The Foresters Arms, Madeley

Hi,
I live in Madeley and�I have been long awaiting the opening of the�Foresters arms in Madeley, at last a pub in my town that can offer a different take on the local Madeley beer scene. I curently�drink at either the All nations in madeley, the Station at Horsehay�or� ventur to the Cock hotel in Wellington,�all of whoich you would have to agree serve a nice selection of well kept and traditionally brewed beers.

I waited until 9.00pm to venture down to the Foresters last night to let the 'new pub novelty customers' dissapear in the hope that�I could see the pub for what it should be, a nice cosy comfortable pub where like minded beer drinkers can socialise and enjoy the fansatic beers that you brew.

Well I have to admit to being a little dissapointed with what I saw.

The first impression was not ideal, there�was masking tape residue all round the front window panes from where they had been painted and then upon looking through the window�I saw a pool table! I am struggling to see the connection between a pool table and good beer........ From the roadside there is absolutely nothing to set this pub aside from all the other lager providing pubs in Madeley. That was my very first impression.

Upon entering the pub it seemed to resemble a newly refurbed chain pub with bright lighting (and the poxy pool table!)and a very clinical�unpersonal feel.
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Upon ronding the bar to the rear of the pub the same theme continued with bright lighting, a very naked room feeling with nothing on the walls and very bland decor, the tables are the same ones carried over from the old foresters arms which are dark wood and do not fit in with your new clinical approach. The oak panneling and interior timber fittings are done to a very high standard and fit in well with the rustic friendly real beer pub ambiance but why the old tables and nothing on the walls and the bright ligting? The staff were plesant and efficient although the land lord (�I presume that is who it was) was more concerned with talking to one couple who were at the bar and unloading his frustrations from the last week regarding the looming opening in full earshot of other punters rather than being the frinedly welcoming interactive face of a proper beer house.
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Upon getting my first pint I was not disappointed, the Shropshire Gold was first class and to be told it was on the house was a bonus. I sampled one of each of your 4 own brews and was equally pleased with them all.
Not once did the land lord pop over to our table and introduce himself or ask if we were local or enquire as to what we thought about the refit, or chew the fat about what high hopes he (should) have for the new establishment. I feel he has missed a golden opportunity to get a 'real' feel for what HIS LOCALS think of the place or want from the place.

I couldn't help but notice that as soon as the free beer ran out, the place died a death, just leaving the pool playing lager drinkers at the front which is a sure fire way of putting off any approaching customers that you are trying to attract to drink YOUR beer.
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Needless to say I stayed and had the decency to buy a chargeable beer at the end and not disappear into the night when the freebies ran out. I cant help but think that the people left�drinking after the freebies ran dry will be your regulars.............Surely that is not the kind of customers you are trying to retain.......or is it?
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I cant help but think that the pub was opened before it was properly finished. An opening night is all about first impressions, if the pub was opened before it was 100% finished then surely it should be the job of the staff to ensure that the message gets round that unfortunately it is unfinished but next week we will be installing A, and fitting in an additional B, and completing the decor with some more additional C's, but sadly the land lord was too busy talking to his friends or his girlfriend/barmaid.
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We drank up�at 10.15 and headed for the steps down to the front part of the pub and squeezed past the landlord and his girlfriend/barmaid and passed them by without as much as a goodnight, hope to see you soon, come back and see our improvements next week, come back and try the food it will be as good as the beer.....nothing, not a peep, not even an acknowledgement that the�back room was completely empty........nowt!
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I left the pub and headed home with very mixed feelings, I had the feeling that you may have experienced as a child, you know the one, when you had the promise of a new toy and got over excited with the anticipation of it only to get it and find out that it doesn't do what you thought it would do.
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I sincerely hope that the pub was not finished and there will be some real improvements in the coming week. Feedback to the land lord that he needs to integrate with his customers and 'sell' his pub wouldn't go a miss either.
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I am not one to act purely upon first impressions but second impressions seal a venues fate for me, I WILL revisit in a few weeks and make my mind up based on that visit, I�hope very much�hope that you manage to bring out the full potential of the pub and that your beers don't get pushed off the bar by carling cold, Carlsberg export and john smiths.
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21 Sep 2010 14:01