Popular Brighton pub set to close but its owners won’t say why (From The Argus)

Mr Beaumont and Gill Perkins have owned The Greys since 2003
Do you mean they own the lease or the building.

Noooooo not The Greys, it's a fantastic boozer. Best pub in Brighton.......after the Constant Service that is!

Another completely misleading story - they are simply changing the landlords NOT shutting down... honestly..

F in L wrote:

AmboGuy wrote:
Noooooo not The Greys, it's a fantastic boozer. Best pub in Brighton.......after the Constant Service that is!

So in your opinion the Second Best. You really are a dolt.

Oh go away you bored student troll. You've had so many user names now isn't it time you just gave up and got a girlfriend instead?

oh AmboGuy ignore F in L, last week he was supporting the dirty teacher running off with a 15 year old girl.
May be he will lauch a Jimmy Savile campaign as well.
Apparently his wife is a lot younger than him......ten Baht apparently.

Enterprise are a nightmare for publicans to work for/with. tie-ins, prices...Anyone would give up rather than continue working under their dictatorial direction.

Loads and probably too many pubs in Hanover. Loads of them. Mainly residential punters too, and probably more and more staying indoors as prices go up.

Maxwell's Ghost wrote:
oh AmboGuy ignore F in L, last week he was supporting the dirty teacher running off with a 15 year old girl.
May be he will lauch a Jimmy Savile campaign as well.
Apparently his wife is a lot younger than him......ten Baht apparently.

Ha ha. Well he was on here as Sparky a while back until he got the hump because we teased him after he admitted having a long criminal record, then he posted under a few names until he got banned for racist and homophobic remarks made, he was most recently Helena Handcart and now he's up to his old tricks as F in L. A sad sad man indeed.

The sad demise of a great and popular pub. I hope the new landlord makes a good go of it. Sadly the pubcos are bleeding the industry die. A demonstration of the crazy leveraged business practice.

I remember plenty of pubs years ago where the landlord was never behind the bar and spent the night drinking the profits. How times have changed. You have to be 100% on top of your game. One average landlord and the pub is finished.

If he was running it properly the brewery wouldn't care and leave him to get on with it, so it begs the question, what's he done?

HJarrs wrote:
The sad demise of a great and popular pub. I hope the new landlord makes a good go of it. Sadly the pubcos are bleeding the industry die. A demonstration of the crazy leveraged business practice.

I remember plenty of pubs years ago where the landlord was never behind the bar and spent the night drinking the profits. How times have changed. You have to be 100% on top of your game. One average landlord and the pub is finished.

Enterprise Inns and the rest of them are parasitic - they force the pubs to charge £4+ for a pint and £12 for a burger and chips and then wonder why no-one goes in there on a saturday evening during a recession.

these chains all have a collective agreement with their banks to meet certain turnover, cash-flow and profit distribution covenants, so effectively all of the landlords have to accede to indirect price-fixing by the greedy BRUMMIES at Enterprise ruining our LOCAL pubs. Something needs to be done about this, we need more locally owned brewpubs.

Yep big greedy chains make it very difficult for some people to get by in this business.

Hove Actually wrote:
If he was running it properly the brewery wouldn't care and leave him to get on with it, so it begs the question, what's he done?

This pub has been run as well as it possibly could during the current economic climate. As other people have said, it is more likely down to Enterprise eg lease is up for renewal so let's hike it up astronomically. The pubs have little chance when things like this happen and landlords have to make a decision on whether it is worth carrying on when they make next to no money.

I remember the Greys when it was the Bricklayers Arms! But we are losing Pubs and clubs at a frightening rate.
Recent letters regarding the Brighton Trades and Social club indicate this! Pubs perform a vital community service.- They need support!

As one of our city MPs became a millionaire through the pub industry you would think he would step up to launch a more high profile campaign. Has anyone seen Mr Kirby since election?

It's not closing, it's having a fortnight off, like most of us do during the year...

One can only hope that the pub survives with new management, the alternative being a conversion to twenty or so residential units, something which hanover really doesn't need any more of.

This is probably a classic Enterprise inns stitch up.

Had it at an enterprise pub I ran.

Start off with a low(ish) rent because the pub is on its knees, work hard and make it a success and those ar5eholes at Enterprise come along and say, this pub is doing well, we're quadrupling your rent because we're greedy feckers, so now you wont be able to afford it.

Works well for enterprise as they then get rid of a hard working, GOOD publican and they get to re-sell the lease to someone else who hasn't done their sums properly, cant make the place work, they leave and enterprise get to re-sell the lease again and again and so on.

They really are a bunch of c**ts.

Oh dear...another misleading headline. Look again, people: it is NOT closing, just changing hands. Tsk...And it happens alot in the brewery trade. No-one's died. Get over it.

Thatsjustyummy wrote:
This is probably a classic Enterprise inns stitch up.

Had it at an enterprise pub I ran.

Start off with a low(ish) rent because the pub is on its knees, work hard and make it a success and those ar5eholes at Enterprise come along and say, this pub is doing well, we're quadrupling your rent because we're greedy feckers, so now you wont be able to afford it.

Works well for enterprise as they then get rid of a hard working, GOOD publican and they get to re-sell the lease to someone else who hasn't done their sums properly, cant make the place work, they leave and enterprise get to re-sell the lease again and again and so on.

They really are a bunch of c**ts.

I think you summed it up better than my earlier comment. It happens with other companies (not just Enterprise) from what I have heard. Allegedly.

i know it is a random question, but was it the Greys about thirty years ago had frogs legs on its menu?

andyjhpool wrote:

Thatsjustyummy wrote:
This is probably a classic Enterprise inns stitch up.

Had it at an enterprise pub I ran.

Start off with a low(ish) rent because the pub is on its knees, work hard and make it a success and those ar5eholes at Enterprise come along and say, this pub is doing well, we're quadrupling your rent because we're greedy feckers, so now you wont be able to afford it.

Works well for enterprise as they then get rid of a hard working, GOOD publican and they get to re-sell the lease to someone else who hasn't done their sums properly, cant make the place work, they leave and enterprise get to re-sell the lease again and again and so on.

They really are a bunch of c**ts.

I think you summed it up better than my earlier comment. It happens with other companies (not just Enterprise) from what I have heard. Allegedly.

Whitbread did exactly that to us, with a pub we had for 20 years - in this case to get rid of proper publican leaseholders altogether and install a manager on a wage so they could cream the profits.

The pub went rapidly downhill, and from being in the Good Beer Guide best 100 town pubs in the UK book in the 1990's, made a loss, got sold off to Enterprise Inns who then further exploited their poor tenants, and then closed down this year as nobody could afford the beer tie-ins.

Max_Normal wrote:

andyjhpool wrote:

Thatsjustyummy wrote: This is probably a classic Enterprise inns stitch up. Had it at an enterprise pub I ran. Start off with a low(ish) rent because the pub is on its knees, work hard and make it a success and those ar5eholes at Enterprise come along and say, this pub is doing well, we're quadrupling your rent because we're greedy feckers, so now you wont be able to afford it. Works well for enterprise as they then get rid of a hard working, GOOD publican and they get to re-sell the lease to someone else who hasn't done their sums properly, cant make the place work, they leave and enterprise get to re-sell the lease again and again and so on. They really are a bunch of c**ts.

I think you summed it up better than my earlier comment. It happens with other companies (not just Enterprise) from what I have heard. Allegedly.

Whitbread did exactly that to us, with a pub we had for 20 years - in this case to get rid of proper publican leaseholders altogether and install a manager on a wage so they could cream the profits. The pub went rapidly downhill, and from being in the Good Beer Guide best 100 town pubs in the UK book in the 1990's, made a loss, got sold off to Enterprise Inns who then further exploited their poor tenants, and then closed down this year as nobody could afford the beer tie-ins.

Does Lucas have any thoughts on this?

Hove Actually wrote:
If he was running it properly the brewery wouldn't care and leave him to get on with it, so it begs the question, what's he done?

You idiot, he was running it properly, in fact probably too good, Fact, he is NOT the owner, Enterprise are the owners, the more trade you generate, the more money the Pub Co want. This is coming from an ex successful Landlord/Owner so I know what I am talking about, unlike you.

My best mate is a chef who worked for one of the UK's top hotels and he took on a lease from one of the parasitic pub companies.
He took a rural country pub from almost dereliction into a busy, foodie pub filled with fish he caught himself and game he shot and prepared himself and as those above have stated, the brewery then started turning the screws on him to the point where he had to move on with the loss of ten reliable, hard working staff.
He was devastated and the pub was taken over by a couple who sadly were not very bright and a really bit dirty and within three months the pub was almost derelict again and the couple did a midnight flit when they too realised they could not make a living.
My mate has now bought the freehold to a restaurant where he is the boss and doing very nicely but it's a real shame for British pubs.

Maxwell's Ghost wrote:
My best mate is a chef who worked for one of the UK's top hotels and he took on a lease from one of the parasitic pub companies.
He took a rural country pub from almost dereliction into a busy, foodie pub filled with fish he caught himself and game he shot and prepared himself and as those above have stated, the brewery then started turning the screws on him to the point where he had to move on with the loss of ten reliable, hard working staff.
He was devastated and the pub was taken over by a couple who sadly were not very bright and a really bit dirty and within three months the pub was almost derelict again and the couple did a midnight flit when they too realised they could not make a living.
My mate has now bought the freehold to a restaurant where he is the boss and doing very nicely but it's a real shame for British pubs.

It's just symptomatic with all these major pub/brewery companies. Where's their investment in community pubs? Oh they probably don't feel that is there remit, we are just here to make money. It's depressing. Good quality local pubs were you can go to are getting fewer by the day.

And when you had a proper landlord and landlady in a pub it was a bloody lot cleaner.
Nowadays you get a kid behind the bar who never asks if you want a glass with any of the bottled beers and if you do get one its absolutely filthy to match the bogs.
At least in Europe they take serving drinks with a bit of pride and cleanliness
Bring back proper landlords and clean glasses.

Attention Ambotroll


Ambotroll get back to your very small rented room and take the amitriptyline your doctor gave you months ago and you keep forgetting to take !

Maxwell's Ghost wrote:
My best mate is a chef who worked for one of the UK's top hotels and he took on a lease from one of the parasitic pub companies.
He took a rural country pub from almost dereliction into a busy, foodie pub filled with fish he caught himself and game he shot and prepared himself and as those above have stated, the brewery then started turning the screws on him to the point where he had to move on with the loss of ten reliable, hard working staff.
He was devastated and the pub was taken over by a couple who sadly were not very bright and a really bit dirty and within three months the pub was almost derelict again and the couple did a midnight flit when they too realised they could not make a living.
My mate has now bought the freehold to a restaurant where he is the boss and doing very nicely but it's a real shame for British pubs.

Caught his own fish, shot his own game, prepared and cooked all the food and ran the bar..why did he need ten staff when he took multi tasking to the max ;-)

I would imagine it's never been a better time to run a Free House? No brewery interference and hundred's of top quality independent breweries making fantastic beer?

To wait on tables, take orders, serve drinks, do stock taking, run the bar, organise calendar events, sort advertising, and the pub was open from 11am to 11pm seven days a week and doing B&B as it was a popular place for hikers.
With the Working Tine Diective averaging a 37 hour week, your average FTE does a three day week.
You work out the staffing from that Give Up, particularly when one goes off sick and then one goes on maternity leave for a year and you have to pay FTE wage for six months and half salary for six plus backfill.
I'm surprised anyone bothers running a pub and no wonder Weatgerspoons is stealing a march on our pub trade.

Brighton Bill wrote:

Hove Actually wrote:
If he was running it properly the brewery wouldn't care and leave him to get on with it, so it begs the question, what's he done?

You idiot, he was running it properly, in fact probably too good, Fact, he is NOT the owner, Enterprise are the owners, the more trade you generate, the more money the Pub Co want. This is coming from an ex successful Landlord/Owner so I know what I am talking about, unlike you.

Why didn't he come out and say "I have been unable to agree to a new lease and sadly am moving on" then.
Fact people who are innocent or a victim want people to know that, when BOTH sides are not talking it is usually the fault of the one being outed. The brewery in this case have no reason to ruin the business or make even more waves for the incoming person.

The fact you are an Ex anything is irrelevant but I bet you like telling anyone who cannot get away from you just how important your were

Hove Actually wrote:

Brighton Bill wrote:

Hove Actually wrote:
If he was running it properly the brewery wouldn't care and leave him to get on with it, so it begs the question, what's he done?

You idiot, he was running it properly, in fact probably too good, Fact, he is NOT the owner, Enterprise are the owners, the more trade you generate, the more money the Pub Co want. This is coming from an ex successful Landlord/Owner so I know what I am talking about, unlike you.

Why didn't he come out and say "I have been unable to agree to a new lease and sadly am moving on" then.
Fact people who are innocent or a victim want people to know that, when BOTH sides are not talking it is usually the fault of the one being outed. The brewery in this case have no reason to ruin the business or make even more waves for the incoming person.

The fact you are an Ex anything is irrelevant but I bet you like telling anyone who cannot get away from you just how important your were

Answer is simple - expensive PLC lawyers and extremely tight contract clauses.

Plantpot wrote:
I would imagine it's never been a better time to run a Free House? No brewery interference and hundred's of top quality independent breweries making fantastic beer?

It is, but you try buying a suitable building in Brighton and then applying for a license - 90% of the pub freeholds in prime locations are owned by PubCo's, and there is a NIMBY attitude whenever someone wants to convert / build a new pub. Something needs to be done about it, beer consumption has been part of our cultural heritage for centuries, and now the average man who has a wife and family is being priced out of his last bastion of refuge.

Hove Actually wrote:
If he was running it properly the brewery wouldn't care and leave him to get on with it, so it begs the question, what's he done?

Hmmm. So we can add running a pub to the list of things about which you know absolutely nothing.

Ben Leo reporter.

You should proof read your story before posting it.
Your heading says ...popular brighton pub set to close but its owners wont say why.
In the story (fourth para from end) Enterprise Inns says :- " we have a new publican looking to take over The Greys at the end of october"
Is the pub closing or getting a new publican ?.....Ben Leo GET the story right.

cookie_brighton wrote:
Ben Leo reporter.

You should proof read your story before posting it.
Your heading says ...popular brighton pub set to close but its owners wont say why.
In the story (fourth para from end) Enterprise Inns says :- " we have a new publican looking to take over The Greys at the end of october"
Is the pub closing or getting a new publican ?.....Ben Leo GET the story right.

The Greys has operated as a business on a lease from Enterprise Inns (and previously Whitbread) for the best part of 30 years and has only had two owners in this time. It is a firm favourite in Hanover and beyond because the pub has always made an effort to be different, with its approach food, music, staff and attitude. The current lease is coming to its end, and as with most pub co's, Enterprise Inns have been pushing for the owners to take on a newer form of lease, that would in effect make the pub virtually impossible to run as a profitable business. Therefore the only choice for the owners is to give up their much loved business and let Enterprise run the pub with one of their own managers in place ie. an Enterprise employee. This effectively means, to most people who visit and enjoy the pub, that it is the end of The Greys as we know it. Sure, it will re-open, but it will not be the same pub when it falls into line with the pub chain, loses its identity, and sells the homogenous brands and freezer-to-fryer food that all of the other Enterprise pubs sell. There is a big, big difference between a publican and a manager. It really is the case that yet again a greedy pub co has killed off a lovely little boozer. (.... and no, I don't work at or own the pub - I just drink in there quite often, have done for a number of years, and will be very sad to see the current owners go!)

Enterprise/Punch taverns etc are asking for extortionate rents making it impossible to make any money.