The Oddfellows

[Duke Fame]

Is anyone going to the Burns night dinner tomorrow, I was speaking to Phil the guy who runs it, sounds like he's really pushing the boat out.

[Cripes]

Agreed, although when we popped in for a quiet pint last night, that's exactly what we got - a very quiet pint indeed.  I reckon there were only about 5 or 6 people in when we left at about 8.30 pm.  And that was on a Saturday night.    It was a really delicious pint of Landlord, by the way!   

Although we went on Friday night and it was full and had another amazing meal.

[Dave]

lets also support someone trying to revive this great little pub!

Agreed, although when we popped in for a quiet pint last night, that's exactly what we got - a very quiet pint indeed.  I reckon there were only about 5 or 6 people in when we left at about 8.30 pm.  And that was on a Saturday night.    It was a really delicious pint of Landlord, by the way!   

[u360213]

Phil at the Oddies is really starting to find his feet now. The food is excellent, in particular the Sunday Lunch is top notch and great value at less than a tenner!

Check out this recent review from one of Manchesters prominent critics:

http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/Food-and-Drink/Pubs/The-Oddfellows-of-Mellor-review_16606.asp

I agree with all the comments regards the H & H which is first rate but lets also support someone trying to revive this great little pub!

[admin]

Duke Fame, try the Hare and Hounds in Mill Brow.   

Have to endorse this comment, we had our Friends of the Park "Christmas" dinner there yesterday. The food is superb and the beer (I was on Robbies Dissy Blonde) was excellent.

[Dave]

Funnily enough, the Oddies is getting less like a pub and more like a bar!     

Not sure what you mean? The food is excellent, in a pub environment.

It's hard to explain, but a pub and a bar are different places.  The Oddies has had a few makeovers in the past two or three years, and the clammy fingers of the brewers' architects and designers are all over it.  The pot plants, the standard lamps, the grand piano, the paintings of Venice, etc etc etc.  And the place settings instead of beer mats - it just doesn't feel like a real pub any longer.  But I'm not knocking it - the beer is good, and reasonably priced (Taylor's Landlord at £2.80 a pint is not bad nowadays). 

Duke Fame, try the Hare and Hounds in Mill Brow.   

[Duke Fame]

As reletively new to Marple I've tried a few places to eat. Peruga is rather expensive, Red Lion's reputation seems stronger than their food, Midland is cooking by numbers, the Edge was Ok but I don't understand why downstairs is not used which leaves little atmosphere. I think Oddfellows is the only exceptional experience and very good value for money.

[nbt]

We called in last weekend while out walking and were very impressed, the pub has been very nicley decorated and re-arranged and the beer is very nice. Might have to go back to try the food at some point soon

[Cripes]

Funnily enough, the Oddies is getting less like a pub and more like a bar!     

Not sure what you mean? The food is excellent, in a pub environment.

[Cripes]

Pushing this back up a bit, we have been to Oddfellows quite a few times recently and really loved it. The quirky owner is very entertaining and we were properly catered for when we went, completely off menu we were served a delightful sunday roast! Worth a visit if you haven't been since it re-opened.

[Dave]

Funnily enough, the Oddies is getting less like a pub and more like a bar!     

[My login is Henrietta]

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.

I wonder if fashion has anything to do with the decline of the traditional pub? I was driven down the A6 through Hazel Grove the other day and noticed how many "bars" had been set up in former shop premises. Presumably these are aimed at the younger end of the trade (which probably has more money and less sense to spend in a pub than older customers) but it isn't helping the traditional trade. By the time kids are ready to move on to pubs like the Oddies there won't be any left

[Dave]

Yes, I dropped by today to have a look at the menu - it's still very limited, but I was told that in due course there will be a full menu.  Real ale on the bar (Taylor's Landlord).

As usual, it's had another makeover, of course - every time they do that at the Oddies, it feels less like a pub and more like a wine bar!  But good luck to the new people - let's hope they make a go of it this time round. 

[moorendman]

The Oddfellows in Mellor has reopened following a period of refurbishment. A new look to the place and a different ambience. ( Can you play a grand piano ? ) The bar menu is available now and both it and the a la carte ( available in a week or so ) look very interesting if the quality of the cooking matches the originality of the menu.

Prices are not cheap but neither do they seem outrageous. Not the cheapest pint around but the quality of the beer and wine was good. Cannot comment on the food yet but will do so when sampled.

[Dave]

It neednt be increasing custom at the expense of other local pubs. There is room for all, just earn the money now being spent in other places like Manchester, Glossop,Stockport etc

Absolutely.  But the fact remains that there's a hard core of locals who used to eat at the Oddies from time to time (us included), but we now go to the H&H.  And the Oddies will have to be pretty good to tempt us back