TT price rise

[MediaStar]

7 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

I thought the same when I read the bit about Martin setting up for TT. He goes to a lot of trouble to ensure he keeps his customers. H&B do the opposite.

They're just a disgrace and a typical Manx establishment rip off business. They run awful pubs by and large, they pay their staff crap wages, and they have priced almost everyone out of going out and having fun as frequently as they used to. I'll certainly be on the Bushy's and Hooded Ram this TT. They don't deserve my custom. At least Bushy's make you feel like they want you to have a good time in TT rather than just taking your pants down and sticking a large root vegetable up your tradesmans' 

[Non-Believer]

7 minutes ago, piebaps said:

I really don't understand H&B. They're slowly committing suicide. They're changing their pubs into horrible sheds and paying bottom end wages to staff who mostly couldn't give a rats ass. My local is a free house and if there's spillage or a broken glass its cleared up quick - inside or out. If someone spews outside, the staff are out clearing it away. They care. I went to the British one night and aside from the place looking like the inside of a cowshed decorwise, there was a broken bottle just inside the door that was still there when I left 2 hours later.

In Ramsey, they have two pubs across the road from each other. 1 has had the cowshed makeover while the other has retained its "dirty old pub" feel. In the cowshed is a manager who allegedly got the gig cos he played golf with someone "high up". He's hardly ever there and when he is he's sat at the bar drinking with his cronies. Aside from TT the place is usually bereft of customers.

Across the road you have a young hardworking lady. She's an excellent landlady and has recruited a great team. Punters are going to the "dirty old pub"  because of the overall customer experience which is a result of the obvious effort from the workers. Occasionally, I'll even leave the cowshed and go across the road to get a pint as its quicker to get served, and then take it back to the cowshed.

How can they have two houses so close together and mismanage them so badly. I guess that's why they thought it was a good idea to jack up the prices just before TT. They need some pub users in their management team and not the dreamers they currently have.

If it's the cowshed I think you refer to, it was built, customer base built up and operated privately. When the owner retired H&B bought it for @ £750k. And have since utterly destroyed its customer base, ambience and, as you say, decor. Lashing brushfuls of grey primer over varnished mahogany bars is not the way forward. Absolutely clueless.

[woody2]

the manx will still pay regardless, same as the boats etc.....

[Mr. Sausages]

51 minutes ago, MediaStar said:

 At least Bushy's make you feel like they want you to have a good time in TT rather than just taking your pants down and sticking a large root vegetable up your tradesmans' 

That's what you pay the extra for.

[paswt]

thanks Mr S....... tea down nose moment

[Tarne]

Why didn't you just name the Swan and the Central? The Swan caters for those poshies, and the Central caters for those who just want a drink... 

[dilligaf]

8 hours ago, Andy Onchan said:

I thought the same when I read the bit about Martin setting up for TT. He goes to a lot of trouble to ensure he keeps his customers. H&B do the opposite.

In fairness, it is the only time he gets many. I like Martin, he is a genuinely nice guy, but come on ...............

[dilligaf]

10 hours ago, Max Power said:

They tend to prove that they are close to bankruptcy every few months. Their pubs are a  hotch potch of desperation in their decor and staffing, they are driving people away in their droves.

I know costs increase but there seems to be something wrong with their business model, which is a shame as they do some good products these days. I guess any business run by accountants is always going to be more concerned with extracting the last ounce out of a shrinking market which they themselves are causing. 

Sorry Max, but you seem to have had some kind of death wish lately.

Why would you post that about the biggest private employer on the Isle of Man, just months after standing to be an MHK ?

You were in retail (of sorts) for years and should know better than to post crap like that about a company.

[Max Power]

1 hour ago, dilligaf said:

Sorry Max, but you seem to have had some kind of death wish lately.

Why would you post that about the biggest private employer on the Isle of Man, just months after standing to be an MHK ?

You were in retail (of sorts) for years and should know better than to post crap like that about a company.

It may sound harsh but it certainly smacks of profiteering when prices have risen 3 or 4 times over the past few months. What I'm saying is that instead of improving their offer and trying to attract more business by making their pubs more welcoming, they seem to be trying to extract the maximum from fewer and fewer customers, that usually doesn't end very well.

 

[notwell]

The pub owning model is dead.  That is why they are selling them off.

They pay buttons.  Why would anyone want to work 60 or 70 hours a week for 24 grand and a bit cleaner allowance? 

There is no motivation for their landlords to run a very successful and profitable pub.  You'll get a couple of grand extra if you are lucky for turning over and extra few hundred thousand.   

The lions share of their time, investment and profits are via haulage and convenience stores.   In one respect they've to be admired.   Twenty five years ago probably 95% or more of their business was pubs and ale.  Only one way to go from there.  Down.

In ten years I'd be surprised if ale makes up more than  a small percentage of their profits.

[dilligaf]

8 minutes ago, Max Power said:

It may sound harsh but it certainly smacks of profiteering when prices have risen 3 or 4 times over the past few months. What I'm saying is that instead of improving their offer and trying to attract more business by making their pubs more welcoming, they seem to be trying to extract the maximum from fewer and fewer customers, that usually doesn't end very well.

 

I'm sure you meant well, but if I was on the board of H&B, I would be sending you John Wright's phone number. 

[dilligaf]

37 minutes ago, notwell said:

The pub owning model is dead.  That is why they are selling them off.

They pay buttons.  Why would anyone want to work 60 or 70 hours a week for 24 grand and a bit cleaner allowance? 

There is no motivation for their landlords to run a very successful and profitable pub.  You'll get a couple of grand extra if you are lucky for turning over and extra few hundred thousand.   

The lions share of their time, investment and profits are via haulage and convenience stores.   In one respect they've to be admired.   Twenty five years ago probably 95% or more of their business was pubs and ale.  Only one way to go from there.  Down.

In ten years I'd be surprised if ale makes up more than  a small percentage of their profits.

I have to say that I do not agree with that.

 The group is well managed by clever people who seem to have their fingers on the pulse of present trends. I worked for them for several years and although not always what I expected, their M.O. was quite impressive and suited shareholders, management and employees  quite well.

Those of you who take pleasure in knocking H&Bs, should take a moment to reflect on what would happen if they decided to shut up shop.

Just think about that.

[gettafa]

Manxforums would go a lot quieter about this time of night

[Roger Mexico]

1 hour ago, dilligaf said:

1 hour ago, Max Power said:

It may sound harsh but it certainly smacks of profiteering when prices have risen 3 or 4 times over the past few months. What I'm saying is that instead of improving their offer and trying to attract more business by making their pubs more welcoming, they seem to be trying to extract the maximum from fewer and fewer customers, that usually doesn't end very well.

I'm sure you meant well, but if I was on the board of H&B, I would be sending you John Wright's phone number. 

And I'm sure John would be saying:

(a)  It's 'fair comment' - especially as Max Power was careful the phrase it as opinion ("smacks of", "What I am saying", "they seem") rather than objective fact

(b)  Do H&B really want to have their business strategy examined at length in the witness box with all the attendant publicity?

[La Colombe]

1 hour ago, dilligaf said:

I'm sure you meant well, but if I was on the board of H&B, I would be sending you John Wright's phone number. 

If I were John Wright, and you were on the board of H&B, and you were sending Max Power my number, I would be thinking "H&B must think I'm not a very good lawyer".