THE scale of the decline of the traditional Welsh pub was laid bare today as figures revealed more than 400 are currently up for sale.
As the industry struggles, trade experts have spoken out about the crafty tactics some buyers use to benefit from the knockdown prices and warned many pubs would “cease to exist”.
But a property specialist and a Government minister sounded a note of caution to the stark warnings, claiming the outlook for the industry is good.
Between five property agents, there are 413 pubs on the market in Wales at the moment.
Brewer Simon Buckley, director of Evan Evans in Llandeilo, feared there would have to be a “cull” of pubs across Britain.
He said: “The simple fact of life is that we are still oversupplied with pubs in the UK by about 10,000 units.
“There will have to be a cull of pubs – it’s inevitable. Some will disappear and others will change into houses. Many rural pubs will just cease to exist.
“I think what has got to happen is inevitably a rationalisation of pubs, and it is going to go on happening.”
Brian Francis, from the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), said savvy buyers were able to take advantage of breweries selling off large properties at low prices.
He said: “Some people have bought pubs with a specific view to not using them as pubs. They decide it is not really economic and all they really wanted was a house.
“Some people see a pub as a retirement home and just want to convert it into a home. There is an element of that, particularly with country pubs.
“Sometimes the pub is the hub of the community – it is a meeting place and practically everything goes on there so it is quite an essential part of village life.
“We would object to a change of use if we felt it was a loss of amenity.”
Anyone buying a pub in the hope of turning it exclusively into a home would be forced to apply for planning permission.
Mr Buckley said buyers could cash in now and wait for the property market to improve before selling off some of the land for development.
He said: “One of the things that comes with pubs is large car parks. When the property market returns, what they are effectively doing is buying a cheap plot.
“If you look at some of the pubs around and outside Cardiff you could get two or three houses in the car park alone.”
But he warned the trade was no longer a place for people without experience.
He said: “The cost of running pubs is just staggering – the rates have gone up 20 or 25% in the last year alone.
“Running pubs is no longer for the amateur, it’s for the professional. Unless they are professional it’s going to fail drastically.
“There’s no question about it, tenanted pub company tenants are having a really hard time. They have to pay a very high rent and don’t get a discount on drinks from the brewery.”
The high cost of alcohol in pubs compared to the offers available in supermarkets was cited as one of the main reasons for the difficulties pubs are finding themselves in.
Mr Francis said: “Low supermarket prices mean you can walk in and buy all sorts of cheap alcoholic products. People are tending to drink at home because they are being priced out.”
He added: “Spending a night in the pub is not a cheap thing to do any more. The Government is looking at minimum pricing and that may do something to help the ailing pub trade. Camra would certainly support a degree of minimum pricing.”
The latest statistics available from the British Beer and Pub Association show there are 52,000 pubs in Britain, and 28 are closing every week – a rate of four a day.
But John Penrose, minister for tourism and heritage in the new coalition government, said efforts would be made to ensure the survival of pubs.
He said: “The Government recognises the value of pubs to local communities, both socially and economically. As well as being a hub of social activity, the community pub provides local employment, uses local services and buys in local goods.”
Robin Mence, managing director of licensed property specialists Sidney Phillips, said the high level of availability was because the major chains were looking to sell off some of their less profitable pubs.
He said: “Now they are rationalising their estates and looking to retain their high-yield pubs, not low-yield pubs.”
And Mr Mence said the industry was still healthy, despite the number of pubs closing their doors.
“An increase in utility cost and many other basic overheads has made former rental levels unsustainable, leading to some pubs closing – this is not a reflection on the pub trade,” he said.
Running pubs is no longer for the amateur, it’s for the professional
29 Jul 2010
WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Last orders for 400 of our pubs sheds light on trade’s difficulties
Pub for sale West Midlands, Pub for sale Birmingham
Welcome
Ladywood Road
Birmingham
West Midlands
B16
£ 295,000
Freehold
Pub for sale West Midlands, Pub for sale Birmingham
Sir Charles Napier
Gooch Street
Birmingham
West Midlands
B5
Ground floor footplate: 1624 sq/ft*
£ 50,000
Leasehold
Lease length: Leasehold 99 years from Dec 1926 @ £75 Pa
Pub for sale Merseyside, Pub for sale Wallasey
Shepherds Rest Hotel
Darlington Street
Wallasey
Merseyside
CH44
Gross Site Area: 9461 sq/ft*
£ 250,000 + VAT
Freehold
Pub for sale Staffordshire, Pub for sale Tamworth
Mercian
Exley
Tamworth
Staffordshire
B77
Gross Site Area: 8349 sq/ft*
£ 100,000
Leasehold
Lease length: Leasehold for 80 years August 1971 @ peppercorn rent
Pub for sale North Yorkshire, Pub for sale Middlesbrough
Magnet Hotel
Birchington Avenue
Middlesbrough
North Yorkshire
TS6
Gross Site Area: 16850 sq/ft*
£ 200,000 + VAT
Freehold
Pub for sale Devon, Pub for sale Teignmouth
Lifeboat Inn
The Strand
Teignmouth
Devon
TQ14
Ground floor footplate: 1347 sq/ft*
£ 250,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Teignmouth-Devon-TQ14-1
Pub for sale West Midlands, Pub for sale Walsall
Dog & Partridge
Sandwell Street
Walsall
West Midlands
WS1
Ground floor footplate: 2432 sq/ft*
£ 225,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Walsall-West-Midlands...
Pub for sale Merseyside, Pub for sale St. Helens
Bulls Head
Fleet Lane
St. Helens
Merseyside
WA9
Ground floor footplate: 2252 sq/ft*
£ 250,000 + VAT
Freehold
Pub for sale Gwynedd, Pub for sale Bangor
Buckeley Arms
Caernarfon Road
Bangor
Gwynedd
LL57
Ground floor footplate: 861 sq/ft*
£ 125,000
Freehold
Pub for sale Cambridgeshire, Pub for sale Wisbech
Blacksmiths Arms
Elm High Road
Wisbech
Cambridgeshire
PE14
Gross Site Area: 17623 sq/ft*
£ 250,000
Freehold
28 Jul 2010
Pub for sale Cambridgeshire, Pub for sale Wisbech
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Wisbech-Cambridgeshir...
Blacksmiths Arms
Elm High Road
Wisbech
Cambridgeshire
PE14
Gross Site Area: 17623 sq/ft*
£ 250,000
Freehold
Pub for sale Greater Manchester, Pub for sale Kearsley, Bolton
Clock Face Inn
Old Hall Street
Kearsley, Bolton
Greater Manchester
BL4
Gross Site Area: 1920 sq/ft*
£ 150,000 + VAT
Leasehold
Lease length: Long Leasehold 980 years from 1868 @ £10 pa
25 Jul 2010
Pub for sale Kent, Pub for sale Dover
King Edward VII
Goschen Road
Dover
Kent
CT17
Gross Site Area: 3235 sq/ft*
£ 175,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Dover-Kent-CT17-4
Pub for sale Greater Manchester, Pub for sale Kearsley, Bolton
Clock Face Inn
Old Hall Street
Kearsley, Bolton
Greater Manchester
BL4
Gross Site Area: 1920 sq/ft*
£ 150,000 + VAT
Leasehold
Lease length: Long Leasehold 980 years from 1868 @ £10 pa
Pub for sale East Riding of Yorkshire, Pub for sale Bridlington
Station Inn
Hilderthorpe Road
Bridlington
East Riding of Yorkshire
YO15
Gross Site Area: 7970 sq/ft*
£ 225,000 + VAT
Freehold
UK Freehold Pubs, Clubs, Wine Bars, Hotels For Sale
The supermarket has introduced a policy not to sell alcohol below the cost of duty plus VAT in all its stores.
Chief executive Andy Clarke outlined the move in a letter to Home Secretary Theresa May, saying it was a "first step" towards a new way of selling alcohol in the UK.
The policy took effect on Tuesday and ensures a one-litre bottle of Smirnoff vodka will never cost less than £10.49 and a pack of 20 Carling lagers will not be priced below £7.17.
Mr Clarke said in his letter: "We accept that the way in which alcohol is sold to the public needs to change and I welcome the high priority given by the new coalition Government to tackling alcohol misuse by working with business.
UK Freehold Pubs, Clubs, Wine Bars, Hotels For Sale: Good Weather Boosts Pubco Sales
Good Weather Boosts Pubco Sales
British pubs operator and brewer Fuller Smith & Turner (FSTA.L) posted a 4.1 percent rise in like-for-like sales at its pubs and hotels division for the 16 weeks to July 17, helped mainly by good summer weather, reports Reuters"After some glorious summer weather there are economic clouds on the horizon, but I am confident that our strategy ensures the company is well placed to deliver for its shareholders even in these continuing uncertain times," Chairman Michael Turner said in a statement.
The 165-year old company, which has 366 pubs in the south of England, also named Simon Emeny as the group managing director.
Net debt stood at 102.0 million pounds ($155.7 million) on June 26, down from 107.7 million pounds on March 27, Fuller said.
Pub for sale Cambridgeshire, Pub for sale Wisbech
Blacksmiths Arms
Elm High Road
Wisbech
Cambridgeshire
PE14
Gross Site Area: 17623 sq/ft*
£ 250,000
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Wisbech-Cambridgeshir...
Pub for sale Devon, Pub for sale Teignmouth
Lifeboat Inn
The Strand
Teignmouth
Devon
TQ14
Ground floor footplate: 1347 sq/ft*
£ 250,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Teignmouth-Devon-TQ14-1
24 Jul 2010
Six nightclubs a week closing - General News - Morning Advertiser
Research from Mintel shows that a total of 355 clubs closed last year — 13% of the country’s 2,722.
“Nightclubs were struggling prior to the recession as people increasingly opted for late-night bars,” said Jonny Forsythe, of market researchers Mintel.
“However, the economic downturn has accelerated their decline meaning that consumers — and particularly nightclub’s core target of 18-24 adults — have much less disposable income to spend on their leisure activities.
“As a result, these younger consumers have little choice but to drink more in-home. with alcohol being much more affordable in supermarkets, who deliberately discount in order to attract footfall.”
“The increasing gap between the cost of alcohol to drink in-home and that bought in the on-trade (ie pubs, bars, clubs and other licensed venues) which can be as much as five or six times more expensive, has meant a general shift towards in-home drinking for the UK population over the past five years.
BBC - See Also: Daily View: 24-hour drinking
Commentators discuss drinking culture at the start of a government consultation on licensing.
In the Daily Mail Roy Hattersley calls 24-hour drinking "Labour's ghastly mistake":
"One man's right to drink himself into an aggressive frenzy denies another man the right to walk home safely. Freedom to drink into the small hours is often inconsistent with the freedom to enjoy a good night's sleep without the fear that some hooligan is being sick on the front door step or tearing plants out of the garden..."A society which endorsed round-the-clock drinking is half way to accepting that such conduct, even though undesirable, is unavoidable. I am a very long way from believing that is so. England can do better."
Andrew Gilligan says in the Telegraph that preserving good pubs is the key to responsible drinking:
"Yet pubs are still, I think, the key to responsibility in drinking. They just have to be the right kind of pubs. We need to get back to the idea of drinking as a social activity in ordinary pubs, not getting off our faces in town-centre booze factories, because a sensible social setting is a check on the worst excesses of drinking..."The most important part of the proposals trailed yesterday is not about licensing hours, but the plan to end the sale of shop alcohol at below cost price. That is something we must tackle if we are to save the British pub, and remove alcohol from the pocket-money range of Welsh schoolchildren."
Paul Routledge says in the Mirror that the Tories would be right to ban 24-hour drinking:
"This is one New Labour mistake worth rectifying. It was the brainchild of James Purnell, who has now quit politics, having trashed our public spaces with his daft ideas of 'continental drinking'."The Independent editorial says reform to the licensing hours which allowed 24-hour drinking was long overdue:
"Reform to licensing hours was overdue. The old fixed drinking times were not a venerable English tradition. They were imposed in the First World War, to herd people home early so that they could rise at dawn and be in the munitions factories on time. It is true that Labour's changes did not lead to a much talked about 'continental' drinking culture taking root here. In retrospect it was foolish to raise such expectations. The British pub, the French cafe and Spanish tapas bar are very different species."In the meantime, the link drawn between the phenomenon of binge drinking, to which people rightly object, and more flexible licensing hours, needs questioning. A fruitful line of inquiry might explore the connection between excess drinking and the availability of very cheap alcohol in clubs and supermarkets. It might also be worth pondering why so many people in this country feel a need to seek total oblivion from their surroundings through alcohol."
UK Freehold Pubs, Clubs, Wine Bars, Hotels For Sale
Dirty Boots, Dogs And All Other Creatures Welcome!
The Five Alls pub near Lechlade in Gloucestershire Pub has launched a menu for dogs.
Dogs can now enjoy a gastropub lunch alongside their owner, thanks to the new 'doggy menus' launched by Butcher's Pet Care.The meals offered on the new menus include 'Liver & Garden Veg' chunks in gravy and 'Chicken & Beef' chunks in jelly, all served in specially-made Butcher's branded bowls.
Pub for sale West Midlands, Pub for sale Birmingham
Sir Charles Napier
Gooch Street
Birmingham
West Midlands
B5
Ground floor footplate: 1624 sq/ft*
£ 50,000
Leasehold
Lease length: Leasehold 99 years from Dec 1926 @ £75 Pa
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Birmingham-West-Midla...
Pub for sale North Yorkshire, Pub for sale Middlesbrough
Magnet Hotel
Birchington Avenue
Middlesbrough
North Yorkshire
TS6
Gross Site Area: 16850 sq/ft*
£ 200,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Pub-for-sale-Middlesbrough-North-Yorksh...
Pub for sale Nottinghamshire, Pub for sale Worksop
Carlton Tavern
Carlton Road
Worksop
Nottinghamshire
S80
Gross Site Area: 5911 sq/ft*
£ 175,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Worksop-Nottinghamshi...
21 Jul 2010
Pub for sale South Yorkshire, Pub for sale Oughtibridge, Sheffield
Middlewood Tavern
Middlewood Road North
Oughtibridge, Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S35
Gross Site Area: 30659 sq/ft*
£ 250,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Sheffield-South-Yorks...
Pub for sale Rhondda, Cynon, Taff, Pub for sale Porth
Wattson Town
Aberllechau Road
Porth
Rhondda, Cynon, Taff
CF39
Gross Site Area: 6910 sq/ft*
£ 150,000
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Porth-Rhondda--Cynon-...
Pub for sale Merseyside, Pub for sale Wavertree, Liverpool
Railway
Wellington Road
Wavertree, Liverpool
Merseyside
L15
Gross Site Area: 2090 sq/ft*
£ 100,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Pub-for-sale-Wavertree--Liverpool-Merse...
Pub for sale Nottinghamshire, Pub for sale Worksop
Carlton Tavern
Carlton Road
Worksop
Nottinghamshire
S80
Gross Site Area: 5411 sq/ft*
£ 175,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Worksop-Nottinghamshi...
Pub for sale London, Pub for sale Deptford
Lord Clyde
Wotton Road
Deptford
London
SE8
GIA: 3500 sq/ft*
£ 300,000
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Pub-for-sale-Deptford-London-SE8-1
Pub for sale South Yorkshire, Pub for sale Barnsley
White Bear
Darton
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S75
Gross Site Area: 7291 sq/ft*
£ 165,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Barnsley-South-Yorksh...
Pub for sale North Yorkshire, Pub for sale Middlesbrough
Eagle
Rothbury Road
Middlesbrough
North Yorkshire
TS3
Gross Site Area: 13477 sq/ft*
£ 55,000
Leasehold
Lease length: Until 2057 @ £4,700 pa
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Pub-for-sale-Middlesbrough-North-Yorksh...
The pub’s the hub (From The Northern Echo)
The heart of Hudswell is beating again after the community pub was brought back to life.
HUDSWELL’S the village with the community pub. As seen on regional TV, but a switched-on initiative eagerly monitored throughout the land, it was re-opened last month by William Hague.
What the telly didn’t say but the pub newsletter does was that the first pint he pulled was Old Legover, from the Daleside Brewery near Harrogate.
The Foreign Secretary is 49, not always – it may be recalled – a real ale man. People mature: don’t be vague, cask for Hague.
The village is a couple of miles west of Richmond, in North Yorkshire, on the southern bank of the Swale and with wonderful vistas across the river.
It’s a generally quiet, largely stonebuilt place adjoining Ministry of Defence land. Even on a summer Saturday evening, you can still hear the military banging away.
There are homes like Bute House and Fair View, which may be understating things, a telephone kiosk with a notice that it doesn’t accept coins – it says nothing of notes – and, almost out of the village, the attractive, but understandably locked church of St Michael and All Angels.
A board in the porch records that in 1897 the church was granted £50 towards restoration by the Church and Building Foundation on condition that all seats should be free.
A notice, just about the only other information, lists the cleaning rota.
They’re all women. The men are too busy being bishops and things.
The pub closed two years ago. Dismayed at losing the perceived heart of the village, the Hudswell Community Pub Trust had sold £220,000 worth of shares to 170 people, minimum investment £500 and including the right honourable MP, to enable its refurbishment and joyous reopening.
CAMRA National Pub Design Awards - opens for 2010 - 16/07/10 - CAMRA
CAMRA National Pub Design Awards
in association with English Heritage and the Victorian Society - opens for 2010Applicants have until Thursday September 30th to enter!
CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has today re-opened its prestigious Pub Design Awards competition for 2010 in a bid to commend the pioneering design work of the pub industry. The work must have been completed during the year 2009 to be eligible for the 2010 award.
The Pub Design Awards are held in association with English Heritage and the Victorian Society.
The aim of CAMRA's Pub Design Awards scheme is to encourage high standards of architectural design in the refurbishment and conservation of existing public houses and in the construction of the new. With particular relevance to the present day, the aim of the Pub Design Awards is to stimulate interest and aware in the many diverse factors that contribute to the unique character of the British pub as an institution.
With the 2009 competition results being announced later in the year, CAMRA is taking the initiative to launch the 2010 competition after already receiving some strong nominations for future consideration.
The 2010 Awards will be judged by the regular panel of architects, authors, historians and heritage experts. The Awards welcome entrants from anywhere in the British Isles, with the competition consisting of the following four categories:
1) New Build Pub
This category is for entirely new built pubs. The judges look for a number of details when judging the worth of any new establishment. The pub might reflect pubs of the past but without becoming a mere pastiche of Edwardian, Victorian or even Georgian artifacts. Or it could be completely modern, using materials of the 20th or 21st century.2) Conversion to Pub Use
This is where an existing building is converted to pub use. Pubs are judged on the taste and restraint used on both the outside and inside of the pub.3) Refurbished pub
Refurbishment can range from a complete gutting to replace what was crass and in bad taste with something far better to an enhancement of what was originally there. Refurbishment should suit the individual pub and not be an excuse to use uniform furnishings to brand the pub with brewery or pub company's image.4) CAMRA / English Heritage Conservation award
This award, sponsored by English Heritage, is usually given for work on a pub which conserves what is good in the pub, makes good some of the crass refurbishment efforts of the past and ensures that the fabric of the place will survive for further generations of pub goers and drinkers to enjoy.Sean Murphy, Chairman of the Pub Design Awards judging panel, said:
'At a time when many valued community pubs are under threat, it's fantastic to see the wealth of suggestions we've had informally put forward to us in light of opening the 2010 competition today. Now the competition is officially open, we look forward to receiving examples of the best designs in the country where work has taken place during 2009.'
If you own, design, work, live, or merely like the look of your local pub, please do not hesitate to offer recommendations for the 2010 Awards. Application forms can be downloaded from the CAMRA website at www.camra.org.uk/pdaentryform, with entries submitted by email to tony.jerome@camra.org.uk or posted to:
CAMRA hails Big Society Support for Community Owned Pubs - CAMRA
This morning the Prime Minister gave a speech on the Big Society, endorsing pubs as local assets and promising Government support for communities wishing to save threatened pubs through community ownership.Community ownership for pubs would not only be invaluable in saving pubs threatened with closure but there is clearly an appetite for it. CAMRA's recent polling research shows that 63% of regular pub goers would be willing to join efforts to save their favourite local pub if it was under threat.
CAMRA has therefore welcomed this morning's announcement, and has written to the Government seeking assurances that the Big Society will be backed up with adequate resources to provide business, legal and financial advice to communities wishing to save their pub by running it as a mutual, co-operative or social enterprise.
Jonathan Mail, CAMRA's Head of Policy and Public Affairs said:
"Pubs provide the vibrant heart of many communities and provide an invaluable meeting place and the centre for countless local activities. The loss of such pubs can be devastating to community spirit and identity and Government has a key role to play in enabling communities to come together to save their local pubs."
Waitrose targets former pubs for convenience - Business News, Business - The Independent
Your former local pub could soon become a Waitrose after the grocer unveiled aggressive plans yesterday to open 300 convenience stores in the next 10 years.
The supermarket, which currently has just seven convenience shops, said it wanted sites, including former pubs and petrol filling stations, to turn into new branches. The chain, which has 231 outlets, said it was interested in leasehold or freehold sites with between 3,000 square feet and 7,000 sq ft of selling space in city and town centres where there was a high footfall of potential customers.
Waitrose advertised details of its requirements to the property sector after achieving sales growth of 11.3 per cent for the 12 weeks to 11 July, according to Kantar Worldpanel data.
The frozen food chain Iceland saw the highest growth, with sales up 11.4 per cent, Kantar said. Tesco and Asda grew by just 3.8 per cent and 3.1 per cent, respectively, despite aggressive World Cup promotions during the period.
15 Jul 2010
PricewaterhouseCoopers Media Centre - Long term health of the pub industry still in doubt
And restaurants, although recuperating, remain hooked up to the discounts drip
Pub company insolvencies are down a third from the peak of the recession but fears of further Government spending cuts, potential interest rate rises, and a reduction in discretionary spend could slow recovery – causing a further wave of restructuring and insolvency.
The insolvency rate appears to have peaked in the last quarter of 2009 when 88 pubs businesses failed. (The PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP insolvency statistics monitor pub companies as opposed to individual units.) The rate of failure has now (Q2 2010) dropped by 32 per cent. However, the level of collapse is still comparatively high - nearly ten per cent up on just two years ago.
In the first half of 2010 London based companies such as London Town, Capital City Brewing Company Ltd, and Globe pub management became insolvent, as did several large late night venues such as Fabric nightclub and the Budha Bar.
UK Pubs For Sale: The World Cup Impact on Business
The World Cup Impact on Business
An analysis by The Daily Telegraph in June showed that 33 companies had referred to the World Cup in stock exchange announcements as having 'a material effect on their business.'Not surprisingly, eight of these companies were bookmakers, who could always expect a big sports tournament bonanza. ITV, Sports Retailers and of course Pub Companies were also expecting a profitable month. Even though the England Team didn't do a great deal for profits after their Qualifying Round exit, pubs would continue to benefit from the Tournament with PricewaterhouseCoopers reporting that a fifth of all people watch the World Cup in a pub!
Pubcos such as Punch Taverns, Greene King and Fuller's,have said in recent weeks that the good summer weather and football World Cup boosted sales. Meanwhile JD Wetherspoons which doesn't usually show sporting events at its pubs reported that the world cup had little impact on business.
The biggest winners have been the economies of The Netherlands and Spain, according to BloombergBusiness; Their national economies will have received a boost simply from being a finalist, but economists have forecast that Spain's triumph could add as much as 0.25 percentage point to annual economic growth. “Dutch consumers, traditionally conservative spenders, will become euphoric if the country wins the World Cup, boosting economic growth as they step up spending,” On the other hand, “Spain could prevent full-year economic contraction by winning,” said Schotsman, the author of an April report titled “Soccernomics 2010” that predicted a Spanish triumph this year.
BBC Inside Out - The demise of village pubs
THE LOSS OF VILLAGE PUBS
PUBS IN PERIL| local pubs are the latest victims of the property boom Local pubs are falling foul of the property boom as publicans sell on and cash in.
Is this the end for a trip to the local?
Sunday afternoon and there’s nothing nicer than a bracing walk in the countryside and a pint of real ale in a local village pub. But if your Sunday stroll is in Suffolk, pack your hiking boots and plasters, you could be in for a long walk!
The village pub is the latest victim in the house price boom with buyers queuing up to turn pub bar into breakfast bar. Over 200 villages in Suffolk alone have lost their pubs. Inside Out investigates.
Profit in property
The Fox and Hounds - pub or private residence? With dwindling trade and the property market at an all time high, many pub landlords have spotted the potential in turning one free house into many, and making a substantial profit in the process.
In Thurston, Suffolk, one such couple have been accused of planning just that. Stephen and Mandy Lyons are the landlord and landlady of the Fox and Hounds pub.
"We did want planning, but it didn’t mean to say we’d use it," explains Stephen. "It was like a contingency plan."
Contingency plan or not, the Parish Council aren’t taking any chances.
Stephen and Mandy insist that pints will always be pulled here "We got the pub listed, we wanted to preserve the pub. We didn’t want the pub to shut," says Parish Council chairman Derrick Haley.
But according to landlady Mandy, they need not have worried. The couple have begun refurbishment already and intend to plough in even more money, making the Fox and Hounds a profitable venture. But as profitable as a housing development? Estate agent Ken Anderson, fears not.
"It’s become difficult to sell something as a business," says Ken. "It would go for much more as a private residence."
The Cambridge effect
How far would you go for a pint? And no-where is this more pertinent than in East Cambridgeshire, where Ken estimates that village pub, Dyke’s End, could fetch somewhere in the region of £350,000 to £400,000, were it sold as a private residence.
The property would fetch less than half that amount if it remains a pub. But remain a pub it will. Concerned villagers have clubbed together and co-operatively bought The Dyke’s End, ensuring local pint supping will remain for years to come.
Publicans pull out
The local authorities of East Cambridgeshire are one of the first to implement stricter rules and stipulate that a pub may not be closed unless the landlord can prove that it is not a viable business.
Some publicans fear that further legislation may put them in an even tighter stranglehold. The problem presents no easy solution and as the property market shows little sign of letting up, local pubs will continue to disappear under the weight of new housing developments.
For Suffolk Sunday walkers at least, it looks like the hip flask of whiskey may have to make an unwelcome comeback and as for locals, well, there’s always the telly!
This is a BBC report from February 2003! This is not a 2008 phenomenon
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/
Site with planning for sale Gwent, Site with planning for sale Argoed
Sirhowy Arms Hotel
High Street
Argoed
Gwent
NP12
Gross Site Area: 32000 sq/ft*
£ 600,000
Freehold
An opportunity to purchase a high yielding investment in South Wales with significant potential for redevelopment as well as improving the passing rent. The property is situated in Argoed, close to Blackwood and Caerphilly.
The investment comprises:
Main House 13 double rooms producing £63,400 pax
A 4 bedroom self contained flat producing £6000 pax
A 2 bedroom cottage producing £5000 pax
Planning permission for the construction of 4 semi detached houses
Furthermore, there is potential to site a retail unit with residential above (subject to planning permission)
and scope to improve the current income.
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Argoed-Gwent-NP12-1
14 Jul 2010
UK Freehold Pubs, Clubs, Wine Bars, Hotels For Sale: Cheif Constable Support Lowering of Legal Drinking Age
Cheif Constable Support Lowering of Legal Drinking Age
Isle of Man Chief Constable Mike Langdon has raised a question which he believes must be considered by politicians;Would lowering the legal drinking age be good for the Island?Letting 16 year olds into pubs could mean more drink-related problems - or it might teach them to drink responsibly.
He says the Island’s pub trade is well-regulated and allowing teenagers to experience drink in a controlled environment might be preferable to having them drink illegally on the streets.
Pub for sale West Glamorgan, Pub for sale Swansea
Maltsters Arms
Pentregethin Road, Cwmbwrla
Swansea
West Glamorgan
SA5
£ 130,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Pub-for-sale-Swansea-West-Glamorgan-SA5-1
Last orders for Sky as pubs snub price hike - Scotsman.com News
The broadcaster has said it will tailor subscription charges to individual bars so as to "reflect more closely the value that Sky subscription brings to their business".
It will base the levy on the business' rateable value - calculated by an independent assessor - as well as food sales and outdoor sporting areas.
Peter Swanson, landlord of Gladstone Bar in Leith, says his monthly rates for the satellite service have shot up 38 per cent from £670 to £926 in a single year - an "unaffordable" figure in the current climate, he claims.
The publican now fears rival bars will reap the rewards of his lost match-day trade, but he is refusing to pay the inflated fee for the service.
Pub for sale Gwent, Pub for sale New Tredegar
Ruperra Arms
Ruperra Street
New Tredegar
Gwent
NP24
Gross Site Area: 7699 sq/ft*
£ 130,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Pub-for-sale-New-Tredegar-Gwent-NP24-1
Site with planning for sale Staffordshire, Site with planning for sale Stoke on Trent
Ancient Briton
Greenbank Road
Stoke on Trent
Staffordshire
ST6
£ 225,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Site-with-planning-for-sale-Stoke-on-Tr...
12 Jul 2010
UK Pubs For Sale: North London Pub For Sale, NW5
North London Pub For Sale, NW5
Public house for sale with full vacant possession.
Monkey Chews
Queens Crescent
London
Greater London
NW5Ground floor footplate: 2124 sq/ft*
£ 900,000 + VAT Freehold
Located on the corner of Queen's Crescent and Marsden Street, not far from Haverstock Hill. Closest tube stations are Chalk Farm and Kentish Town West.
The property is set over 4 floors and comprises a large cellar on the lower ground floor; Ground Floor: 2 bars and ladies and gents toilets; First Floor: Function room, office and a one room formerly used as a bedroom; Second Floor: 4 rooms, Kitchen and bathroom.
This property is suitable for continued licensed/leisure use, redevelopment or other alternative uses subject to gaining the appropriate local authority consents.
Plan to turn former pub into . . . a pub (From Bury Times)
A former pub in Unsworth — at the centre of a shop plan controversy — could be turned back into a pub.
Developers Cobe Consulting this week announced plans to build a bigger kitchen and give The Dragon pub in Parr Lane a makeover so they can lease it out.
The idea has divided some of the 3,500 neighbours who signed a petition against a previous plan to demolish the building and build a ground-floor mini market and first-floor office space.
Andy Carson, aged 31, of Parr Lane, said: “I don’t have a problem with it returning to its former use as a pub. I never had any issues with noise when it was open originally and it stops the building from being the eyesore that it is currently.”
But a resident of Thurston Close, who asked not to be named, said: “To some, a reopening of the pub might be good news, but those people can go home at last orders and don’t have to deal with any problems with anti-social behaviour at closing time.”
A Cobe Consulting spokesman said: “Our intention is to lease it out as a pub. There is nothing else to it.
“Many pubs now depend on food sales and must have a big enough kitchen to sustain that.”
Cobe Consulting has applied to Bury Council for permission to build a singly-storey extension at the rear of the pub, remove a bay window and make external alterations.
The application form says: “The existing building is in poor condition and is aesthetically poor in design terms.
“The proposal is to improve the external appearance of the main elevations and provide a small extension (by 14.5 square metres) to the kitchen which is too small to accommodate the needs of a modern kitchen.”
UK: Long Term Health Of The Pub Industry Still In Doubt
UK: Long Term Health Of The Pub Industry Still In Doubt Pub company insolvencies are down a third from the peak of the recession but fears of further Government spending cuts, potential interest rate rises, and a reduction in discretionary spend could slow recovery – causing a further wave of restructuring and insolvency.
According to new research from consultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, the insolvency rate appears to have peaked in the last quarter of 2009 when 88 pubs businesses failed. (The PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP insolvency statistics monitor pub companies as opposed to individual units.). The rate of failure has now (Q2 2010) dropped by 32%. However, the level of collapse is still comparatively high - nearly 10% up on just two years ago. In the first half of 2010 London based companies such as London Town, Capital City Brewing Company Ltd, and Globe pub management became insolvent, as did several large late night venues such as Fabric nightclub and the Budha Bar.
David Chubb, partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP said, "Pub company insolvency rates have fallen from where we were a year ago – but trading remains difficult and further failures are expected as lenders consolidate their positions. The insolvency stats do not fully illustrate the extent of the problems in the sector as much underlying restructuring activity continues. Even without entering insolvency creditors may still experience pain."
Despite talks of public sector cuts and an uncertain unemployment market, 22% of consumers polled anticipate having more disposable income over the next 12 months, up from 17% year ago. Economists are currently speculating that interest rates could be raised to 1.5% or even 2.5% by the end of the year.
"Any interest rate rise this year will increase the cost of mortgage repayments, squeezing discretionary spend on leisure activities. Even the uncertainty around interest rates causes people to hold back." Chubb explained.
The pub trade is still operating under duress and although the Coalition have scrapped the review of the smoking ban (which was thought to include plans to expand the law to cover beer gardens and other communal areas), alcohol consumption will remain on the public health agenda. David continued, "we have just seen the first World Cup since the smoking ban came into force – which might explain the high volumes of people who watched the England games (and other matches) at home."
"Generally insolvency rates increase as an economy clambers out of recession - due to working capital pressures. However, as pubs are not vulnerable to working capital any signs of a UK recovery, when they come, will be good news for the pub industry."
Meanwhile, PwC found that restaurant company insolvency levels in Q2 2010 are up 5% on the first three months of the year, but down 30% from their peak of 183 in Q1 2009. "While the propensity to dine out is still very much a part of UK culture, the pursuit of value for money by the consumer has led to even high end restaurants in London laying on fixed menus and other offers usually seen in casual dining."
"Restaurants must use their customer data to analyse whether such offers are bringing new customers through the door or whether their regulars, who would dine regardless, are just doing so and paying less," Chubb expanded.
Such levels of discounting are unsustainable, another factor adding to the insolvency rate in this sector which is still 30% higher than it was just two years ago.
Chubb concluded, "While restaurant closures have slowed both regional and London eateries are still very reliant on promotions and as a result profit margins remain under pressure. Consumers are likely to demand even greater value for money in the coming months as the impact of higher taxes and interest rates take hold."
8 Jul 2010
Pub for sale Nottinghamshire, Pub for sale Hucknall, Nottingham
Yew Tree
Nottingham Road
Hucknall, Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
NG15
Gross Site Area: 5353 sq/ft*
£ 275,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Hucknall--Nottingham-...
Pub for sale West Yorkshire, Pub for sale Normanton
Norman Hotel
Queen Elizabeth Drive
Normanton
West Yorkshire
WF6
Gross Site Area: 2.2 acres*
£ 500,000 + VAT
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Normanton-West-Yorksh...
Pub for sale Norfolk, Pub for sale Beetley, Dereham
New Inn
Fakenham Road
Beetley, Dereham
Norfolk
NR20
Gross Site Area: 29626 sq/ft*
£ 200,000
Freehold
http://www.paramountinvestments.co.uk/Property-for-sale-Beetley--Dereham-Norf...