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Author Topic: Aston Hotel  (Read 31672 times)

Offline Ron Manager

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #45 on: May 15, 2016, 10:28:10 AM »
Good pubs don't shut.
I live in an area similar to Aston if we are talking ethnicity, we have had several pubs shut down in the last few years but they were all the ones that refused to move with the times. I'm all for your traditional boozer but if the punters are no longer drinking there then they must be going somewhere better, if that is home then the pub has failed to make their pub better than sitting in front of the TV, their fault.

Of all the pubs that have closed within a 2 mile radius of my house just about all of them have been the sort of average boozer I wouldn't bother to go in because it  has nothing to offer apart from a lager and John Smiths. the age of the "local" has gone, we want more from our pub than just being down the road.

I agree with most of this, but I would say there are plenty of people who just want a pint of Carling and watch Sky Sports or whatever. They are usually quite lazy, though, and if the pub is handy for them it will still flourish.

With a place like the Aston Hotel, or the Bartons for that matter, they have to offer something special to get people to consider going there. And with Birmingham's public transport being so bad, it has to be something special to warrant the journey. Great beer, food and a nice building usually swings it.

The Aston Hotel could be a success with the right owner, just like another crumbling old institution in the vicinity.

You mean the old tram garage?

Offline el león Benidorm

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #46 on: May 16, 2016, 06:42:58 AM »
One way of solving the match days only trade problem could be like the system used at the races.  Contractors man the pumps on days when there is demand.  Problem is the drink prices go sky high to cover the uneconomic opening pattern.  A pint of lager bought from, say, Letherby and Christopher at Newmarket would be very much higher than a 365 days a year pub.

One of the other ways is to close half the pub off that isn't being used on none match days. Use a skeleton staff to keep the turnover. Most pubs outside a city centre rely on weekend trade which buffers the quieter times.
The breweries need to acknowledge this and not screw the tenants with extortionate prices on beer.
The main issue is that most of the time the breweries will see it as a problem unit, and put rookie licensees in there or managers on rotation. They do not care and are looking constantly at the calendar on when they are leaving as opposed to someone who will take it and make it work.

Football pubs are hard premises to run, but if run right, they can make great venues.


Most pubs aren't owned by breweries now; they're privately owned. The running costs for a place like that must be high even if you only have one room open. It's been shut for a couple of years and better a building like that open as something else than empty and vandalised.

Most pubs are tenancies owned either by the breweries or a spin off group. The MMC made it law that you could only own 650 pubs in one chain. Hence why Scottish Courage all of a sudden became 4 seperate companies with Enterprise Inns etc. They screw tenants to the floor with high rents and ludicrous prices for beer. Thats where Wetherspoons make a killing as tenants can't compete.

Online dave.woodhall

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #47 on: May 16, 2016, 08:44:20 AM »
Enterprise have always been a separate company and I can't think of a pub around Villa Park that's ever been owned by a pubco.

Offline rim gk

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #48 on: October 27, 2017, 11:31:11 AM »
Enterprise have always been a separate company and I can't think of a pub around Villa Park that's ever been owned by a pubco.
yew is owned by enterprise inns.

Offline rim gk

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #49 on: October 27, 2017, 11:38:16 AM »
The loss of the aston hotel, guild arms, ads, britianna, the upper grounds, barn social and vine shows the demise and the unctrolable change not only of B6 but in most inner cities of the UK. I ws hoping the club would buy the aston hotel, instead it's accommodation for homeless people the locals were never pre advised  ,and makes the area look more of slum than it already its. Loss of the aston transport  museum was a tragedy, as it contained the history of Birmingham. Pakistani/Bangladeshi wedding venus have replaces the barn, upper grounds and one  next to the transport museum have opened. Theirs an opportunity for them to open a bar, but unlike the Indian community they will not provide this service. If look at north west birmingham/Sandwell  pubs are thriving with curries and mixed grills even recently the bell on booths farm road great Barr was up sale and brought by people who turned in to a curry pub but still kept traditions and the locals and regulars are happy.

Offline olaftab

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #50 on: October 27, 2017, 12:24:38 PM »
Anything that preserves the great building is good news. It's becoming more and more difficult to run a viable pub business around Aston and Witton I guess.

Offline olaftab

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #51 on: October 27, 2017, 12:26:50 PM »
The loss of the aston hotel, guild arms, ads, britianna, the upper grounds, barn social and vine shows the demise and the unctrolable change not only of B6 but in most inner cities of the UK. I ws hoping the club would buy the aston hotel, instead it's accommodation for homeless people the locals were never pre advised  ,and makes the area look more of slum than it already its. Loss of the aston transport  museum was a tragedy, as it contained the history of Birmingham. Pakistani/Bangladeshi wedding venus have replaces the barn, upper grounds and one  next to the transport museum have opened. Theirs an opportunity for them to open a bar, but unlike the Indian community they will not provide this service. If look at north west birmingham/Sandwell  pubs are thriving with curries and mixed grills even recently the bell on booths farm road great Barr was up sale and brought by people who turned in to a curry pub but still kept traditions and the locals and regulars are happy.
Can you recall any major rucks in Aston hotel in your time there?

Offline wittonwarrior

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #52 on: October 27, 2017, 12:40:43 PM »
Match day drinking at vp is poor to say the least with so few options every open establishment has a right to charge. The alternatives are the holte suite and pub. The suite atmosphere dead and pub lions club members only

Offline cdbearsfan

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #53 on: October 27, 2017, 12:42:33 PM »
Why would you expect Pakistani/Bangladeshi wedding specialists to provide a bar when their clientele don't drink? And what's wrong with providing accommodation for the homeless?
« Last Edit: October 27, 2017, 12:52:41 PM by cdbullyweefan »

Offline ChicagoLion

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #54 on: October 27, 2017, 12:49:51 PM »
The loss of the aston hotel, guild arms, ads, britianna, the upper grounds, barn social and vine shows the demise and the unctrolable change not only of B6 but in most inner cities of the UK. I ws hoping the club would buy the aston hotel, instead it's accommodation for homeless people the locals were never pre advised  ,and makes the area look more of slum than it already its. Loss of the aston transport  museum was a tragedy, as it contained the history of Birmingham. Pakistani/Bangladeshi wedding venus have replaces the barn, upper grounds and one  next to the transport museum have opened. Theirs an opportunity for them to open a bar, but unlike the Indian community they will not provide this service. If look at north west birmingham/Sandwell  pubs are thriving with curries and mixed grills even recently the bell on booths farm road great Barr was up sale and brought by people who turned in to a curry pub but still kept traditions and the locals and regulars are happy.
Can you recall any major rucks in Aston hotel in your time there?
Larf

Offline rim gk

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #55 on: October 27, 2017, 01:13:55 PM »
Match day drinking at vp is poor to say the least with so few options every open establishment has a right to charge. The alternatives are the holte suite and pub. The suite atmosphere dead and pub lions club members only
the remaining boozers are doing enough non match day to keep going. Wittton arms get locals, regulars, and Irish dj nights, yew tree has a lot of private functions , bashment nights and a pool team to keep going as well as the villa. I'm not sure with the social, but I know they have private parties sometimes. When going to Wembley I have used the Asian wedding venues for the bar, they open up and serve supporters, clay oven is one, there's a restraunt  type too. .The barn, upper grounds and the one on witton Lane have been turned into these type of function venues, they have an opportunity for business, they have then venue location, they just needs a bar.

Offline oldhill_avfc

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #56 on: October 27, 2017, 01:43:54 PM »
Match day drinking at vp is poor to say the least with so few options every open establishment has a right to charge. The alternatives are the holte suite and pub. The suite atmosphere dead and pub lions club members only

I notice the Albion use a (fenced off) bit of land in front of Greggs for live music, food and possibly drinking on match days.  I'd hate to directly copy what they do but it makes sense to consider alternatives if the pubs are unsustainable.

Offline rim gk

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #57 on: October 27, 2017, 01:47:06 PM »
The hare of the dog in Perry barr has gone too along with the soon to go university. The crown and cushion has in to an African restraunt I think they have a bar, but most coming that's side would use the Arthur robertson Wetherspoon.  The African chap who opened the office licence at witton station has given what was needed, no paying entrance fees no extra charges on booze as it's match day. A real hard working bloke and entrepreneur  who has now opened the shop next as a grocery shop.

Offline Pat McMahon

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #58 on: October 27, 2017, 02:14:45 PM »
I don't understand why Villa don't keep the bars open to sell more food and drink for an hour after the game. Brighton did this last year and it reduced some of the pain of getting the train.

Offline rim gk

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Re: Aston Hotel
« Reply #59 on: October 27, 2017, 02:29:53 PM »
The Calthorpe arms which is a 10-15min walk from villa park is undergoing a major refurbishment/extention. They looking to compete with the Grove in Handsworth Wood and soho taven Hockley, with the curries and mixed grills. Looking at it could be next April till it opens. I went there towards the end of last season and they had a few villa flags and posted up. Could be a good shout after the refurbishment.

 


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