Punch Pubs in Portobello - come to a new opening !

Brian McCrow · Post by **Brian McCrow** » 23 Mar 2005, 18:57

But POL people are responsible and frugal hence ideally suitable for a Happy Hour.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 23 Mar 2005, 18:59

Brian McCrow wrote:But POL people are responsible and frugal hence ideally suitable for a Happy Hour.

Have you actually met many of them/us!!???

xxxx · Post by **xxxx** » 23 Mar 2005, 19:38

poppy wrote

I really don't think this is the place to air your 'grievances' about the politics, or whatever you want to call it, of Punch Pubs, Dada.

On the contrary. This place is for people to express any opinion they feel like within the moderators' guidelines

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 23 Mar 2005, 19:56

And I think a healthy dose of cynicism is entirely appropriate. But hey, if the behemoth is listening even a little bit thats better than not at all.

Personally I thought the pier was/is the best pub in town so I have some fears for the future.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 23 Mar 2005, 20:12

xxxx wrote:poppy wrote
I really don't think this is the place to air your 'grievances' about the politics, or whatever you want to call it, of Punch Pubs, Dada.
On the contrary. This place is for people to express any opinion they feel like within the moderators' guidelines

I apologise to you, Dada, Mr M and everyone else.

However, I still think is comes across as discourteous - and in that I think I am entitled to my opinion.

xxxx · Post by **xxxx** » 23 Mar 2005, 20:21

However, I still think is comes across as discourteous - and in that I think I am entitled to my opinion

That's what it's all about

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 23 Mar 2005, 20:42

I hardly think you need to apologise, Poppy - you were only expressing your opinion!

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 23 Mar 2005, 20:46

Gedge · Post by **Gedge** » 24 Mar 2005, 13:34

Perhaps I need to clarify my position a bit here. I think it's really healthy that people like Mr Dada are out there looking into things, bringing things to people's attention. I sincerely admire and appreciate him and those like him for finding out things I would never find out. With an idea of the fuller picture people can then make their own decision ie whether to support, frequent a new pub. For example if he discovered that the owners had given thousands to an extreme right wing organisation I would be voicing opposition. Perhaps this is just as bad.

Although his tone sometimes annoys me, the world needs more Mr Dada's.

I did feel he launched into Sue Allen a bit harshly and abruptly. But I'm probably just a wet liberal.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 24 Mar 2005, 15:25

Nothing wrong with having a few damp liberals around.

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 24 Mar 2005, 16:02

Been absent for a wee while and just read all this thread.

Loved your posts Dadaist. It appears you ruffle feathers all round if you dare challenge a potental conflict of interest between an employee and their corporate paymaster. The links you provided illustrate the general thinking of the Punch group. I find this much more real than what may potentially happen to a local pub which after all, will be fitted out on the basis of what will make the best return on capital and most profit. If this is not the case then Sue would be getting a really hard time if I were her boss.

Brian McCrow · Post by **Brian McCrow** » 24 Mar 2005, 16:34

Are we having a go at corporates per se?

Shouldn't we be looking at the micro level of how we can get better pubs into Portobello?

If Punch want to communicate with us on this that's so much better than a faceless organisation making their own decisions in corporate HQ.

I take my hat off to Sue for joining this Forum.

I would like more people in her position in other organisation to do the same.

It's a Scottish trait to look on the dark side let's fight this and look on the bright side.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 24 Mar 2005, 16:35

It's hopefully only the beginning. Sue has decided to join our small online community, albeit as the representative of a very large organisation. To my mind this poses a myriad of questions. I've just scratched the surface and am waiting for a more detailed response from her to even the first set of information I posted.

If the new signatory to the website had been the owner of Duddingston Properties, wanting input on the topiary for the hedges they were going to put between the houses on the Harry Lauder Road and the new Tesco, the forum response would have been very different, and those who had spoken out would not have been told that they were being impolite / inappropriate / negative / discourteous / political / piss-taking / joke-making / issue-raisers.

Edit : added wangi's epithets to my commemorative "wall of abuse"

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 24 Mar 2005, 16:38

Brian McCrow wrote: It's a Scottish trait to look on the dark side

My mother is from Surrey.

Post by **wangi** » 24 Mar 2005, 17:19

Yeah, yeah, yeah... All very well... Pick any company and you can dig up dirt. But it's not polite or right to piss on folk when they're trying to be constructive. Sue came here in good faith and now this thread is an utter joke.

Doubt you'll see any replies to your "questions" Dada (as is she is the one that should be answering them!)... And I doubt you'll see any future posts from Sue.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 24 Mar 2005, 18:42

wangi wrote:Yeah, yeah, yeah... All very well... Pick any company and you can dig up dirt. But it's not polite or right to piss on folk when they're trying to be constructive. Sue came here in good faith and now this thread is an utter joke.

Doubt you'll see any replies to your "questions" Dada (as is she is the one that should be answering them!)... And I doubt you'll see any future posts from Sue.

Stop being so negative. Let's look on the bright side.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 24 Mar 2005, 18:45

wangi wrote:And I doubt you'll see any future posts from Sue.

Which is a pity, I used to love when Johnny Cash used to sing about her.

Personally I think we will here more from Sue, she seems big enough to take it.

For the record, I think Dada's posts are excellent and his analogy of Duddingston properties was spot on.

Gemini · Post by **Gemini** » 24 Mar 2005, 21:33

Yeah, yeah, yeah... All very well... Pick any company and you can dig up dirt. But it's not polite or right to piss on folk when they're trying to be constructive. Sue came here in good faith and now this thread is an utter joke.end wangi's quote<<

Firstly how did you manage to get that awful P word through the PF?

secondly: I do not think that this thread has been turned into a joke.

I am inclined to agree with Dada on this one (surprise surprise) having but just glimpsed the lengths Big business will go to get what they want.

I am sure that Sue is a very nice person and only trying to earn a crust.

Just noticed the PF is back on

Oh and welcome back Porty - missed that cheeky wee hat

mr magnolia · Post by **mr magnolia** » 24 Mar 2005, 21:38

wangi wrote: and now this thread is an utter joke.

I don't think so wangi - it's more a public airing of the electronic equivalent of a typical bar conversation (which is surely what it's all about) and as such who knows where it will end up?

I don't think anyone has been subject to personal abuse - and certainly no more than poor old Ed gets when he comes on talking about that strange egg-chasing game...

Sue is part of a big corporate beast and she has an opportunity here to get her message out. I'm sure she won't be able to skive off in here as I do from time to time but I'm equally sure she will take advantage of the chance to let us know what she wants us to know. Which is fine really.

Ed · Post by Ed » 24 Mar 2005, 22:08

wangi wrote:I don't think anyone has been subject to personal abuse - and certainly no more than poor old Ed gets when he comes on talking about that strange egg-chasing game...

As Captain and webmaster I have to try

It's our final league game of the season on Saturday, 3pm kick off at Cavalry Park, all welcome!

Pal of Porty · Post by **Pal of Porty** » 24 Mar 2005, 22:45

Brian McCrow wrote:Are we having a go at corporates per se?.

I am most certainly not having a go at Corporates. I have spent a lot of my working life working for some of the biggest and best known and have learned a lot of brilliant stuff on the way. However, maybe it is because of this that I am not expecting the Whins to become Portobello's answer to Riks Bar!

Brian McCrow · Post by **Brian McCrow** » 24 Mar 2005, 23:49

PoP

That is such a loser's attitude. Why can't we have a good bar?

I'd prefer the Barony to Ricks and I don't care who provides it. As I understand the Punch model they appear to leave quite a bit of the style and appearance of the bar to the lessee.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 25 Mar 2005, 10:43

The analogy with DHP doesn't quite work for me in that Sue Allen joined the forum only because a couple of POLers emailed her about an existing pub whose existence no-one on here has ever voiced objection to except for the way it was run. Perhaps she saw a PR opportunity for the other PP pubs in the area as well as the Whins, but that's her job as operations manager, I suppose.

DHP on the other hand in is wanting to build something that could/would have an impact on traffic/existing retailers and on the whole of Portobello. They must have been aware of the existence of POL for some time but have never been brave enough to join to put their point of view. And probably never will!! Or else they've been spying on us and are (rightly) afraid, very afraid, of Dada.

There's a huge difference between the issues at stake - ie. an existing wee pub that affects a smallish part of Portobello and that only anti-drink folk object to and a huge new superstore that would affect the whole of Portobello and is objected to by many (although not all).

That's the last I have to say on this subject except I don't want a Rick's Bar either!! Like Gedge, I'd just like a comfy bar nearer my home, but my life will go on quite happily without one.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 25 Mar 2005, 10:48

I'll drink to that. Come back Sue. Don't mind Dada - he's just warming up for G8.

Me, I'm in a quandry. Do I join the protestors or take the overtime?

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 25 Mar 2005, 11:32

Poppy wrote:The analogy with DHP doesn't quite work

...

That's the last I have to say on this subject

In attempting to deconstruct my analogy, you didn't point out any of the similarities between DHP and PTPLC in this context - you only pointed out the differences. A rational analysis would include both. If at any point you would like to re-open the door which you have closed on this fraction of the argument (if my analogies of doors and fractions are allowed) then mine never closes.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 25 Mar 2005, 11:38

Bob Jefferson wrote:I'll drink to that. Come back Sue. Don't mind Dada - he's just warming up for G8.

Me, I'm in a quandry. Do I join the protestors or take the overtime?

To resolve your obvious inner conflict, I would suggest participating in both whilst actually spying on them for the respective protagonist, at the same time retaining a healthy lack of loyalty for neither. Sounds like a BBC drama actually. You could be played by John Hannah.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 28 Mar 2005, 16:25

I have long held the view that on its opening night some wag stole the P from the sign at Rick's.

Having said that, one area where the Figgate Whins may struggle to be the Portobello Ricks equivalent is; eye candy. Eye candy is not exactly abundant in Portobello, I would say there's myself and Pal of Porty that's about it. And you can catch us regularly at the Deli or in the Ormelie.

The only hope for the Whins in the eye candy stakes is if the new tenants is a triumvarate of say, Maggie Gyllenaal, Kiera Knightley and Annete Bening.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 28 Mar 2005, 16:53

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 28 Mar 2005, 17:07

Sandra wrote:

Don't laugh at poor Porty! Finally flipped his lid!!

Sue Allen · Post by **Sue Allen** » 29 Mar 2005, 09:54

Sorry to have caused such a fuss! Just trying to answer some queries...
Dada is, of course, fully entitled to his opinions and fully appreciate not everyone a fan of big corporations or PLCs... Just happen to be my employer so just doing my job!

Did anyone go to the Tides over the weekend?

Any thoughts?

P.S. As for my stance on the Smoking Ban which again Dada mentioned - just speaking up for Freedom of Choice - not a smoker and never have been - have a look at the article a few weeks ago from Scotsman - it was called "Drinking to the Future". Non-smoking may be totally right for some pubs (as it may be for Figgate Whins post investment) but totally wrong for those where 100% customers smoke and 100% staff also - who's a total ban protecting in that scenario?

stubetts · Post by **stubetts** » 29 Mar 2005, 10:05

We popped in for a couple of drinks not long after it opened and found it to be very nice inside. There was still that uneasy feel due to the fact there were a few drunken teenagers drinking and it gave the impression that trouble may not be far away. But overall, fairly impressed with the decor, and hopefully the right sort of people will start coming back to the pub.

Cheers

Sue Allen · Post by **Sue Allen** » 29 Mar 2005, 10:37

Thanks Stubetts - I'll have a word with the licensee - no good spending all that money if they are letting drunk customers in...
Cheers!

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 29 Mar 2005, 13:40

wangi mistakenly wrote:I doubt you'll see any future posts from Sue.

Back to horoscope school for you, Mystic Meg.

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 29 Mar 2005, 13:42

stubetts wrote: the right sort of people

How do you sort people? By weight?

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 29 Mar 2005, 13:49

Sue Allen wrote:We've spent money

Sue Allen wrote:and we're going to spend money again.

Sue Allen wrote:spending all that money

Welcome back Sue.

Talk Porty ~ Portobello

Punch Pubs in Portobello - come to a new opening !

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