Overpriced Drinks = Less Customers

I had a business meeting yesterday at a certain establishment in Cheltenham. I had a £3.50 pot of Tea (proper tea with leaves), and the person I met with had a 500ml bottle of beer.

Here is what the brewer of the beer says about the brew; it is a tastefully dry, crisp and full-flavoured ale, brewed with skill and passion using the finest organically grown Pale Ale malt and organically farmed English hops. It contains wheat and barley malt. 5.0% vol. Knowing the brewer as I do and knowing the price they charge if you order on their website at around £2.10 a bottle - well worth it say I. Not sure the £6.50 I had to pay for it in this particular hostelry had £4.40 worth of “added value” though.

On getting back to my office I reflected on the price I had been charged and thought “surely they made a mistake?”, and so I sent a polite email asking if the price was correct. I had a prompt and courteous reply assuring me it is indeed their price point at £6.50 (for slightly less than pint).

On my way back to my office I had to then fill up with Diesel, which was £1.32, a litre. So: A gallon of diesel is around £6 and a gallon of beer in this particular establishment is around £59.

I have always thought that Diesel was more difficult to find, mine, produce, refine and transport half way across the world than beer. Firstly, to produce Diesel; fossil fuels are mined in the form of crude oil. The oil is extracted from inside the earth, lots of other processes happen and then shipped across the oceans. This, versus beer brewed in Bristol with the main ingredient being wheat, malted barley, yeast, hops and water and delivered 50 miles up the M5. I wonder if the owners of the said establishment ever consider why there were only two of us in the place enjoying the pleasure of handing over £6.50 for a beer (about one hours work on minimum wage) and paying around 9 times the price of Diesel.

I have withheld the name of the place as their lawyers probably earn a lot. But whilst we train publicans how to make profit we also train them how to price competitively and how to ensure customer come back! I shall NOT be rushing back!


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of www.inn-dispensable.com Personal Licence Courses

Mayor & Mayoress Barred from Gosport Pubs

Doesn’t matter who you are, if you misbehave in pubs, you will get barred. Even if you have status, officialdom, and a big chain around your chest!

You couldn’t make this up but it is true! A town’s newly elected Mayor and Mayoress have been banned from 36 pubs in their own town, this despite their using that well worn phrase “do you know who I am?”.

Well 36 pubs in a Hampshire town, who have collectively barred the couple for 6 months, took no heed of this subliminal threat and duly told them they are not welcome, well not until they behave themselves and do not appear to be drunk and disorderly, which caused their eviction in the first place!

The “self important” couple have 6 months to reflect and to swot up on the Licensing Act (which they are responsible in some way for enforcing) thereby ensuring their town’s pubs sell alcohol in a responsible way!

Gosport Pubwatch confirmed that the couple have been barred from their 36-pub membership, having been asked to leave one of their member pubs. “Quite rightly so” said the J D Wetherspoon HO spokesperson who supported the local JDW manager who took the original decision to tell them to leave his premises. Pubwatch chairman Phil Cox said, “we didn’t treat them any differently to how we treat anyone else, it doesn’t matter who you are, we want our pubs to be more comfortable, and pleasant places to be in with no abuse towards any member of staff. They should know better!”. Absolutely, so say all of us!

Not possible to know if the two worthies are embarrassed or going to take their case to the Court of Human Rights (like some other thug recently barred from the towns pubs in a Cornish resort) because (perhaps unsurprisingly) neither are available for comment. Plus, the Mayor of Gosport website is currently offline. Wonder why?


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of www.inn-dispensable.com Personal Licence Courses

A Half Pint Glass Which Looks Like A Full Pint?!

Apparently there are fellas (might also be some gals) out there who cannot drink "pints" any more (or at least cannot keep up with their mates who still can!). They however believe that to maintain their reputation that they are not gibbers but real "drinking sorts", drinking "halves" is not an option (well not openly and proudly).

So there is now a new glass on the market that is a pint size in height but it is cut down the middle so that it only holds a half pint. But, if you hold it correctly, with the "front round side" facing your mates, it looks like a full pint (are you still with me?).

Not sure what happens when your mates ask "what you are having?". Do you say "pint please" - to keep up the illusion that you are still one of the lads (or lasses). If so, then presumably the bar staff on being presented with said glass, are either in on the act or they spill the other half a pint on the floor.

This idea could also work well for slimmers. "Full English please" - then cut the sausages in half, along their length? Topside up would still look like a full plate of food!

I wish the manufacturers well, but hope they haven’t produced too many! Happy days.


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses