The Oddfellows

[moorendman]

It neednt be increasing custom at the expense of other local pubs. There is room for all, just earn the money now being spent in other places like Manchester, Glossop,Stockport etc

[Dave]

Very good post moorendman - let's hope the new people at the Oddies read and note it.

Re your comment:

Exit stage right for the Devonshire

...yes, the Devvy is rightly doing well, but its menus have always been a bit different from those of the Oddies, and the two pubs co-existed successfully for many years - hopefully they will do so again.  But the real challenge for the new people at the Oddies is to win back the business which has been lost to the Hare and Hounds in Mill Brow, which over the past couple of years has successfully filled the gap left by the Oddies with imaginative menus and quality ingredients. 

[nbt]

Well said, Moorendman. More than one serving publican would do well to note your points

[Barbara]

A well put together message, Moorendman.  Good luck to whoever takes on the tenancy.  Don't forget to take full advantage of local advertising and offer real value for money.  And with the summer coming up (we hope!!) you may do very well.

[admin]

6. Anyone dropping in to the Oddfellows please mention that it can do the new landlord no harm to provide some new details for the Marple Website Pubguide at http://www.marple-uk.com/pubguide/oddies.htm

[moorendman]

Recent tenants have lasted for as long as the Enterprise "Honeymoon" intro rents and barrel discounts last. I really hope the next tenant of the Oddfellows makes a success of it in these difficult trading conditions and the additional overhead of being in thrall to Enterprise.

On the positive side, the pub is almost a free house with tenants able to buy from a wide choice of Independent brewers ( albeit at relatively high prices ) Whilst I like Robinsons beers , they do dominate our area and the opportunity to drink something different will bring in custom ( I have been known to give even the Midland money for that privilege ) The pub also had a great repuation for food and that lives on , if not in reality, but certainly in many guide books as recently as a year ago. I often used to amuse myself reading about Spanish fish stews , Robert's legacy from 2005, still apparently available ! The pub was also in the Good Beer Guide for many years and like food guides , potential customers are not always reading the latest editions.

The pub is very picturesque and has low beams and real fires. It also has a refurbished restaurant upstairs. Stockport as an area has few quality restaurants and a good number of potential  customers prefer to go to Manchester and beyond to eat well.

Now ( IMHO ) for a few suggestions on how it could succeed, based on experience of all the last tenants and their efforts:

1. Dont assume that because Mellor and Marple are relatively wealthy areas that you can "price" accordingly. Many of your potential customers may indeed have higher incomes but many too do not enjoy being ripped off or given poor value for money ( £2.50 for a tea !!  from the last lot)

2. Keep your menu short and the quality up. You can only succeed as a destination pub if you offer something worth travelling for ( The first "Enterprisers" on the first weekend they opened gave us Roast Beef of such poor quality, its only use was as a replacement shoe sole. His explanation was that the chef had not turned in  ! Exit stage right for the Devonshire)

3. Whilst Meals for two at £60 to £70 can be achieved at weekend, even the most well heeled will not pay this on a regular basis on other nights. Offer some value at less busy times. You cannot sell yesterday's empty table !

4. Further to point 3, If you are paying to staff a Kitchen make it work for you. There has been virtually no lunchtime trade ( other than Sundays ) in the Oddfellows since the "Enterprisers" arrived. Compare and contrast with somewhere like " Dowds" in Glossop, where the husband and wife team can fill the place on Wednesday through saturday lunchtimes with their outstanding value lunches using freshly made ingredients cleverly sourced from seasonal produce ( forget Turbot, think Coley ! and add seasonal vegetables ) Even the last people's "Award winning" Chef couldnt seem to do that. at first glance , selling 3 course lunches at £8.95 may seem like suicide but , you have the overhead anyway and the bill will double with drinks. You also get repeats and increased goodwill. The Oddies may begin to rebuild its former customer base.

5.....and finally check for misspellings on any Web Site , you want people to admire your Mural by a local artist not laugh at any Muriels on Hilda Ogden's Wall.

[Dave]

Drove past the Oddies yesterday - there's now a sign at the entrance to the car park saying 're-opening soon - staff wanted'.  Good news, obviously, but remembering how long recent tenants have lasted, you wonder how long the next lot will be able to keep it going.   

[sooty2]

yes they are,The Printers in Thornsett is for sale.That could be turned back to cottages as mentioned in the sales pitch. cant remember where I saw it advertised,There is the Sportsman in Bredbury and two more in Hyde and quite a few more I have seen on my travels, These pubs are probably nohopers in the current economic climate. I have been told Robinsons have bought some new pubs that are more attractive and have good food trade.Hopefully the young Robinsons who I believe have more input these days can move their still multi million empire on with the times.Many of the Robbies pubs have had an exterior facelift that makes them look more attractive from the outside,but many of the insides are quite grotty.Many landlords/ladies  that are tenants not managers ,just cant afford expensive refits to attract new customers.Look at the pub situation in central Marple. Every one has come up for, or has recently been relet. Their is very little confidence in the pub trade. Many Tenants are barely keeping a roof over their heads. The overheads in a pub are tremendous, Gas and electric from morning till night is being used even when there are no customers. Every drop of water has to be paid for. rent,business rates, council tax for the living quarters, various licences and staff if you can afford them etc etc. Topped off with the ever increasing beer prices it is a very risky business.

[Dave]

Who thought the day would come when Frederic Robinson actually puts their pubs up for sale to any buyer that wants them

Are Robbies selling off pubs then? 

.I will wind this reply up now or I will be ranting on all night, and I dont want to  "BOAR" anyone so I will be "GONE"

   

[sooty2]

Yes Dave, youre probably right. They also like pubs with huge car parks.You probably know Enterprise inns are millions of pounds in debt.They hoodwink starry eyed first timers to follow the "Run your own country pub dream" They promise them unnatainable potential profits. They employ  so called troubleshooters to put up the takings by using loss leading tactics, so they can show potential tenants false takings. A lot of the properties they own have lots of land in greenbelt areas that currently would not get planning permission, But one day you never know. I personally think Enterprise inns will go bust in the not to distant future.I was involved in the pub trade for 13 years and still have  a keen interest in this sadly dying trade. There will always be pubs, but there will not be much choice as more and more are boarded up. Who thought the day would come when Frederic Robinson actually puts their pubs up for sale to any buyer that wants them.I will wind this reply up now or I will be ranting on all night, and I dont want to  "BOAR" anyone so I will be "GONE"

[Dave]

Passing the Oddfellows in Moor End earlier today, I noticed a 'to let' sign has appeared outside.

A sad day for what was once a well-loved local and the best foodie pub in the area - people used to drive for miles to eat there, and it was a regular in all the good pub guides.  Then it was bought by Enterprise Inns, and since then there's been a succession of landlords, none of whom have lasted long.

It makes you wonder whether Enterprise Inns are deliberately trying to run it down, so that they can then apply to Stockport MBC for permission to change its use to domestic, arguing that it is no longer a viable business.  Then they can sell it off for a few hundred thousand as a nice big stone house.  And another pub bites the dust.   

Just a thought.  (Cynical, moi......?)