Should I take on a pub in Wigan?

[ETA]

Sorry for the duplicate thread - but not being a dwarf (I'm not Happy!) I couldn't post on the original;.


So you think its a tough one because there are to many pubs in such a small area?


...has had no money put into it by the landlord...

I'm not sure who the landlord is, but I've come across several examples of landlords who have expected tenants to spend thousands of their own pounds on the fabric of the building to bring it up to standard or make it safe, then when they go bust because they can't recoup the outlay, move the lease on to another tenat who is treated the same way. You will need either very deep pockets or an exceptional business model to make it work.

If you go for it I wish you the very best of luck and hope to visit and review one day!

[sheffield hatter]

I've put a link in the other sub-forum, so that Flatcap can continue here if he wants to, and then everyone can join in.

Here's the whole thread: http://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?31611-running-a-cellar-without-a-coller-or-not&p=109355#post109355

and this was how it started:


Hi there
Do most cellars have collers, can they substain the optimum tempratre of 10-14C with out one

What would happen if the beer was pumped out of the cask and kegs at room temprature?











[Note to ROBCamra, or whoever has got admin rights on this forum - can you please change the title so that the word cooler is spelt with two Os instead of two Ls? Or give it a more general title, like Taking on a pub in Wigan - good idea or what? Many thanks.]

[sheffield hatter]

This is the first question asked by Flatcap: http://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?31384-cleaning-the-beer-lines-out&p=108775#post108775


how often are you supposed to clean them out with line cleaning fluid?

...and this was the third: http://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?31660-looking-for-job-lot-pub-fixtures-and-fittings&p=109300#post109300


If I where on the look out for a job lot of second hard fixtures and fittings out of a pub then where do you think the best place would be to start?

Thanks
FC

[sheffield hatter]

If anyone's interested, for ease of reference, this is the pub that Flatcap is looking at: https://www.findmypub.com/properties/view/24951.

...and this is where it is situated: https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubmap/20147/.

[london calling]

No is the answer.

[Tris39]

Depends how hard the customers are...

[rpadam]

Assuming the answer is 'yes' (which is a really big assumption in present circumstances...), there is a lot of good stuff (not all directly from the Marston's PR department) in this document mentioned by Sheffield Hatter elsewhere: On Trade Beer Report 2019/20 (http://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?31663-Carlsberg-Marstons-Brewery-Company&p=109345&viewfull=1#post109345).

[RealAleRobUK]

If anyone's interested, for ease of reference, this is the pub that Flatcap is looking at: https://www.findmypub.com/properties/view/24951.

It looks a bit traditional, bordering on neglected. I think you would have to know the area and know the customer base before committing.

It might be a pub that is crying out for a change, wants updating, attracting new customers, dare I even suggest serving food.

Or it could be a pub that gets a group of old regulars who like things the way they are, and if you change anything those loyal customers will walk.

It's in a residential area so passing trade is going to be minimal to non-existent, so you're either going to have to appease the locals and make it a proper "heart of the community" kind of place, or go in the other direction and make it a "destination pub" to attract people from further afield.

It might be a gem of a boozer and from a customer point of view many of us like a good traditional pub, but that doesn't necessarily mean it would be a profitable venture.

My first question would be "why did it close?" and that's where being familiar with the area and having local knowledge, or engaging with the community to find out, would probably be valuable.

[flatcap]

Thanks ET and Sheffield Hatter for posting this

I plan to use the pub as a live music venue on the weekend, so I though a community based pub was better then a touristy pub so word could get about round town. I also wish to put a good food offer on as well

The last landlady had it for under 1 year and she was given 6 months free rent so long as she singed a 7 year lease contract at the end of it. She was due to move out at Febuary but moved out in the first week of January sold just about all the fixtures and fitting off and did a runner.

I know all this as the lady prior to her had it for 7 years, who took on the Holts brewary pub next door called the prince of wales and has now passed it onto her son as she who no longer runs a pub and works for the local council in the licenceing team nower days

After I visited the pub for a viewing with the landlord a few weeks ago. I took a load of photos and sent them to her
She said she had spent 1000s on the place and it was not worth spending any money on it because its falling down. She named a list of stuff that was all missing including what she had purchased and she reconed you would be spending over 10 grand a new gear.

No till, no drinks fridges, no chip fryer, no microwave, no hand pump, the last land lady who done a runner was adviced before christmas that the cellar cooler was about to pack up

She said she need 3.5K a week to break even (but I would not need that much as my rent and rates and staff bill would be far less) and she used to take 4.5K a week and when the con woman took over she was lucky to take 1.5K a week simpaly because she turned the CCTV off to let all the drugees in and all the good customers went

I have been talking to Red oak taverns and Admiral taverns and they have the odd one or two free of tie pubs that intrest me. But they dont seam to want to do a lot of work at the moment over lockdown. So this pub in Wigan is not top of my priority list

[Tris39]

...so long as she singed a 7 year lease contract at the end of it.She said she had spent 1000s on the place and it was not worth spending any money on it because its falling down. She named a list of stuff that was all missing including what she had purchased and she reconed you would be spending over 10 grand a new gear.

Yup. Sounds like she got her fingers burnt...;)