CamberwellOnline Blog

http://www.camberwellonline.co.uk/2011/09/open-house-weekend-17-18-september-2011/#comment-353166


J Mark Dodds says:
18/09/2011 at 11:17 pm

Thanks to all who came to The Sun and Doves on Friday and Saturday. And particular, special, apologies to Peter and the wife to whom I promised I’d be back downstairs to say hello after putting my kids to bed — afraid I got into conversation and then bed with them — and fell asleep. Woke up at 2am having missed you somewhat.

Friday was a fantastic party atmosphere — lots of dancing and celebration of the end. And Saturday was quieter with loads of people who we’ve not seen for ages. Lots of old staff, from as long as fifteen years ago. Anyone remember Stirling Dlamini? And Gemma, who owns ‘Crumbs and Doilies’ she brought hundreds of her mini most delicious cup cakes and everyone in the pub had one and many had many more than just the one.

We went on until late — and had a chance to explain in some more detail to people who were sad about us closing forever that it’s the pubco system of over renting the pubs and selling beer at twice what it should be that is closing pubs all over the UK.

Some people suggested smashing the place up so the pubco couldn’t benefit. We don’t want anything like that to happen — that would be coming down to pubco level.

Anyhow — the whole weekend was a great way to round off SIXTEEN years of hardship and slave labour in the totally anachronistic and shockingly badly run, unsustainable Feudal system (SCAM) which Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company (Heineken) and their other pubco cronies so like to call ‘pubco partnership’.
J Mark Dodds says:
18/09/2011 at 11:32 pm

Scottish & Newcastle pubco’s bailiffs have a warrant to change the locks on the pub and evict me, and anyone else on the premises at the time, at 10am next Friday 23 September. Many people suggested we ought to arrange a welcoming reception for their arrival. And to get the press involved. South London Press called last week to ask about this, we agreed to keep it discreet until this week

What do you guys think would be the best approach? Press? TV? Some form of protest? The point to make is that it’s pubco behaviour and their usury practices that kills good pubs.

The Select Committee into pubcos were going to publish their findings and recommendations last Wednesday but at last minute put it back to this Tuesday. My hope is they will recommend legislation against the tie. If the tie goes — so do the pubcos not long after. Just the announcement of such a recommendation would end any credibility that remains with the illusion that pubcos are functioning businesses.
J Mark Dodds says:
18/09/2011 at 11:52 pm

For the purpose of clarity: because it surprises me how many people who came to the pub to pay their respects for The Sun and Doves did not fully realise the consequences of the relationship between a tied tenant and their pubco — I am about to be evicted without any income and bankrupted and left without savings, assets, pension or any form of security.

I have known this was going to happen since my 2000 rent review almost bankrupted me with a 68% increase. I fought the 2005 review on a much better footing with far more expertise — it went through arbitration to High Court, to Appeal and then back to arbitrator again. Many people I know think I won even though it went up 20% to £65K.

For the record: It’s a huge relief and I’ll be signing on next Monday morning.

HERE’S WHAT SCOTTISH & NEWCASTLE SAY:

“With S&NPC you’re in good company… Your search for your ideal pub starts here:

If you have ever wanted to run your own pub, Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company could be your perfect pub partner.

For over 200 years we have been creating great British pubs and we never forget a great pub starts with a great operator.

With S&NPC you run your pub your way but you also have the backing of one of the world’s largest brewing operations who can supply the brands, the training and everything else you need to achieve your ambitions in the pub industry.

Whether your ideal pub is cosy country inn, lively community local or chic city centre bar our extensive estate offers a huge variety of pubs in attractive locations across the UK.”

Not difficult to know WHY their extensive estate offers so much to a potential lamb to the slaughter is it? They are constantly CHURNING their properties — forcing publicans out by attacking them financially — just as all the other pubcos do — to make sure there’s always new blood coming in.