'Supermarkets are killing city's pubs'
PUBS in Plymouth are facing "their most troubled times in history" due to competition from supermarkets, according to a bar and alcohol wholesale firm boss.
Iain Woodhead, who owns Kularoos bar in the city centre as well as The Cellar Supplies Company, told The Herald he believed "ridiculously low" alcohol prices in supermarkets were "killing" the pub and club trade in Plymouth.
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UNDER THREAT: Kularoos owner Iain Woodhead
He reckons that drinkers aren't going out any more due to the impacts of the credit crunch and smoking ban – and, principally, the cheap supermarket booze which they can stay at home and drink instead.
He called on the Government to lay down regulations on the price of alcohol in supermarkets now – or suffer "a catastrophe" in the pub trade in Plymouth in the New Year.
He said: "January to March is going to be the most troubled and challenging time in the history of the licensed premises trade in Plymouth. There's been a few venues closed in the past few months – but many, many more are struggling. It's going to be a catastrophe, through no fault of their own.
"The supermarkets have completely muscled the pubs and clubs out with ridiculously low prices on alcohol and that is wrong. It's killing the trade in Plymouth – and something needs to be done now."
Mr Woodhead, who is also a director of Plymouth Raiders basketball club, said the Government needed to work with the pub trade to 'take on the supermarkets' before Britain became a 'supermarket-led state'.
He called on other pub or club owners in the city to join with him in lobbying their MPs to get the matter raised at central government in a bid to tackle the issue.
He said: "I have almost 300 customers for my licensed drinks wholesale business, TCS, in Plymouth – and so many of them are saying they are feeling the pressure.
"People, instead of going out, are staying at home drinking their cheap alcohol from the supermarkets. Many will now come out at 11pm instead of 7pm and will be really drunk. We then get the flack for that – but it is the cheap supermarket booze which has made them drunk.
"Our trade is being hit hard by this and I only see it getting worse in the New Year.
"The Government and police at the moment are on the case of the pubs due to drinks promotions. They are worried about the impact that alcohol is having on NHS – but it's not our fault, it's the supermarkets."
A Commons committee of MPs was this week warned by industry leaders that drinkers moving away from pubs to cheap alcohol from off licences was taking its toll.
Peter Jones, chairman of the Plymouth Licensed Leisure Association, added: "I have written to MPs about this. The supermarkets have been getting away with it scot free.
"About 30 pubs and clubs have been closing in a year and that trend will accelerate in the New Year."
But a spokesman for the Asda supermarket chain said: "We pride ourselves on providing great value across our entire store.
"While we understand the pressures that some pub landlords are facing, we sell millions of packets of high-quality coffee at low prices every week without putting major coffee shops out of business."
A spokesman from the British Retail Consortium, which has many supermarkets in the UK as members, said: "Customers have an entirely free choice over where, or whether, they buy alcohol.
"Going to a pub is about food, atmosphere or entertainment as much as it's about prices."
77 Comments
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by Chris, London (Formerly Plymouth)
Friday, December 19 2008, 4:11AM
“It's nothing to do with supermarkets and their prices, it's the governments smoking ban that has caused the problem for the pub/club trade.
As a smoker who quite happily spent far too much time and money in pubs and bars up until the smoking ban came into effect, I now only go out for special occasions, highdays and holidays and that goes for every other smoker I know right across the UK.”
by Simon, Millbridge
Sunday, December 14 2008, 5:56PM
“Emerald, I think perhaps you have not cast around for a nicer or better run pub. Almost all my friends are well over 25 and we go out in larger or smaller groups once or twice a week and probably a lunchtime at the weekend to three or four perfectly well run pubs in convenient places often near the heart of things but with quite reasonable pricing, no sign of doormen and never a hint of hassle or trouble.”
by emerald, plymouth
Saturday, December 13 2008, 11:33PM
“Leanne, sadly it's not just Kularoos - most over 25 don't want to go out in plymouth pubs and clubs because of said problems! Must mean most problems come from the younger ages, clubs and pubs cater to them most because hey this is a University town and they get more students, if only they catered to the ones earning money and made their pubs more friendly half their problems could be resolved - oh yeah and cut down on the number of pubs in one street!!”
by Leeanne, Millfields
Saturday, December 13 2008, 8:36AM
“So you've been in Kularoos too emerald?”
by emerald, plymouth
Friday, December 12 2008, 11:31PM
“No Uncle Monty I said the smoking ban inside pubs hadn't stopped their trade - don't get patronising and blame all crimes on either smokers or non smokers, there's probably enough of each to go around, but hey I haven't kept records have you?! I said a lot of non smokers who'd been put off by smoke filled pubs and clubs now had the choice to go out - that I do know!! What puts people off is toilets filled with unflushed toilets, no toilet paper, water and urine on the toilet floors, over priced alcohol, louts, loud music, thugs and the simple fact you can't hear a word anyone with you says!! No one taking notice if you're assaulted, underage kids being let in, f and blinding as the only conversation around you, being glassed by some idiot - and having to walk through the streets of loud mouthed drunken yobs who've either vomited or p**ssed in the street while passers by step over the passed out drunks!! Make plymouth more age friendly and just don't cater to the kids, people do live to longer than 20 sometimes y'know so try catering to their tastes and not just the student and underage local population!!”
by emerald, plymouth
Friday, December 12 2008, 11:15PM
“Miss Anthrope - guess reading not your strong point either?! I never once suggested the supermarkets were charging entrance fees - just go back to whatever you're on it seems to have you pretty spaced out, in more ways than one!! But I guess you didn't get that either hm?!”
by Kevin, Hampton Street
Friday, December 12 2008, 1:07PM
“Perhaps the problem with local pubs and clubs is the 'Woodhead factor'. Look at his stance in the photograph, smug, arrogant and slightly intimidating. Just like the bouncers outside Plymouth's expensive pubs and clubs.”
by uncle monty, crow crag
Friday, December 12 2008, 9:59AM
“According to Emerald more people are going to the pub since the smoking ban.
If thats true,and pubs are going out of business, (and drink fuelled crime is in the increase), it confirms what I always suspected. Non-smokers are a bunch of tight fisted troublemakers.”
by Snivelling Pete, Ford Park
Friday, December 12 2008, 9:06AM
“What additional service do pubs who charge an entry fee offer that justifies a payment over the exorbitant cost of the booze?”
by Miss_Anthrope, Mannamead
Friday, December 12 2008, 8:56AM
“You are wrong emerald to suggest that supermarkets charge people an entry fee, they don't, not even Waitrose.”