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[Claire]

Just what everyone wants to know:

RE: J D Wetherspoon: Contact Form Submissionâ€

From: Acquisitions Internal (Acquisitionsint@jdwetherspoon.co.uk)

Sent: 05 July 2010 09:10:23

To: claire jackson

Dear Ms Jackson

Thank you for your email. JD Wetherspoon has purchased the Red Lion in Bedlington. At the moment there are no onsite or opening dates agreed.

Once again, thank you for taking the time and trouble to contact us.

Kind regards

Carolyn

[Andy Millne]

Nicely done Claire.

[Cympil]

Well done Claire

So, it`s official! That`s the best news i`ve heard today. The Red Lion is going to be a pub again

[Malcolm Robinson]

Not just gossip anymore then............

[Merlin]

Although great news that Wetherspoons have bought The Red Lion. Cue the doom and gloom merchant,will this not sound the death knell for some of our other licensed premises? Are they already beyond help or will this be the kick up the backside that makes them buck up their ideas? I hope that we still have a varied option in drinking places to frequent in the future

[Malcolm Robinson]

Good question Merlin. I don't think any can compete with the Wetherspoon's business model, certainly not in a purpose built place, and with diminishing disposable incomes every pint supped in their bar is one less in the other bars. Unless we see a mass immigration of drinkers from elsewhere that is. It's not only drinking establishments who will feel the draught, the few restaurants and food outlets will too. It is a bit like the Tesco scenario, we want the upgrade but we are a bit fearful of the result.

[pennylane909]

i hope they do food

Bout time we had another decent place to eat and have a beer in bedlington

[Cympil]

Good question Merlin. I don't think any can compete with the Wetherspoon's business model, certainly not in a purpose built place, and with diminishing disposable incomes every pint supped in their bar is one less in the other bars. Unless we see a mass immigration of drinkers from elsewhere that is. It's not only drinking establishments who will feel the draught, the few restaurants and food outlets will too. It is a bit like the Tesco scenario, we want the upgrade but we are a bit fearful of the result.

I think more people will visit Bedlington for some cheap drink at the weekend, and since Wetherspoons don`t have music on, i reckon those same people will head off down the street after a few pints. Hopefully, the rest of the pubs will get some extra business too. It would be nice to see Bedlington on the map again as a place to go at the weekend for a good pub crawl, just like the old days

[Monsta®]

still don't mean its going to open! they could just as quickly sell it next week!

if it does open the other pubs will quickly shut down! great

Cheep beer = more p!ss heeds!

more p!ss heeds = More fights, spew puddles and pizza boxes

[Claire]

I think more people will visit Bedlington for some cheap drink at the weekend, and since Wetherspoons don`t have music on, i reckon those same people will head off down the street after a few pints. Hopefully, the rest of the pubs will get some extra business too. It would be nice to see Bedlington on the map again as a place to go at the weekend for a good pub crawl, just like the old days

Hopefully this will be the case

[pennylane909]

i hear theyve already got the decorators in

[Brian Cross]

still don't mean its going to open! they could just as quickly sell it next week!

if it does open the other pubs will quickly shut down! great

Cheep beer = more p!ss heeds!

more p!ss heeds = More fights, spew puddles and pizza boxes

............

You could be right Monsta but maybe not ...i am optimistic but then i dunno

Edited July 13, 2010 by Brian Cross

[Monsta®]

like they say "theres nowt to do in bedlington except drink!" so maybe a wetherspoons will do ok!

[Hillbilly]

Well well... I didn't believe it although I'd heard the rumours.

Seems a bit odd that a chain as cash rich as Witherspoons would buy a place, board it up and leave it indefinately! Surely they would want it gutted, re-furbed and turned around so it can start earning it's keep!?

I wonder if they have other plans for it?

I really hope it does open, I think it will bring people to the town centre and they will inevitably wonder on to other pubs. Don't see how it can be a bad thing... Goodness knows we can't leave the place looking like it does today what with it's nice silver shutters up!

[Monsta®]

Seems a bit odd that a chain as cash rich as Witherspoons would buy a place, board it up and leave it indefinately! Surely they would want it gutted, re-furbed and turned around so it can start earning it's keep!?

I wonder if they have other plans for it?

I really hope it does open, I think it will bring people to the town centre and they will inevitably wonder on to other pubs. Don't see how it can be a bad thing... Goodness knows we can't leave the place looking like it does today what with it's nice silver shutters up!

might be another project like the terrier old peoples home! i cant see wetherspoons actually opening anytime soon or in the future with alcohol laws about to change and the proposed police charges! (plus bedlington is a !*!@# hole!)

[Denzel]

Good question Merlin. I don't think any can compete with the Wetherspoon's business model, certainly not in a purpose built place, and with diminishing disposable incomes every pint supped in their bar is one less in the other bars. Unless we see a mass immigration of drinkers from elsewhere that is. It's not only drinking establishments who will feel the draught, the few restaurants and food outlets will too. It is a bit like the Tesco scenario, we want the upgrade but we are a bit fearful of the result.

Sorry Malcolm, but that's just rubbish. Wetherspoon's operate on a very simple 'high volume, low margin' principle which most of the big pub landlords are now embracing, such as Greene King, Nomura etc.

I can't think of anywhere off-hand where the presence of a JDW pub has destroyed existing trade. Additionally, JDW aren't actually that cheap, especially when compared to other pubchains. Furthermore, JDW outlets are always completed to a very high standard, and as The Red Lion is very much a landmark building round here, they can only improve the appearance of the place.

[Merlin]

A bit of graffiti would tidy that place up the state it's in

[Malcolm Robinson]

Sorry Malcolm, but that's just rubbish. Wetherspoon's operate on a very simple 'high volume, low margin' principle which most of the big pub landlords are now embracing, such as Greene King, Nomura etc.

I can't think of anywhere off-hand where the presence of a JDW pub has destroyed existing trade. Additionally, JDW aren't actually that cheap, especially when compared to other pubchains. Furthermore, JDW outlets are always completed to a very high standard, and as The Red Lion is very much a landmark building round here, they can only improve the appearance of the place.

Ok Denzel tell you what………..I'll wager a pint of their finest that within 6 months of opening we see a reaction. At the mo we have one pub in the town up for lease.

As I said we want the upgrade but……… it's the Catch 22 Bedlington has always been in. Personally I would rather have seen the multi-use plans the old owner had in mind for the building....

[mercuryg]

Sorry Malcolm, but that's just rubbish. Wetherspoon's operate on a very simple 'high volume, low margin' principle which most of the big pub landlords are now embracing, such as Greene King, Nomura etc.

No quite; Wetherspoons have agreements in place to buy their stock very late in its life, cutting down on the lead time they have in which to sell it hence the cut prices. In doing this they get a very good, guaranteed cut price deal as it takes what would rapidly become waste off the brewery's hands. The sheer volume they buy in means that they can easily undercut the rival brewery chains, who continue to treat their pubs as assets rather than businesses.

The problem that most landlords have these days is that they are tied to expensive brewery deals for their draught product; Wetherspoons, being able to offer a much better deal, offer their landlords a much brighter prospect. It's not just competition, it's extreme competition. Not that I don't welcome it, but unless it does generate extra trade (which I doubt) and pass some of that onto the remaining bars it will be of limited benefit to the town.

[Hillbilly]

Whats the latest on this... any more news!?

Last I heard, they wanted to open in September... unless I am missing something there seems to be a distinct lack of anything going on there at the moment!!

Anybody got any info?

[Denzel]

No quite; Wetherspoons have agreements in place to buy their stock very late in its life, cutting down on the lead time they have in which to sell it hence the cut prices. In doing this they get a very good, guaranteed cut price deal as it takes what would rapidly become waste off the brewery's hands. The sheer volume they buy in means that they can easily undercut the rival brewery chains, who continue to treat their pubs as assets rather than businesses.

The problem that most landlords have these days is that they are tied to expensive brewery deals for their draught product; Wetherspoons, being able to offer a much better deal, offer their landlords a much brighter prospect. It's not just competition, it's extreme competition. Not that I don't welcome it, but unless it does generate extra trade (which I doubt) and pass some of that onto the remaining bars it will be of limited benefit to the town.

Having sold to Wetherspoon's through two of my previous employers, I can categorically state that this is completely untrue.

[moe19]

The application for the premises license is now on display on the wall outside the Lion.

[Denzel]

The application for the premises license is now on display on the wall outside the Lion.

I'm looking forward to sampling a vast array of strong ciders.

[Mr Darn]

I can only see good things come of this for bedlington in general. lets hope we get some more interest in investment.

[Denzel]

I can only see good things come of this for bedlington in general. lets hope we get some more interest in investment.

This is the kind of positive attitude I like to hear. Trilby doffed your way Mr Darn sir.