Recent tenants have lasted for as long as the Enterprise "Honeymoon" intro rents and barrel discounts last. I really hope the next tenant of the Oddfellows makes a success of it in these difficult trading conditions and the additional overhead of being in thrall to Enterprise.
On the positive side, the pub is almost a free house with tenants able to buy from a wide choice of Independent brewers ( albeit at relatively high prices ) Whilst I like Robinsons beers , they do dominate our area and the opportunity to drink something different will bring in custom ( I have been known to give even the Midland money for that privilege ) The pub also had a great repuation for food and that lives on , if not in reality, but certainly in many guide books as recently as a year ago. I often used to amuse myself reading about Spanish fish stews , Robert's legacy from 2005, still apparently available ! The pub was also in the Good Beer Guide for many years and like food guides , potential customers are not always reading the latest editions.
The pub is very picturesque and has low beams and real fires. It also has a refurbished restaurant upstairs. Stockport as an area has few quality restaurants and a good number of potential customers prefer to go to Manchester and beyond to eat well.
Now ( IMHO ) for a few suggestions on how it could succeed, based on experience of all the last tenants and their efforts:
1. Dont assume that because Mellor and Marple are relatively wealthy areas that you can "price" accordingly. Many of your potential customers may indeed have higher incomes but many too do not enjoy being ripped off or given poor value for money ( £2.50 for a tea !! from the last lot)
2. Keep your menu short and the quality up. You can only succeed as a destination pub if you offer something worth travelling for ( The first "Enterprisers" on the first weekend they opened gave us Roast Beef of such poor quality, its only use was as a replacement shoe sole. His explanation was that the chef had not turned in ! Exit stage right for the Devonshire)
3. Whilst Meals for two at £60 to £70 can be achieved at weekend, even the most well heeled will not pay this on a regular basis on other nights. Offer some value at less busy times. You cannot sell yesterday's empty table !
4. Further to point 3, If you are paying to staff a Kitchen make it work for you. There has been virtually no lunchtime trade ( other than Sundays ) in the Oddfellows since the "Enterprisers" arrived. Compare and contrast with somewhere like " Dowds" in Glossop, where the husband and wife team can fill the place on Wednesday through saturday lunchtimes with their outstanding value lunches using freshly made ingredients cleverly sourced from seasonal produce ( forget Turbot, think Coley ! and add seasonal vegetables ) Even the last people's "Award winning" Chef couldnt seem to do that. at first glance , selling 3 course lunches at £8.95 may seem like suicide but , you have the overhead anyway and the bill will double with drinks. You also get repeats and increased goodwill. The Oddies may begin to rebuild its former customer base.
5.....and finally check for misspellings on any Web Site , you want people to admire your Mural by a local artist not laugh at any Muriels on Hilda Ogden's Wall.
