Now that the pubs are reopened ....
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| Beer Drinking Curbs Have Caused Some Desperation ...... |
... well sort of.
Actually I don't count being able to sit outside only (especially in the UK's wet weather), as being open at all, and I think that the governments picking on pubs as the sector to be blamed most for Covid-19 spread, is total nonsense, and just them choosing an easy target, just to please the social media mob.
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| Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures ..... |
However it did make me think about revisiting Mr Humphrey Smiths empire, when the outdoor drinking ban was lifted. So purely in the interest of this blog, I planned to investigate how the Sam Smith's brewery empire has fared in the latest lockdown.
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| Restricted Re-Opening List .... |
But Quelle surprise, when the first date of the pubs being able to serve outside came on the 12th of April, the brewery only had a very select list of the pubs it was going to open ... despite the fact that many more of its portfolio seem to have outside tables available.
So I guess that they preferred to keep the staff on furlough pay from the government, rather than open to largely empty barns, which is what seemed to happen round my way last time (the price hike of 50% that the brewery imposed, possibly to make the customers pay for the last lockdown, really kicked any recovery in the local Sam Smiths in the teeth).
As luck would have it, the two nearest Sam Smiths pubs were not on the limited list, even though both have a number of tables outside, so they missed the boat with the fine weather that we experienced around the 12th of April. But a recent check showed that from the 26th of April, at least one of the two nearest Sam Smiths pubs were now opening outside.
So in the second part of this post ... Well .... I went, I saw, I drank .... and then I went home. I was the only person sat outside, which of course made me the only customer. I passed the local Wetherspoon's which had a few more people outside, but then its cheaper and in my opinion more welcoming .... but I also have to say that this latest lockdown has really changed mine, and probably many others drinking habits, and I'm not sure that I or them will be so easily tempted back to the pubs in the same numbers as pre-Covid-19 ... especially those with all the restrictions and rules that Humphrey Smith in particular has imposed on those who drink in his establishments.
Covid-19 has changed a lot of things, and many of those things may never return to their pre-Covid positions .... the jury's out on whether the Sam Smith empire will be one of those able to fully recover.
The pubs never were the main spreaders of Covid. The fast spread of the Indian variant version amongst tge high density Muslim areas of the UK shows that the pubs were no more or less a spreader than elsewhere. No doubt the BBC will be mystified as to why Bolton is a hotbed of Covid spread .... they are blinded by PC bollocks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for quick comment ... Monday can't come soon enough for you eh?
DeleteI agree that the pubs were not any more responsible for Covid spread, than say the shops. As for 'the Indian variant', well, why we allowed travel to India when we restricted/blocked it to Pakistan and Bangladesh, is a mystery that only Boris Johnson can answer.
A bloody stupid risk to our recovery and economy, that has now rebounded back in to his face.
The Asian descent people of this country, often live in multi generational housing units, and so were always going to be at risk of, or being prone to spreading Covid-19. This plus other factors such as a lack of integration or identification with the mainstream UK society, means that vaccination take up inside those communities is often lower than in the other parts of our population.
We are still some time from being clear of this cursed pandemic.
The Smiths pub round my way only has one type of bitter on. I asked why there was no Sovereign available and was told that the Brewery had stopped delivering it to make people drink the OB Bitter. I walked out. It comes to something when a Brewery tells you what you can drink! Madness!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if that's standard practise across the chain now, or if its just selected pubs that have gained Mr Smiths personal attention. I had heard that Mr Smith does introduce rationing rules like this for particular pubs, and had done so before Covid-19 had ever been heard of.
DeleteI know this is still the case in at least the one Smiths pub I tried in my area, which, as I only had one pint in (for research purposes only for this post!), wasn't an issue on this occasion.
I don't intend to be anything like a regular in this Brewery's pubs in the new normal, but I don't think they care very much haha!
Thanks for the comment.
You both might be interested in this article:
Deletehttps://publichousestories.wordpress.com/2019/05/05/samuel-smiths-sovereign-bitter/
Its from 2019 and recounts how despite Sovereign bitter being the most popular bitter Humphrey Smith removes it from some pubs, in the mistaken belief that it will make customers drink more OB. It states that this rarely works, but Mr Smith is convinced this is a good tactic.
Of course this was written pre-covid, and also before the massive price hike imposed by Humphrey, so is even less likely to work now. But Humphrey is an old man, and seems to just repeat the same failed response time after time, in the hope that it might work next time.
I am also an ex-customer (for local reasons), and I was a loyal Sovereign drinker so I feel your pain.
Thanks for the link. I wasn't aware that this was a long standing practice, and thought that it was relatively new. As you say, he's an old man and seemingly has a limited range of responses to events. But its his company, and so if he wants to run it in to the ground he's entitled to do so, but its sad for all those employed by his company, who must feel constantly insecure.
DeleteAll I can add is that "Why do only the good die young?" Haha ... just joking, but he wont last forever, so one assumes the company will change when he's gone, if its still in business of course.
Let's hope his successors are more reasonable or it could be a case of be careful what you wish for.
ReplyDeletePossibly, although I guess it comes down to what you consider to be "more reasonable" ... music and TV's would make them much like any other pub. Personally I'd settle for being able to use phones etc, and the full beer range being available in all the pubs. Oh, and maybe the odd extension licence. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteLast night I went in to my local Sam Smiths pub. The first time in 6 months (I frequent other better value and friendlier venues these days) more by accident than any particular design. Being as it was a 'quiz night', it was fairly full, which I was told was unusual in the establishment, except for the once a week that the quiz occurred.
ReplyDeleteBut as I was there I bought a pint of the one bitter available (OB) and loitered at the bar. Whilst there a quiz participant asked for crisps and was told that they had none. The customer complained that they had not had any last week either, and the staff member said they had received none from the brewery for 3 weeks. They didn't know why.
It appears that the Smith Empire is having some problems, possibly supply or staffing.
I finished the pint and went to my usual venue (where they did have crisps), and mentioned the crisp episode to someone. They laughed, but told me a Humphrey Smith story that is doing the rounds, which if true suggests that Humphrey may not be in charge of the families Empire for too much longer ... We shall see.
What was the Humphrey story that you heard?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, as the story has not been reported in the press or elsewhere, I can't confirm it. So it remains just a bit of gossip that may not actually be true (although I believe the source was reliable), that I can't/won't repeat. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteIt appears that your theory that Humphrey isn't going to be in charge for too long might be true. The local Sam Smiths suddenly started accepting card payments last week AND the biggest change, phones are allowed.
ReplyDeleteI was told that people can't stream videos on their phones with sound, but that was the only restriction which wont be enforceable really. They didn't know why this sudden change in two key policies, but you have to bet that it wasn't Humphrey's idea.
I haven't been in my local Smiths pub for some time. However agent 'H', I will be passing one tonight, and will check it out. If its across the board, then its welcome news, but its going to take some time for it to turn trade around ... especially as its not exactly being advertised. Thanks for the update George, which I note has so pleased you, that its on another post as well.
DeleteIt appears that reports of Humphrey Smith's demise are premature. I am in one of his Northern fiefdom pubs and notices have gone up telling patrons that they can't stand at the bar except to get served.
DeleteHe has also banned the tote and any bingo ...
It's as absurd as you can imagine and will drive away even more regulars. The sooner that sad lunatic is dead the better the world will be.
He and Putin would get on well! Anyways I am off to another pub for good.
Cheers Humphrey you old Fart.
Err, George what can I say, your obviously very upset by this latest ruling by old Humphrey. I had assumed that his family wouldn't just stand by while he runs the northern pubs in to the ground, but apparently they will, or possibly they just can't stop him, but that means the lunacy just carries on. The latest ban, is just another example of his madness.
DeleteI did call in to my local one as promised in my last comment. They were allowing card payments, and sort of allowed phones. Can't say there was a ban on standing at the bar to drink, but this was last week .... and a week is a long time in Humphrey Smith's strange universe.
Everything he does is counter intuitive to making money. I was told that he often goes in to rival pubs and head counts customers, before then calling on his own pubs to berate the managers if they have less customers.
He apparently thinks that having 'better beer than them,' means people should be flocking to his pubs ... he forgets that having driven out every one under 50 by banning mobiles, laptops etc, and many more regular customers, by having a post first Covid lockdown 50% price hike, no card payments, no TV, no dogs, no kids, no bikers and now, no standing at the bar, he's made them the most soulless pubs in the land ... so having 'better beer than them,' makes no difference, if you have alienated the entire local pub going community.
It takes years for pubs to build up a loyal regular clientele, but just a few ill thought out moments to lose them all forever. As Humph has proved in the 10 years since he sacked the regional managers and took over his pubs personally.
Like Putin, he's obviously not going to let up power voluntarily, and just like the Russian dictator, it will have to be pulled from his cold dead hands ..... he's 78 in December, so one might expect him to be winding down ... but I think that might be just wishful thinking.
A YouTube video by a comedian Joe Lycett takes the mickey out of Humphrey Smith and clan ..... the comments are revealing as well:
ReplyDeleteRebecca H
A few stories to add about Humphrey and his family:
1. Someone had done a barn conversion and spent £300k to do it up nicely. Humphrey bought the barn conversion and ripped out everything and turned it back into a barn.
2. His wife went to the charity shop in Tadcaster saw a pair of wellies and insisted she only wanted to buy one boot out of th pair and only wanted pay half price.
3. Humphrey was obsessed with the idea the guy taking parking fees at his car park was skimming. So to help prove his point he camped out all night sleeping on a bench hoping to catch him... he's a millionaire!
Thanks for the comment .... its obvious that Mr Smith is a very divisive character to very many people. I can now confirm that the ban on standing at the bar reported by George H is in force (at least in the one near me). It has cost the pub even more trade (including me). One regular told me that 'drinking in the pub now was like being in an East German Holiday Camp', which I thought was grimly funny (with an element of truth) ... there was just 7 people in the very large pub at 10:00 pm on a Friday night.
DeleteI have decided that I will not allow further comments on Mr Smith's idiosyncratic decisions and behaviours, unless there is substantive change, such as Mr Smith losing any control over the pubs for any reason ... as its obvious that his current pattern of thinking will not change for any other reason.