At the end of the day this old fashioned style of pub just isn’t as popular anymore. It’s also a bit out of the way for anything other than match days. Town centre pubs offering cocktails, craft beer and/or a good food selection will thrive, the traditional pub will die off. Maybe unfortunate but that’s just how it’s going now.
The London Reds (although most of us have moved back up here now) meet up in the upstairs bit of Spiral City Chris, if you’re looking for somewhere to go.
Agreed. Anytime I go into Leeds in an evening especially at the weekend and it’s absolutely rammed with people out boozing. I think that a lot of community type pubs just don’t appeal to younger people, they tend to owned and frequented by older folk and just don’t have a vibe for the youngsters. And now the older people aren’t going to those pubs they’re just empty. If you don’t have prime location you need to have food, live music or some other angle, you can’t sell the usual expensive mass produced booze in a non-town centre pub and expect to stay open.
Not been in for a long time but it was a regular prematch venue many years ago. Sad to hear of it’s demise.
You're correct that the budget was not a factor...The owners are Old Mill Brewery...a company connected to Wetherill Plastics in Snaith. They decided to get rid of all their pubs that were 'wet' led, rather than those with food and accomodation as the main source of income. It's due to the general sad demise of community 'drinking' pubs.
The town centre pubs are struggling, only worth opening 2 nights a week apart from the big named ones. The travellers was bought, refurbished and it's shut again after a few months, the new one "IF" at the top of Victoria Arcade was open every night when it was first open, now only a couple of nights a week. The council need to concentrate on getting accommodation into the town centre.
That should be the next project. Get rid of all the surplus buildings that are either empty or pointless. Get social housing and green spaces in.
Never been in apart from matchdays but been doing that for years until covid I think. Problem for me is the fact that it is away fan friendly which, while for most games is absolutely fine, any team with a decent away following turn it into an away pub, given the (mistaken?) belief that town centre pubs either won't let them in or will be hostile. I like chatting to away fans quite a lot as it happens but when it's taken over by crowds of Brum/rovrum fans it's unpleasant. Not their fault as they need the cash but doesn't help from a home fans perspective.....
Investment Rooms have bought a lot of unused buildings in the town centre and turned them into apartments, the amount of unused buildings above most shops is ridiculous. Paddy Power, old Raleys, above the old post office and the old Soul Lounge are just a few that have been bought and refurbished. Footfall through the town centre Sunday to Thursday nights is still poor so the hospitality sector is still struggling.
I think they need to move all the retail into certain spaces and if the buildings left are good then renovate if not demolish and start again.
Unfortunately there are an abundance of pubs in the town centre (even allowing for closures). If you're prepared to leave the pub at 2:30 and have a steady walk down to the ground. I suspect that's what a lot of people do. Never been in the Dove but if the Mount is anything to go by. I know they get next to no trade on non matchdays.
This is Camra Barnsley branch take of the Dove. "We’ve previously mentioned that Old Mill Brewery has put the Dove, Doncaster Road, Barnsley on the market as it no longer fits with their portfolio. The initial asking price of £175k has now been reduced to £160k and it’s understood that two offers have been made by parties who wish to change the use to a shop. That has, of course, generated much concern locally about the possible loss of this well-loved community pub. Any change of use would need planning permission and the Council could expect to receive copious objections. The Local Plan, which governs planning decisions, states that loss of a pub will only be allowed where there is evidence that it is no longer required; that certainly isn’t the case here, not least because the Dove is the only real ale outlet in that part of town. Efforts are also being made to have the Dove registered as an Asset of Community Value which would add another layer of protection against unwanted changes."
Closing because of Labour…. https://www.theguardian.com/busines...alf-of-year-in-england-and-wales-figures-show
Pubs such as the Dove are sadly now a thing of the past. Living in Worsbrough in the last few years we have list the Vine, Cutlets Rest, Manor, Blacksmiths Arms, The Ship(just reopened after being closed for a couple of years) White bear, Dillinington and there are probably others including some WMCs Drinking habits have changed.