BITE user comments - TaffyEllis
Comments by TaffyEllis
Row, row, row the boat, gently up shit creek.
It would seem the latest 'exceptionally experienced with Fullers' operators have thrown in the towel and seen this place for the financial cess pit it is.
How a reasonably efficient operator is meant to make a living from the place when their prize, best in show, chosen ones, can't is anyone's guess.
I wish those departing the very, vey best for the future. Hopefully Fullers will cut you a new deal whereby you stand a chance of making a living and recouping some of your losses.
For anyone else thinking of getting involved. Don't. If you've read this yet feel you are somehow different and that you've cut a deal so good you can't fail, think again. That road you might set out on is flanked by gibbets containing the remains of business plans far sharper than anything you'll come up with and their creators. I will personally pop in and call you a category 5 moron and advise you to get out while you still have a shirt on your back. It might be still there in a years time, but the bank will have a charge on it, your socks and underpants too.
You have been warned, repeatedly. Just stay the hell away. Nobody has yet lost their life over this place, statistically that's not sustainable given the extreme distress it causes to all who take it on. Fullers you should be ashamed of yourselves.
28 Mar 2018 23:31
The curse of the Family 'Butchers' strikes yet again with metronomic effect. Martyn was supposedly one of their finest multiple operators, yet when he supposedly signed the lease less than three weeks back, both he and his wife had full time jobs outside the pub. Makes a mockery of all this pofitable partnership nonsense. If the rent he was paying is to be believed it was less than a third charged when they bankrupted Nigel some 3 years ago. Economics still don't work. Brilliant pub, but to avoid at all costs as a business as you'll just be gouged like everyone else has been before.
6 Oct 2012 13:04
Reopening 3rd Feb 2012 after a major refurb. Camra heritage pub saved from ruin. Run by a joint venture of Conwy, Great Orme, Nant Conwy and Purple Moose breweries. Check out Albion Ale House on Facebook, or ThreeTownsForum for photos.
29 Jan 2012 23:49
The curse of the Family Butchers strikes again. The current victim expires in two weeks time, having been mortally wounded by the rent. At least he had the sense to get out before racking up serious losses.
2 Nov 2011 19:01
The burn and churn continues. The latest victim of the 'Family' Brewers leaves shortly.
15 Jul 2011 19:02
Priceless. In my attempt at giving effusive praise to the many excellent customers who frequent the place, I add one additional good quality they possess and reduce them to a total of two.
Let's try again...
"The staff have been brilliant and customers plentiful, thirsty and good natured. "
9 Jun 2010 02:29
Well folks, having kept the beautiful Horse in feed for over a year, I'm afraid I've had no option but to throw the towel in. The staff have been brilliant and customers have both been plentiful, thirsty and good natured.
That said I can't keep the chiselling weasels happy forever. I'm the third tenant to leave nursing a considerably bruised wallet in less than 2 years. For the next poor saps who think this is a great pub (it is, but the economics are total nonsense) I leave this simple little sum. The reason that a 'husband and wife team' are always the dream ticket are as follows. Two lots of 100 hour weeks, paid at �1 per hour if you're lucky is �200 wages. I paid �7 per hour or �1,400. 52 weeks * �1,200 = �62,400. I know that figure well. All my own fault of course, bonded slavery it used to be called. Good luck to the next folks in. Another small stat... 100k Gp at 50%, 40k rent. A bit excessive. Try 145k Gp (wet rent added from the tie), 85k rent. Goes from 40% to 58% rent. The Brooker judgement said that 35% of GP was more than adequate.
9 Jun 2010 02:17
Hi Mr Hogshead,
Bite's top 40 seems to have lost the plot recently and appears to be very easy to ambush and manipulate. There are many, very ordinary pubs at the top of the list. A recent departure seems to have been the Cask and Kitchen in Pimlico. An otherwise perfectly good establishment which is now very hard to even locate on the forum. The only way I could find it was direct via Google. The Horse was comfortably there in the Free days of yore. Hasn't a hope whilst tied I'm afraid.
21 May 2010 00:33
Hi,
The accepted industry rental standard, which few breweries and pubcos adhere to at present, is 35% of GP.
Currently I'm paying in excess of 40% of turnover.
I think you'll find that I'm being fleeced for a hell of a lot more than few pence per pint. Therein lies the reason for thousands of bankrupt tenants, the trade churn and pubs closing down.
16 May 2010 16:36
Simples Mr Hogshead. Tied vs. Managed. I bet they don't pay 160 per barrel over the odds like I do yet our Pride is the same price. I'm surprised you chose to champion that establishment given the comments posted. I see it is also closed for a re-furb. Most tied leases are toxic these days. This is no different.
3 Apr 2010 18:36
Mr Fastard, I've long been a fan of your comprehensive and well thought out views. You seem to have caught the pub at an in between barrels time. We clean our cask lines after every barrel finishes, plus we are somewhat hamstrung by Fullers decreeing that we can never have more than two firkins of any particular guest in the cellar at any one time. We have 10 hand pumps and try to have ESB, HSB, Pride, Discovery and Seafarers on at all times, also the seasonal ale (currently Jack Frost), plus our permanent guests of Adnams and Butcombe and our rotating guest (next up The Reverand James). Thank you for being such a good customer and supporter of our establishment, hopefully your next visit will see a better choice on offer.
24 Dec 2009 01:36
The White Horse, Hertford
Well that didn't last too long. I'm glad they got out sharp as it's never good to see someone trapped in a three year tenancy waste away financially. It's back on the market as of 20th September. £19k for fixtures and fittings, rent TBA. Even £0 is too much for the place now, the wet rent and the council rats will see to that (yes the rats on this place are vermin, was £19k paid from memory, over £1.5k a month). I so wish they'd just sell the damn place, for a sensible price. The Black Horse down the road went for about £300k and is now thriving. I've heard fantasy numbers well over £1 million being bandied around as Fullers' valuation. That would justify the extortionate wet/dry rents charged, absolutely ridiculous when you assess the current potential turnover it might achieve. Currently firmly shut.
26 Sep 2018 16:34