Unbelievable Wetherspoons Experience

My local Wetherspoons is busy on a Friday and Saturday right up until about

10pm and then empties, they actually don't need bouncers, the local population has got the message!

In message , Richard Brooks wrote

What has probably happened is that customers who have experienced this behaviour don't visit JDW pubs. This doesn't matter to the management as there are thousands of others from their under-age drinking customer base to replace the people who do not visit anymore.

Perhaps JDW pubs have to employ bouncers because they have discouraged sensible drinkers and have been left only with the people likely to cause trouble. The JDW local to me has bouncers every evening whereas neighbouring pubs have never had bouncers on the doors.

The SIA (Security Industry Authority) is a new Government organisation set up to accredit door staff. In fact after 15th November all door staff will need SIA accreditation to work and all venues with fire limits of 1000 or more will need to have SIA accredited door staff on sitre at all times when open. More at

where they may be interested in that number you took down.

anyone know how this effects beer festivals ? the correct site is

Cheers Andy

I would hope that it is the same, having experienced some very heavy handedness and some festivals.

John B

I think one issue is that many 'Spoons pubs change their character during the day and evening. They often have a predominantly young, alcopop guzzling clientelle in the late evening, who go there to get tanked up before hitting the clubs. These people are probably very used to heavy handed bouncers and don't see anything to complain about.

Of course, those of us who don't regularly drink in bars patrolled by gorillas in suits *aren't* used to it, and we (perfectly understandably) feel offended. It's seems JDW have adopted this stroppy bouncer policy for *all* their pubs, even the ones that don't fill up with kiddies after 9pm.

Best regards, Paul

-- Paul Sherwin Consulting

It is, that's why the stewards at the Great British Beer Festival have been doing additional training.

Personally, the best method of removing people is normally to talk them to death. ("Bore the arse off them" is another way of putting it)

Employing bouncers can have a positive effect with kids as well. Being allowed onto the premises by bouncers gives the kids a kind of 'membership/acceptance' status.

I avoid them like the plague.

Paul Sherwin18/10/04 5:31 PM

Those youngsters spend an awful lot more money than us old codgers drinking their cheap real ale too.

I'm not any kind of expert, but I have a feeling this JDW move is in the lead-up to the changes in permitted licensing hours in the new Act. The idea of a landlord losing his licence by contravening the law was always a traditionally a way of getting people to be reasonably compliant at closing time - even when drunk.

Whatever official hours the JDW chain decides to adopt on various nights - when real competition in opening hours becomes a reality - it will become increasingly difficult to get people out of the door than it is now. Many youths, when tanked up, can get very lippy and aggressive or even violent towards pub staff and managers.

I haven't been into our local JDW very recently, so I don't know what's happening there with bouncers. (Even when it's not of full of screaming rampaging kids, it has about as much charisma as drinking in Safeways snack bar.)

My own guess though, is that aggressive behaviour towards pub staff is all set to increase and worsen (at least for a good while until drinking patterns change) and JDW are taking the lead in getting people used to a heavier-handed approach - well in advance.

CR

In a way you're right, but in another you're wrong!

JDW is a bit of a beer supermarket, using the 'pile-it-high-sell-it-cheap' philosophy. Some of their outlets are fairly utilitarian, and most, if not all, lack the intimacy and conviviality of a proper local boozer.

But, in defence of JDW, many of their conversions have been done sensitively and sympathetically. Round here, we have the splendid chapel conversion in Brighouse, and the old swimming pool in Bradford, both stunning in their way. A little bit further afield, the former Lounge Hall in Harrogate will take your breath away.

I generally look on JDW as a 'last resort' outlet. If you're away. and don't happen to have a copy of the GBG, then usually, if you find a Wetherspoons pub, you'll get a reasonable pint (most are now Cask Marque) at a decent price. Well it's either that or finding the nearest WH Smith and leafing through a GBG there!

So what's my po>

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No it isn't. This kind of behvaiour in JDW pubs has been going on for years. It's been at least 5 years since I was in a JDW pub at closing time and it was common then.

Paul

I diasgree with you there- there is always a point in complaining about this, because you are by law allowed 20 mins drinking up time.

Yes, but the problem we are talking about occurs at precisely that time.

No, that's the maximum you're allowed. The licensee can shut his pub any time he wants.

--

"The mood and temper of the public in regard to the treatment of crime and criminals is one of the most unfailing tests of civilisation in any country." (Winston Churchill)

It seems to me that everything done by WSpoons is designed to cut costs in order to keep prices low.

For instance, no music - no PPL/PRS license fees.

I'm only guessing - until what time do they pay their staff? 11.30,

11.15, 11.00 maybe. If so, no flaming wonder the staff are a overzealous at closing time.

Anyone around this NG worked in one of their hell-holes?

JP

Wrong, the licensee is permitted 20 minutes to stop people drinking alcohol after the end of the time during which alcoholic drinks may be served. The licensee can stop serving before that time, and can impose less "drinking-up time" or even allow more providing it does not go beyond the time plus 20 minutes.

Surely if a landlord sells you a drink at, say, 22:59, he should at least allow you the 20 minutes in order to drink it. Afterall you can't take it out with you onto the street.

In article , Dave writes

The point is the landlord does *not* have to allow the full twenty minutes, although any pub which curtailed it persistently would loose customers. The drinking-up time was extended from ten to twenty to allow the landlord to make more money because having only ten minutes deterred some people from purchasing drinks after 'last orders' ten minutes before 'time'