Landlord in battle to stop historic Plymouth pub becoming offices
THE landlord of a landmark Plymouth pub has launched a last-ditch campaign to stop it being turned into office space.
Steve Bowen, landlord of the Hyde Park Hotel in Mutley, has until Wednesday morning to stop the iconic city pub from being turned into space for financial or professional services.
It comes after the property was sold by the Spirit Pub Company to local businessman Robin Reip, who told The Herald the purchase will be completed on Wednesday.
Mr Bowen, who has been landlord at the pub for just over a year, said he now hopes to appeal to Mr Reip's "better nature" and show him he can make the local pub a viable proposition.
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He said: "I have had the pub on a tenancy basis since 2011 and have always had the view to put an offer in for the freehold. I found out in early December that an offer had gone in to buy the pub and so I put my offer in on December 27. I was then told on January 2 that the contracts had already been exchanged. I had been beaten by Mr Reip fair and square.
"I first met Mr Reip last week when he told me of his intention to change the pub into office space. I made him an offer to rent the pub from him on a yearly basis but he said his main problem with the proposal was that I wouldn't be able to achieve the same covenant as a local financial business with five other units, for example.
"I completely understand his point of view in terms of business. I do believe that with enough public support it is possible to persuade him that this pub, which has been here since the 1800s, should remain as a public house."
On Friday, in just one day, Mr Bowen collected 125 signatures on his petition and had 440 people join his Facebook group Save The Hyde Park Pub.
But Mr Reip said that commercial practice has to apply.
He said: "We all know pubs are taking a hammering and closing at an alarming rate.
"We found a prospective tenant who is sound and after professional advice on their intention to change the usage of the pub to office space could therefore go ahead confidently and comfortably. We never knew of Mr Bowen's involvement or of his level of interest until last week.
"Whilst Mr Bowen feels he can turn the figures around and make the pub profitable, it is a very difficult thing to do and one is not obliged to take such a risk. We feel it would be unrealistic to allow sentiment to rule the day."
Mr Reip said he hopes to turn the upstairs areas into two luxury mansion flats for sale and it is likely a local company will take over the pub space for office use.
Comments
by stevebowen
Monday, January 21 2013, 10:23AM
“As the (ex) landlord of the pub in question, drink driving , the smoking ban, but most especially the availability of alcohol at cost price in every supermarket has led to the demise of many (especially rural) pubs but the Hyde Park IS a viable business regardless of these and an iconic piece of Plymouth history. Follow the link and help save it. http://tinyurl.com/aal2dbg”
by topgirlly
Wednesday, January 16 2013, 7:10PM
“just read this what another pub gone”
by drt346ys
Tuesday, January 15 2013, 1:44PM
“No worries - I've gigged there in the past, it'll be a shame if it does go - fingers crossed eh!”
by gmdixonesq
Tuesday, January 15 2013, 1:18PM
“Sorry drt346ys, but as a regular of the Hyde Park for 20+ years this particular discussion hits a very raw nerve !!! The thought of possibly losing contact with numerous good friends doesn't sit easily with me.”
by drt346ys
Tuesday, January 15 2013, 11:30AM
“Of 13 comments only 4 are about the smoking ban. Apologies that it may appear hijacked, but that's the nature of a comments board. His location at the opposite end of the strip away from the competition makes his proposal more viable. I wish him every success”
by gmdixonesq
Tuesday, January 15 2013, 9:45AM
“You have all lost the point of this. This has nothing to do with the smoking ban and\or a lack of trade. The pub was thriving under Steve and it only the brewery's determination to get rid of it that got us to this stage. Steve put in a bid of his own because he knew it was a viable concern.”
by drt346ys
Tuesday, January 15 2013, 7:56AM
“The Junction is "forever empty" because of a change of hands that did away with the live music, then allowed everyone who had been barred from the place back in, and only now is attempting to return to live music to recapture it's earlier success, which it may well do. As for the Dog and Duck and Boomerangs, they shared the same problem as the Mutley Crown (although I must confess, I didn't realise they were up for sale). Once you start competing for custom with a venues next door you are on a slippery slope - look at Comet / Currys as an example. Both the Dog abd Duck and Boomerangs offered no real incentives to go there which is why North Hill is so popular.
As for denial - it's exactly the same level of denial as the smokers who believe the ban is the cause of the demise of the "local" pub. If your main reason for going to the pub is to smoke (and only that) then the pub trade will die anyway as it has nothing else to offer you. If whatever else it has to offer is more important than smoking, then you'll go there. (But they don't, so it's just expense on top of very little else)
The smoking ban may well have had a degree of impact - did concede that earlier, but it is not the main reason pubs are dwindling. If it was a place worth going, people will go (look at venues that are packed when good live music is on, some even charging to get in). The numbers of people you see in beer gardens and outside pubs show it hasn't stopped them all - it's the fact that going to the pub is almost an extravagance rather like going for a meal.
Thanks for not going off on one, I like a decent debate / discussion and may well be wrong, this is just my opinion.”
by jabbathebutt
Monday, January 14 2013, 8:56PM
“@ knucklehead ... good reply to drt346ys ,who is another one that is in denial and cant accept the reality . Just like the ones that bought this unfair law in . It should be up to the landlord of the establishment wether he allows smoking or not . Its their business and they know what their customers want . Its called freedom of choice . Yet another freedom taken away in a disguise and blaming it on something else .
The effect of the ban started slowly because it was cynicly done in a summertime . But as the weather changed so did the closures .”
by knucklehead
Monday, January 14 2013, 7:16PM
“The flat above the pub is really, really big and could be a great place to live - hey parking too.
Boomerangs is up for sale as is the Dog and Duck
The Junction is forever empty
The only really busy places are the Wetherspoons and the Fort”
by drt346ys
Monday, January 14 2013, 3:53PM
“@jabbathebutt - is that why the Mutley Crown shut down as well (the smoking ban?), yet the Weatherspoons is still doing well, Or the Junction, Dog and Duck, Boomerangs.... Can you see where this is going?
The issue is with too much supply for too little demand. Each of these venues is vying for custom and the custom can pick and choose - students (who are occasionally and sometimes unfairly linked to keeping the pub-trade alive in Plymouth) can go and drink in their own bar on campus at much reduced rates - so they may well stay away regardless of smoking or not. They also have a selection of establishments on North Hill that have special deals on to keep the cost down that are well-frequented. My own experience with my children is that they drink before they go out and then go straight to a nightclub, as social drinking in pubs is too expensive for them.
I'll always struggle to accept that a smoking ban has caused the pubs to close to the degree they have (I will concede it contributes a bit) but the biggest change is lack of income and increasing prices.
For your premise to work - you would have to have been only allowed to smoke in pubs (and banned everywhere else), then I could see it having an effect. As you can smoke to, from and (if you step outside) during your visit, then it's a flawed argument.
You are also announcing that the demise of the pub is down to smokers staying away, rather than the previously absent non-smokers not returning. If you want to keep these pubs - go back and smoke outside.”