Micropub oprning hours

[Aqualung]

This continues to be an annoying issue, The Weighbridge (https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/83521/) in Burton has the opening times displayed from the Facebook site but I was there yesterday only to find that the recently changed hours now apply, namely 13:00 - 22:00 on Friday, Saturday & Sunday. All credit to Burton CAMRA for getting it right on What Pub but I think this would be exceptional and wish the Weighbridge owner would update his entry.
At least with JDW you are 99% certain that they will be open! I went on to Derby where I had great beer and a a great chilli in the Brunswick and great beer in the Alex. I just wish East Midlands Trains advance tickets were cheaper and their trains longer but you wouldn't expect anything else from a company owned by Stagecoach who couldn't care less about their PASSENGERS. The franchise is up for grabs this year, no doubt with bids for it by the usual useless suspects.

[RealAleRobUK]

This is one of my pet hates! Venues should really put a bit of effort in ensuring they publish correct and up to date opening hours on their web sites and Facebook pages. I've also seen pubs and bars with Twitter accounts that give absolutely no clue as to where they are located. It can't be that difficult.

It is probably more noticeable with micro pubs as many of them tend to keep irregular hours anyway, whereas your standard pubs tend to be 11-11 or 12-11, especially those that serve food, so you are more likely to get lucky if you turn up on spec. There are always exceptions though and I have been caught out a couple of times by pubs that closed at 2 or 3pm to re-open early evening. Those were entirely my fault for not checking beforehand though.

But my point still stands, if you are not open every day during "regular" pub hours, you should as a business owner be making sure your opening hours are easy to find, to avoid disappointing your potential customers!

[Aqualung]

I have been caught out a couple of times by pubs that closed at 2 or 3pm to re-open early evening. Those were entirely my fault for not checking beforehand though.


Snap! with the Bridge at Topsham. Stone age opening hours on a Saturday are inexcusable,



But my point still stands, if you are not open every day during "regular" pub hours, you should as a business owner be making sure your opening hours are easy to find, to avoid disappointing your potential customers!

The trouble is with some micropubs it seems to be as much a hobby as a business. .

[rpadam]

Snap! with the Bridge at Topsham. Stone age opening hours on a Saturday are inexcusable
The opening hours at the Bridge have been the same since Domesday (more or less), and they are open when they say they are open, so don't drag them into this - have a go at (say) the Aston Tavern (https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/55570/) which has a nice banner outside saying "Open to 7pm weekdays for after work drinks" (as per my recent photograph here (https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/images/large/55501_56000/55570_a730a239.jpg?w=2)) so I'm sure what you can all guess what I found when I got there before 18:00 on a Wednesday...

[Aqualung]

The opening hours at the Bridge have been the same since Domesday (more or less), and they are open when they say they are open, so don't drag them into this.
I wasn't targeting the Bridge directly. The licencing laws allowed pubs to remain open all afternoon back in 1988 and few places are not open on a Saturday afternoon. I include the Sedgley Beacon Hotel as having Stone Age opening hours even though it's one that I nominated for the top 10 pubs. The Harvey's Alma in Uckfield used to have Stone Age hours for many years but now doesn't. The fact that the Bridge has retained the same hours since 1988 is irrelevant and if I feel it's justified criticising them, the Beacon or anywhere else for that then I will do so.

[rpadam]

I wasn't targeting the Bridge directly. The licencing laws allowed pubs to remain open all afternoon back in 1988 and few places are not open on a Saturday afternoon. I include the Sedgley Beacon Hotel as having Stone Age opening hours even though it's one that I nominated for the top 10 pubs. The Harvey's Alma in Uckfield used to have Stone Age hours for many years but now doesn't. The fact that the Bridge has retained the same hours since 1988 is irrelevant and if I feel it's justified criticising them, the Beacon or anywhere else for that then I will do so.
I thought your original point was about (micro)pubs not opening when they said they were open, which I agree is a thorough-going nuisance (not so-called "Stone Age hours")?

[Spinko]

The Real Ale Shack in Warrington must be one of the earliest opening micros, at 10a.m. thanks to being in the indoor market.

[NickDavies]

whereas your standard pubs tend to be 11-11 or 12-11, especially those that serve food, so you are more likely to get lucky if you turn up on spec. There are always exceptions though and I have been caught out a couple of times by pubs that closed at 2 or 3pm to re-open early evening. Those were entirely my fault for not checking beforehand though.

Maybe in cities, but try finding a pub open in the afternoon, or at all on a Monday, in non-touristed rural areas. Even in small towns you'll find pubs closed until around 4 or 5 pm early in the week. And if you do get lucky and find a village pub open at 3pm on a weekday you may well be the only punter.

Turn off the motorway looking for a pint and a pee in some rural idyll at your peril. Chances are you'll give up on it and end up in a roadside Beefeater or Harvester, wishing you hadn't bothered.

[Tris39]

This is one of my pet hates! Venues should really put a bit of effort in ensuring they publish correct and up to date opening hours on their web sites and Facebook pages. I've also seen pubs and bars with Twitter accounts that give absolutely no clue as to where they are located. It can't be that difficult.

It is probably more noticeable with micro pubs as many of them tend to keep irregular hours anyway, whereas your standard pubs tend to be 11-11 or 12-11, especially those that serve food, so you are more likely to get lucky if you turn up on spec. There are always exceptions though and I have been caught out a couple of times by pubs that closed at 2 or 3pm to re-open early evening. Those were entirely my fault for not checking beforehand though.

But my point still stands, if you are not open every day during "regular" pub hours, you should as a business owner be making sure your opening hours are easy to find, to avoid disappointing your potential customers!

What's worse in when pubs don't stick to their opening times. You arrive at 9.30, grab your pint and a seat then the bell goes at 9.40 for last orders simply because there are so few customers in the place. Mentioning no names: Bridge House (https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/54685/)

[RealAleRobUK]

Maybe in cities, but try finding a pub open in the afternoon, or at all on a Monday, in non-touristed rural areas. Even in small towns you'll find pubs closed until around 4 or 5 pm early in the week. And if you do get lucky and find a village pub open at 3pm on a weekday you may well be the only punter.

I agree, and people's habits have changed I guess. Unless you are serving food, the lunch time and afternoon trade is pretty much non-existent in these areas unless you attract a bunch of retired regulars.

[RealAleRobUK]

What's worse in when pubs don't stick to their opening times. You arrive at 9.30, grab your pint and a seat then the bell goes at 9.40 for last orders simply because there are so few customers in the place. Mentioning no names: Bridge House (https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/54685/)

This always seems like the beginning of the end to me. A regular haunt of mine in Manchester (back in the early 2000s) started doing this, or you'd turn up and it just wasn't open. This was after it had changed hands. Surprise surprise, it's now been turned into flats.

More recently I was at a brewery tap in Manchester which was meant to be open until 10pm. We went in around 8:45pm, ordered a drink and they started packing up around us telling us they were closing because they were quiet. You will be if you treat your customers like that!

[Mobyduck]

What's worse in when pubs don't stick to their opening times. You arrive at 9.30, grab your pint and a seat then the bell goes at 9.40 for last orders simply because there are so few customers in the place. Mentioning no names: Bridge House (https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/54685/)

Still not managed a pint at this place (https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/83128/) despite four attempts (admittedly not this year yet) all within 30 minutes after the stated opening times in the window, no sign of life on three occasions and once being told I'd have to wait another half an hour until they were ready. I don't mind pubs choosing there opening times, that's their choice, but having made that choice, please stick to them.

[rpadam]

Turn off the motorway looking for a pint and a pee in some rural idyll at your peril. Chances are you'll give up on it and end up in a roadside Beefeater or Harvester, wishing you hadn't bothered.
I know that feeling!