How popular is The Plough Inn, Sandygate Road S10

[pauljohn1959]

Hi HINL

I wish you and your new team well, I think you should be thankful that so may people are showing interest in the Plough, I guess the challenge is to convert the interest into custom. Good Luck.

[mikeG]

Heck. I'm tempted to come over for lunch tomorrow but I can't as I'm 80 miles away. Good luck to the new landlord. I'll keep watching.

[Chipmunk]

As the new lessee of the Plough I have recently been informed about comments posted on this website.

It is not my intention to become embroiled here in a lengthy dialogue with so many wide ranging views from both customers and existing staff. However, I can assure all that it is my firm objective to give the customers a pub that they can be proud of and with this in mind I would be more than happy to meet anyone wishing to calmly sit down and exchange in a sensible, respectful debate regarding ideas, desires or wishes to re establish this pub as a major landmark within the S10 and surrounding locality. May I suggest that anyone interested can initially meet with myself and the new Managers on

9th March at midday where I would be delighted to listen to your views......

I realise that this date may not suit all. Lee and Hannah will take over responsibility for the management of the premises in the very near future - and I would encourage anyone to visit both now and thereafter where I am sure they will be given a warm welcome......

 

Considering it's now April I don't think you'll get many there. I wish you luck because you're certainly going to need it if the calibre of your bar staff posting on here is representative of the pub / staff in general. You've a hard act to follow as the last tenants were extremely customer focused (and served fantastic food!) As Golden Fleece has said, you never get a second chance at a first impression, but hopefully the comments on here will have been noted and things will improve. Good luck

[Ousetunes]

HINL - Listening to your (potential) customers is of course, a good first step. Trying to provide for what ought to be a mixed clientel, different theme nights, drinks and food promotions, summer events etc and stating clearly your position regarding policies - family friendly or strictly adults only? are all vital to the success of your business.

 

First impressions clearly DO matter and some of these can be formed before a customer steps foot in your pub. Clear guidelines can also remove potential embarrassment on either party's behalf.

 

Will we have to walk through a ring of poisonous smoke to enter your pub (the side-effects of customers whose language can be as blue as the smoke they're emitting)?

 

My desires in what a local provides will probably differ from someone else's. All I want is well-kept cask ale, decent bar snacks and home made food at 'realistic' prices. I don't care much for TV or a jukebox. Good company and chatter is better than a TV blazing garbage in the corner.

 

But sadly, as much as you'll endeavour to provide these things and more, your hands will be well and truly tied and the bottom line will always be: price.

 

The binding wrapped tightly around your arms is clearly labelled; it reads: Enterprise Inns. (That binding also makes a good noose as many a former Enterprise Inns manager/ess will tell you.)

 

Good luck - I'll visit in due course.

[Martin3pints]

Having read the previous postings I would comment that the subscribers fall into two categories. First the Golden Fleece category who appears to be miffed that he was not awarded the pub, and by being over critical in his comments appears to be tying to off-put people visiting the pub presumably in the hope that the pub will fail and maybe he will have another chance to obtain the venue. The second category seem to be extremely thin skinned individuals who wish to snipe. It is bad enough to kick a man when he is down, but it is appalling to kick a man before he has got onto his feet.

 

Since the pub reopened I have been in most nights and have got to know Bob and his barmaid Lauren and of course know Tom the barman from his previous days at the Plough. Bob has worked long hours, had the 6:30am beer deliveries, has no cleaner and has to clean te toilets and the pub himself as well as working behind the bar until the pub closes at 12 or 1am. I have always found him to be a decent individual, not foul-mouthed and is helpful and courteous and an interesting erson in conversation. Lauren and Tom are friendly and helpful and polite and the whole team gel and are cheerful with a sense of humour - if only all of you had taken time out to discover this.

 

You Sheffielders should be ashamed of yourselves especially for demonising the manager for the temerity of having a London accent. As a Sheffielder myself and my Sheffield friends we pride ourselves on being warm and welcoming, not derisive and cowardly hiding behind ficticious names on the internet with no face to face contact or discussion.

 

Now let us enter the real world. The pub at present is on approval - nothing has been signed for under contract. Hawk Inns have it for a trial period. It has been redecorated and the stools are away for recovering, but no other major refurbishment has been undertaken atthis stage. Hawk Inns obviously want to see how the business is performing before they sign the contract. No businessis going to invest heavily until satisfied that the pub is viable. Hawk Inns hae also shown willing by lowering the beer prices.

 

I would respectfully suggest that instead of carping on the internet that the people show their support for their local pub otherwise its closure will be the loss of a valuable amenity in the area. Give the manager a chance to turn around a pub which has been closed for 4 months and has reopened without any publicity, no chef and whose previous custmers had started drinking elsewhere due to its closure.

 

If any of you wish to be costructive then come to the Plough and discuss the situation. I can be found at the end of the bar with 3 pints of Guinness most nights.

 

Martin

[boyfriday]

I would respectfully suggest that instead of carping on the internet that the people show their support for their local pub otherwise its closure will be the loss of a valuable amenity in the area. Give the manager a chance to turn around a pub which has been closed for 4 months and has reopened without any publicity, no chef and whose previous custmers had started drinking elsewhere due to its closure.

 

Martin

 

A well balanced post Martin and I have to put my hand up and admit to being one of the detractors without having visited the pub since the re opening.

 

Running a succesful pub/restaurant is a little like alchemy, the previous managers of the Plough were great but perhaps didn't posess the right skills in sorcery!

 

I would encourage the new owners to find out where the previous chef, Simon has gone to, it was and will be the food (as well as dedicated, customer focussed management) that makes the magic difference to this business.

[Martin3pints]

I understand that Simon has got a job on a cruise ship for 6 months!

[boyfriday]

I understand that Simon has got a job on a cruise ship for 6 months!

 

That's great news, their gain is definitely The Plough's loss!

[Beautyx]

Having read the previous postings I would comment that the subscribers fall into two categories. First the Golden Fleece category who appears to be miffed that he was not awarded the pub, and by being over critical in his comments appears to be tying to off-put people visiting the pub presumably in the hope that the pub will fail and maybe he will have another chance to obtain the venue. The second category seem to be extremely thin skinned individuals who wish to snipe. It is bad enough to kick a man when he is down, but it is appalling to kick a man before he has got onto his feet.

 

Since the pub reopened I have been in most nights and have got to know Bob and his barmaid Lauren and of course know Tom the barman from his previous days at the Plough. Bob has worked long hours, had the 6:30am beer deliveries, has no cleaner and has to clean te toilets and the pub himself as well as working behind the bar until the pub closes at 12 or 1am. I have always found him to be a decent individual, not foul-mouthed and is helpful and courteous and an interesting erson in conversation. Lauren and Tom are friendly and helpful and polite and the whole team gel and are cheerful with a sense of humour - if only all of you had taken time out to discover this.

 

You Sheffielders should be ashamed of yourselves especially for demonising the manager for the temerity of having a London accent. As a Sheffielder myself and my Sheffield friends we pride ourselves on being warm and welcoming, not derisive and cowardly hiding behind ficticious names on the internet with no face to face contact or discussion.

 

Now let us enter the real world. The pub at present is on approval - nothing has been signed for under contract. Hawk Inns have it for a trial period. It has been redecorated and the stools are away for recovering, but no other major refurbishment has been undertaken atthis stage. Hawk Inns obviously want to see how the business is performing before they sign the contract. No businessis going to invest heavily until satisfied that the pub is viable. Hawk Inns hae also shown willing by lowering the beer prices.

 

I would respectfully suggest that instead of carping on the internet that the people show their support for their local pub otherwise its closure will be the loss of a valuable amenity in the area. Give the manager a chance to turn around a pub which has been closed for 4 months and has reopened without any publicity, no chef and whose previous custmers had started drinking elsewhere due to its closure.

 

If any of you wish to be costructive then come to the Plough and discuss the situation. I can be found at the end of the bar with 3 pints of Guinness most nights.

 

Martin

 

 

People are giving their opinion - free country. You only call it carping because you disagree. Should you agree it would be OK.

[goldenfleece]

Having read the previous postings I would comment that the subscribers fall into two categories. First the Golden Fleece category who appears to be miffed that he was not awarded the pub, and by being over critical in his comments appears to be tying to off-put people visiting the pub presumably in the hope that the pub will fail and maybe he will have another chance to obtain the venue.

 

Sorry wrong Martin. I had some ideas for the Plough yes, but actually did not follow up and make an official application, as I decided it would not be a profitable enough route for me. After a lot of interest I initially expressed to the Enterprize BRM, Mark Whiteley, I did some reckoning up and the money I was planning to spend on the Plough just did not yield enough potential return in the period I was looking at. Also I had an award ceremony in Nottingham on the official open day at the Plough as we were entered for a Punch Taverns Award for the Dove, so could not attend, and shortly after that, having asked Mark for a slightly later date to look over the premises and present a proposal, dropped the proposal, as the 'sums' did not just work.

 

But I love the Plough. Take it from me, that pub is one of my locals and I have a fond memory of then place from about 1982 when it was a 3 roomed dartboard style true 'local', through to the point it began to tail off some years back. I am not bitter, and would like to wish you all the very best....its a tough project you have and anyone who takes this on needs all the support they can get.....but, see below

 

I have seen too many of my locals go to the wall, not because of where or what they are, but due to bad Management......and so it appears that, according to your post (it really should have come earlier in this thread), you are NOT the person running the bar a few weeks back, I will indeed give you my blessing...

 

As you say, its a tough situation, its very tough at the moment for the pub industry and getting harder daily, and I never would want to make it bad for ANYONE,...I hate to see pubs fail, I really do, when sometimes ALL it takes is a little courtesy and respect....and you by coming on here have clearly made your point ..

 

but if I have got this all wrong from your post, perhaps you can clarify exactly who is taking over the Plough? I am a bit confused, as others tell me the barman who was there 2 weeks ago, was temp until some "new people" took over in 3 weeks time from 2 weeks ago, if you see what I mean. Who is the manager exactly?