolical and their pubs are soulless places devoid of all atmosphere and warmth. They are a cancer on any bar and pub scene in any area they move into and as much as the greed of publicans in this country turns all of our stomachs, in comparison with this vile pub chain they represent a lesser of two evils.

Of course competition is always a good thing but Wetherspoons gaining a foothold has the potential to be irreversibly detrimental to Irish pub culture if it is allowed to happen.

You're describing half the pubs in Ireland. The only difference is wetherspoons is cheaper. Most pubs a crap holes with ****ty food that pack as many people in whilst fleecing them on every drink.

stimpson

I would have thought this type of thing would be anti-competitive and illegal. Fair play for standing up to them. Doesn't bother me in the slightest as Irish Heineken is piss and I wouldn't be a big Murphys drinker unless I was in Cork and there was no craft beer. There are plenty of nice beers in the Three Tun Tavern anyway.

I'd say it could hit Spoons in the UK as I would think it's a big seller over there. It could also be posturing by Spoons to force Heinekens hand and get a few column inches of free publicity.

recyclops

it comes across as extremely bitter (pardon the pun) on the vintners side

all this shows is that the monopoly they have had over pubs and the amount of cash they were making from it. They must be worried

Having been down in the three tun in blackrock before the ireland game recently i can tell you from now on its my pre match drinking spot.

had 5 pints and a full dinner for less then 25 euro, perfect location for lansdowne and the food was quite nice.

ps i would recommend the sweet action if going into one of their fine establishments

hmmm

I knew nothing about Wetherspoons before they came to Ireland, other than the negative opinions I heard about them on here - but if they are willing to turn pubs into places where you can have a nice beer (which isn't the usual fizzy muck) and some food, no blaring music so you can talk to your friends and lower prices, I'm willing to give them my support.

podgemonster

I don't think Whetherspoons were really aiming for the die Hard Heineken drinkers market. People who are too sheepish to actually try different beers other than the occasional Carlsberg when there's no Heineken available.

craggles

Some depressing responses there.

By far the worst pubs I have ever been have been any number of Wetherspoons establishments in the UK. Invariably, they have the following traits:

-Awful service.

-Food is mostly microwaved, reheated or of poor quality. Sorry if you think it's decent but that's a fairly low bar to be setting yourself.

-Entire pub stinks of the food they serve

-Decor of the pubs are all identical from one to the other.

-Flat, transient, soulless atmosphere.

Look, it's great that they can supply such cheap drink, that would be a genuinely great thing here given the price of drink in this country but they are a very aggressive chain and I think they could serioualy ruin a lot of really good pubs if they come in.

drumswan

craggles wrote: »

Some depressing responses there.

By far the worst pubs I have ever been have been any number of Wetherspoons establishments in the UK. Invariably, they have the following traits:

-Awful service.

-Food is mostly microwaved, reheated or of poor quality. Sorry if you think it's decent but that's a fairly low bar to be setting yourself.

-Entire pub stinks of the food they serve

-Decor of the pubs are all identical from one to the other.

-Flat, transient, soulless atmosphere.

Look, it's great that they can supply such cheap drink, that would be a genuinely great thing here given the price of drink in this country but they are a very aggressive chain and I think they could serioualy ruin a lot of really good pubs if they come in.

Rubbish.

I hope they put half the pubs in the country out of business, the generic Irish pub is a ****hole. **** beer, staff who know nothing about the product, **** or no food, televisions everywhere and crap music blaring half the time.

craggles

drumswan wrote: »

Rubbish.

I hope they put half the pubs in the country out of business, the generic Irish pub is a ****hole. **** beer, staff who know nothing about the product, **** or no food, televisions everywhere and crap music blaring half the time.

You must drink in some god awful spots.

VinLieger

craggles wrote: »

You must drink in some god awful spots.

And you havent been to the Three Tun in Blackrock because it is absolutely NOTHING like what you described above. So maybe quit with the sweeping statements of something you havent experienced?

Your starting to sound like you have a vested interest in wetherspoons failing btw

craggles

VinLieger wrote: »

And you havent been to the Three Tun in Blackrock because it is absolutely NOTHING like what you described above. So maybe quit with the sweeping statements of something you havent experienced?

Your starting to sound like you have a vested interest in wetherspoons failing btw

I see it's getting some absolutely glowing reviews here anyway!

http://www.yelp.ie/biz/the-three-tun-tavern-blackrock

drumswan

craggles wrote: »

You must drink in some god awful spots.

Plenty of decent options in Dublin these days - Galway Bays Bars, L Mulligan Grocer, Kavanaghs, The Norseman, 57 The Headline etc.

If you live in the suburbs or the sticks you get Diageo or Heineken muck and Man United on the telly for your sins. Give me the Three Tun any day of the week.

WinnyThePoo

craggles wrote: »

Some depressing responses there.

By far the worst pubs I have ever been have been any number of Wetherspoons establishments in the UK. Invariably, they have the following traits:

-Awful service.

-Food is mostly microwaved, reheated or of poor quality. Sorry if you think it's decent but that's a fairly low bar to be setting yourself.

-Entire pub stinks of the food they serve

-Decor of the pubs are all identical from one to the other.

-Flat, transient, soulless atmosphere.

Look, it's great that they can supply such cheap drink, that would be a genuinely great thing here given the price of drink in this country but they are a very aggressive chain and I think they could serioualy ruin a lot of really good pubs if they come in.

Perhaps go to the new one in Blackrock. It's nothing like what you have described.

craggles

VinLieger wrote: »

And you havent been to the Three Tun in Blackrock because it is absolutely NOTHING like what you described above. So maybe quit with the sweeping statements of something you havent experienced?

Your starting to sound like you have a vested interest in wetherspoons failing btw

How do you know I haven't been there? I have and it was like every other Wetherspoons I've set foot in.

If I sound like I have a vested interest, I do. I've travelled around much of Europe and have a passion for good pubs. My experiences with British chain pubs have been grim at best, and Wetherspoons are emblematic of that experience.

drumswan

craggles wrote: »

How do you know I haven't been there? I have and it was like every other Wetherspoons I've set foot in.

If I sound like I have a vested interest, I do. I've travelled around much of Europe and have a passion for good pubs. My experiences with British chain pubs have been grim at best, and Wetherspoons are emblematic of that experience.

Your a spoofer, there was no pub in Ireland the equivalent of the best pubs in Belgium, Holland, the Czech Republic or Germany up until The Porterhouse opened in Dublin. It was a decade further on until anything else decent opened.

A pub is a retailer of beer, wine and spirits. Heineken and Diageo crap, some Irish Distillers crap and a few generic red and white wines is laughable as a selection in such a place.

recyclops

craggles wrote: »

Some depressing responses there.

By far the worst pubs I have ever been have been any number of Wetherspoons establishments in the UK. Invariably, they have the following traits:

-Awful service.

-Food is mostly microwaved, reheated or of poor quality. Sorry if you think it's decent but that's a fairly low bar to be setting yourself.

-Entire pub stinks of the food they serve

-Decor of the pubs are all identical from one to the other.

-Flat, transient, soulless atmosphere.

Look, it's great that they can supply such cheap drink, that would be a genuinely great thing here given the price of drink in this country but they are a very aggressive chain and I think they could serioualy ruin a lot of really good pubs if they come in.

If a pub is that good and doesnt include all off the above issues you list, then it wont be shut down because of weetherspoons.

So many pubs in blackrock/dun laoghaire are awful places and would have been struggling before weetherspoons rocked up

The traditional pubs which has its regulars, a spot of charm etc will continue to stay open as people like them and will return regardless of pricing

swimming in a sea

Gatwick airport last week, my first time to eat in a Wetherspoons. Lovely Club sandwich but chips tasted like they were cooked a few hours earlier.

beerbaron

craggles wrote: »

Some depressing responses there.

By far the worst pubs I have ever been have been any number of Wetherspoons establishments in the UK. Invariably, they have the following traits:

-Awful service.

-Food is mostly microwaved, reheated or of poor quality. Sorry if you think it's decent but that's a fairly low bar to be setting yourself.

-Entire pub stinks of the food they serve

-Decor of the pubs are all identical from one to the other.

-Flat, transient, soulless atmosphere.

Look, it's great that they can supply such cheap drink, that would be a genuinely great thing here given the price of drink in this country but they are a very aggressive chain and I think they could serioualy ruin a lot of really good pubs if they come in.

Been to any in Ireland ?

VinLieger

craggles wrote: »

I see it's getting some absolutely glowing reviews here anyway!

http://www.yelp.ie/biz/the-three-tun-tavern-blackrock

LOL resorting to yelp to prove a point? the site is a joke, just full of people trying to make a name for themselves by leaving bad reviews.

Also at the same time proving you havent been to it and have to resort to third party accounts therefore your opinion is meaningless.

People there also complaining there's no carvery, music, or TV which it never claimed to have so why the **** did they go there in the first place?

I go there for the ability to talk to my mates without shouting over deafening music, cheap beer that actually tastes nice, cheap enough food that is fine for the price and a good atmosphere which it definitely has.

Beano

craggles wrote: »

Some depressing responses there.

By far the worst pubs I have ever been have been any number of Wetherspoons establishments in the UK. Invariably, they have the following traits:

-Awful service.

-Food is mostly microwaved, reheated or of poor quality. Sorry if you think it's decent but that's a fairly low bar to be setting yourself.

-Entire pub stinks of the food they serve

-Decor of the pubs are all identical from one to the other.

-Flat, transient, soulless atmosphere.

Look, it's great that they can supply such cheap drink, that would be a genuinely great thing here given the price of drink in this country but they are a very aggressive chain and I think they could serioualy ruin a lot of really good pubs if they come in.

and yet you kept going back.

craggles

Beano wrote: »

and yet you kept going back.

They are everywhere over there, it's difficult to avoid them.

VinLieger

craggles wrote: »

They are everywhere over there, it's difficult to avoid them.

Been to england many times in my life only time I was ever unable to avoid one was an airport

Beano

craggles wrote: »

They are everywhere over there, it's difficult to avoid them.

Obviously. You dont seem to be able to manage it at all.