The state of pubs as I see it

As the title suggests this is just my thoughts. Please contact me and discuss as you see fit, but remember, if everyone else's job was easy, we would all change tomorrow.

I read with interest that village pubs, town centre boozers, city drinking holes and tucked out of the way cosy dining pubs are going to the wall all to quickly. I also read with interest that occasionally villagers get together to save the closed down pub from the hands of the developer.
Its not the fact that these places are closing that niggles me its the way that a "village" gathers and piles all its money into buying, opening and running the closed pub.

Firstly, why? If it was run well, then it would be trading and not at the mercy of Acme developers with unwanted luxury accommodation.
Secondly, if they had supported the place in the beginning then it would still be open. A village or small town gets a name and a reputation from its pub and for its pub. If there is no pub, sometimes there is a drop in the house price. If the village has a good pub, the village becomes a desirable place to live in much the same way as you wouldn't buy a house in the worst end of town with the roughest boozer around for fear of your life and possessions.
Thirdly, how can a group of maybe 5 to 10 locals take on a pub and run it the way they see fit. The only way this can actually work is if the brains of the operation has 95% of the others doing as he wishes. If this is the case then maybe he should have bought it himself. The truth is that he couldn't afford to and dare not put his house down as a deposit and take the chance of losing £100K. Therefore by only placing £10k on red he stands a chance and didn't die living the dream.
I would love to be a racing driver, but I dint get 10 mates and bid for Honda last season in the hope we could make it work.

Pub life is not about saving the local that has stood there for centuries. it is about offering people somewhere warm and friendly to go. Somewhere to eat, drink and chat. You need to know where Jim has got his latest car from, how Mrs Jones medication is working out, how well the kids are doing at uni and above all, listen to the one they all ignore.

I have worked in this trade for 20+ years now and sit back and wonder why I get up in the morning. The simple truth is that I love what I do. Everyday offers new challenges. I wouldn't change what I do, I would just be a little richer before I started. Go ahead people take the challenge, but do it the right way. Fighting to help your local survive is where your energy is spent best. Join the landlord for a drink and ask if you can help before it gets to the stage of closure. Help him with his negotiations with the brewery. Offer your services to him in exchange for the odd drink or meal. How many gardeners, plumbers, financial advisers and marketing people do you know right now that could do a job for their local publican before he calls for a taxi to get him out of there.

Taking over the local once it has gone is a form of insult. "Sorry you didn't succeed at running the pub, but since you fled with your 30 years experience of the licensed trade we have got a nurse, retired plumber, gardener, lorry driver and secretary and we are having a great time. Plenty of media coverage so that makes sure we are busy enough to get through. Once that goes we will be ready to sell."
Right now there are far to many people ready to pick the meat off the pubs bones. The supermarkets are killers. 4 bottles of beer for £1. A litre of spirits £12. Even 2 main courses and puds with a bottle of wine £10. These things have to stop. Do we not see the state of the high street as it stands now? The heart has been taken from the town and village and posted on the outskirts in some large retail park. One stop shop. Does the teenager at the till care if your having a bad day. Do they call you sir or madam. Do they laugh at your rubbish jokes?

Be proud of your local pub. All publicans want is support. Ask not what your pub can do for you, but what you can do for your pub. The charges they make for a pint of beer or glass of wine are not high. If you take the initial purchase price, add VAT, staff wages, rent, heat, light, wastage, repairs and renewals, then try for a little bit of profit, you wouldn't bother.
I cant change the world, just try and ensure I fight my corner. D Ream once said "Things can only get better" I sincerely hope so, for all our sakes.

I will now get back to doing what I do best because as you can see I am not going to give the financial editor at The Times any sleepless nights. I will return to my kitchen and cook food for my happy and wonderful customers. I will clean beer lines and ensure the beer we serve is the highest quality. After that I will sleep safe in the knowledge that whilst I have breath in my lungs, I am ready for all the world throws at me. Thank you for taking time to read this blog. For more information on our wonderful village and fantastic pub visit www.brandeston.net

An inspector calls

Well, after waiting for 3 years here at the Queen's Head, we finaly had an inspector call. A table for lunch and 3 courses later he got up to pay. The result was that in his eyes we are worthy of one rosette for our food and service. To many it seems like small fry, to us it means a lot. We have always been proud of what we do, yet we still needed someone to come along and say you are worthy. This now places us in the top 1800 places to eat in the UK. That is a superb achievment for a small village pub.
As a chef who lives by what others think, it now gives you confidence in what you are doing. The team never doubted we were worthy, but it is always great when someone tells you and wants the rest of the restaurant scene to know. Suffolk is a healthy eating ground and we now fill a small void which had appeared in the guide books.
We now wait for the book to come out and the visit in 12 months time. Until then we will continue with all our hard work.
If you have considered a trip to Suffolk and wanted to know where we are, visit our web sites.
www.queenshead-brandeston.co.uk
www.brandeston.net

The way others see us

I started my career at the age of 15 working part time at a local hotel. I then moved away from home and followed the best chefs around to see how I could improve. I read the books and watched the TV shows. After a while I realised it was never going to be easy and it was to late to change. A little while longer and I realised I didnt want to change. I was happy being a pale, food obsessed, workaholic chef that needed to do something with his life.
After working in some lovely establishments I now find myself running a lovely country pub serving some cracking food. My journey has taken me through ownership of my own restaurant and a small hotel to here as well as working with food at the source. As I wait for Christmas to appear and bring all its hungry, I wait for one of the most important moments in my cooking life. I have very little control of how that moment will go, but I will be there to take part. This will be something that could set us apart from the rest. This is something that could make a huge difference to us as a business. As soon as this happens you will be the first to know.

Welcome

Well hello one and all. It has been a wonderful couple of weeks. I have moved into the world of Twitter, twittered on to people I have never met before, donated chutneys for the blaggers banquet, Eaten at The Yew Tree Marco Pierre White and finaly set up a blog. All done in the time I have away from the stoves here at the pub....Phew!!! Sleep is for wimps!!

Anyway, I hope to keep you all up to date with the goingso n at the pub so you are all aware that the good old British country pub serving real ale and good food still exists. That is when time allows.