This did involve a brief venture into the VOID - but only Ted would fully appreciate that.
I have noticed with all my refurbishment of bar and cellar equipment, the amount of gear bearing the words "Property of S&N". Well, considering the amount of damage S&N engineers have done to the fabric of the building in the 20 or so years they had run of dispense equipment, I'm going to damn well keep the lot.
Most of this work is fairly mind numbingly boring. It's why I gave up being an engineer in the first place. But you do get lots of chance to think about things. For instance subjects for blog posts. I've got a few going on in my little brain right now. After getting the electric powered back up I came through to the office to set to on tonight's post. Ann however had left a couple of post cards, sent from S&N, on my desk.
FREE OF TIE LEASE - A JOKE??
It seems not. I do hope they manage to lease them. If you're looking for a lease on a pub, now is your chance. Negotiate your own terms. So I'm almost sorry for the thoughts I had about S&N earlier in the day - It's just a good job I can't blog straight from my cortex, that's all.
Meanwhile, it seems there are comments on other bloggers blogs that I need to catch up on - also, I should go to bed as I've convinced myself I need to go to some beer festival in Manchester tomorrow. Ho hum, the life of a beer geek!
9 comments:
My local S&N pub does Theakstons. I like their beer but had a falling out with the managment (he serves crap beer and wouldn't believe it) so I'm now up at an Enterprise Inns place. I would like a pub that served seasonal / unusual stuff though.
It's not common for a tied pub to sell seasonal or unusual stuff, but it can happen.
I had a quick look at the website on those cards, and from what I can see they are basically pushing Heineken products, which if I remember rightly is pretty much what S&N UK is. Indeed on the FAQ they describe the lease as a "tied lease" with the following terms:
"All new Discovery leases are fully tied for draught and packaged beers, lagers, stouts and ciders, as well as alcopops and premium packaged spirits. That is, as part of our lease agreement, the lessee undertakes to purchase all of these products exclusively from Scottish & Newcastle, whilst we, in return, offer a range of discounts which will be confirmed within the agreement."
I fear they are playing semantics.
Ignore my last comment, being a retard. Sorry.
THE VOID doesn't extend over to the Gents, does it? I remember that corner being somewhat spooky.
The VOID doesn't go over the gents, but some cabling involved with the cellar does. It's all spooky; it's just a matter of degrees...
Dave, untied tenancies are very uncommon, untied leases less so. There's a big difference between the two, remember.
As you say, tied pubs rarely sell unusual beers or seasonal ales - but some do, mine included. We're on Punch's Finest Cask scheme which means that in addition the normal list, I get to choose from a list of 25-35 micro and seasonal ales. This selection changes every quarter. The pubco makes a lower margin as they aren't buying bulk, but they recognise that allowing you a better selection will drive up volume.
Thank's for the reminder Jeff, I really need to sort myself out on that one.
I have still to research the detail on these particular offers. I'd go to to the open day, but I've got a pub top put back together.
You are right that some tied pubs have good guest beers. That can make them acceptable from a beer range perspective. My real interest though is the business model for the licensee, which I think in all but the best pubs is financially flawed. I hope yours has good enough turnover, I suspect it has. The two mentioned here I doubt have sufficient turnover to work freehold, left alone under any other model.
Update on lease vrs. tenancy
Even Discovery Pub Co. aren't sure. On the front of the card it says "Free of tie tenancy" and on the back it states that the pubs are offered "for lease on a free of tie basis"
So there, that's my excuse.
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