SHA Small Heath Alliance

Yes, that's another, however, it's one I'm sure we're all pleased about.

Even back in the early 80s, drink driving was rife, and not really seen as socially unacceptable.

I was in a management role at a city centre boozer in the late 80s, early 90s, and we had a lot of police officers drinking there from Steelhouse Lane, esp "after time" and they all drove home.

Some things do change for the better.

GBlue

The New Inns is closed on Mondays.

The Hollybush is indeed on the bypass.

Both family run Pubs great for a decent pint and a cob.

That’s good to know. Will keep that in mind when going over to Webbs at Wychbold and will make an effort to pop in, but I love The Wildmoor Oak, so that’s my go to for a meal or a sandwich and a bowl of chips

BCA have recently taken over the Nursery Tavern by me in Coventry.

They've turned the pub from a miserable shithole with 5 or so regulars to a thriving boozer. Place is heaving every weekend and even most weeknights.

Attitudes are changing yes, but I myself will swerve most of these 'pubs' as they rip the back end off you. Deliver quality at a fair price and people will use it and I think BCA have proven that.

number8

The kids these days that do drink do pre-drinks at home before they go out, so there is no need/incentive to go to a local pub. Broad St etc will always be OK as they still want to get together and meet people but having a couple at a local pub isn't on their agenda.

Its sad they are dying but if people aren't using them they can't survive. And who goes out more than once or twice a week these days?

I do. ✊🍺

You're a glorious exception 😁

Dugarry21

BCA have recently taken over the Nursery Tavern by me in Coventry.

They've turned the pub from a miserable shithole with 5 or so regulars to a thriving boozer. Place is heaving every weekend and even most weeknights.

Attitudes are changing yes, but I myself will swerve most of these 'pubs' as they rip the back end off you. Deliver quality at a fair price and people will use it and I think BCA have proven that.

BCA are doing really well; my regular boozer is a BCA pub and it’s been thriving for a long time - it’s a fiver a pint (ish), the cobs are good enough for Rab and it’s pretty chill as pubs go.

Like you say, quality at a fair price and people will come back.

Craven Arms?

Rab C Nesbitt

GBlue

The New Inns is closed on Mondays.

The Hollybush is indeed on the bypass.

Both family run Pubs great for a decent pint and a cob.

That’s good to know. Will keep that in mind when going over to Webbs at Wychbold and will make an effort to pop in, but I love The Wildmoor Oak, so that’s my go to for a meal or a sandwich and a bowl of chips

What's the attraction at Webbs of Wychbold?

Isn't your garden a rectangle - 50% patio + 50% lawn?... 😁

It’s the Englishman in me. We have patio and lawn. I look after them. That’s enough for me since my heart trouble. No timber at all to maintain either. Upvc fence panels. It’s great. Gardens are to be enjoyed after work, not to be a chore.
We also have two 18m long borders too for plants. Plenty of planters. Hanging baskets. The missus looks after them.
As for Webbs, I like looking at the garden furniture. Missus likes looking at the plants Theres a farm shop we usually bring a bit of stuff back from. We usually stop at a pub on the way back.
And the missus enjoys it.
So there

Sad to see it go, but not really surprised. It’s a massive pub, rarely full and a sad sign of the sign times. It was a real community hub and the scene for some cracking memories over the years.

I use to use it loads with Big Lee (RIP), who some on here knew, and some of the Billesley/Kings Heath Blues contingent. I’m glad we got to have his big send off there a few years back.

I will say though, the way that higher ups went about informing the staff of the closure was absolutely c**tish.

The Tyseley working mens club having a special meeting 19th July looking like it's going the same way 🤷

With premises over 1000sq ft having to be up to EPC 'B' in a few years time I suspect a lot of these working mens clubs and British Legions that have been hanging on by their fingernails will simply vanish. I would imagine that the big property developers are compiling a list of likely candidates for closure so they can swoop in and snaffle the site. With the Govt setting such an ambitious target for house building (and currently being so far behind that target) planning on these sites will be a formality.

Haribo

There have been many "nails in the coffin" of traditional British pubs:

-all day opening (allowed people to come and go as they pleased, increasing overheads, whilst not actually increasing sales by much)

-smoking ban

-supermarkets selling cheap alcohol

-changing demographic of the population

To name a few 🤷‍♂️

The changing demographics one is heard a lot, but I can’t help wonder if it’s not really much of a factor (assuming it’s about ethnicity/religion) other than potentially in hyper-local situations.

The ethnic minority population has grown since 2000 from about 8% to 18%, so a 10% increase. Meanwhile the total population has grown by about 10m, or 18% - so there should be an increase in the ‘non-ethnic’/indigenous population. Even if you assume every single ethnic minority person doesn’t drink or go to pubs (which is clearly absurd - desi pubs, Jamaican pubs in Handsworth etc), there’s still theoretically a bigger demographic market for pubs than there was. (The ‘non-Muslim’ population has grown by 10%.) So we should really see more pubs to keep up with the increased demand.

I’m never sure about the smoking ban either. 20 years ago maybe, but I barely know anyone that smokes these days.

I’d guess it’s much more people living differently more generally and supermarket completion, compounded by the shocks after Covid (business rates going back up), higher energy costs and the latest stuff on NI and minimum wage.

Yeah, I think the smoking ban stuff is another complete red herring. I'm too young to have been a drinker rather than a kid being dragged along in pubs that allowed smoking, but it was pretty horrible to be honest. I'm sure a lot of my generation would be further put off going to the local if it was full of old geezers smoking indoors.

If people want to go to pubs full of smoke and come out stinking all over, they can always go on holiday to Cyprus or Turkey.

People have less disposable income in comparison to the cost of a pint, and some spend it on other things or in other places. Coffee shops etc