Cricket Inn - Totley- your opinions...

[Andy C]

Went down to the Cricket Inn for a couple of pints last night. It was busy, with most people eating, but managed to get a table by the fireplace with armchairs (where the newspapers and magazines are) and it was very nice. Well I say managed to get that table, the friendly staff actually pointed it out to us.

 

Had no problem getting served.

 

First pint was the Thornbridge Cricket beer (acceptable) and the second was Thornbridge Lord Marples (excellent).

 

Would have been better if the weather had been nice enough to drink outside, but can't blame the pub for that!

[KATIEB_23]

I just wanted to look at the website and it keeps redirecting me to a site called powertext

 

Is the web address still http://www.the-cricket.com/

?

[Andy C]

No, thats the website for the pub's previous incarnation. The pub is now called the Cricket Inn, and is run by Brewkitchen, leased from Enterprise Inns. I don't think they actually have a website.

 

You can find out about the beer at the brewery's website though - http://www.thornbridgebrewery.co.uk.

[KATIEB_23]

Cheers

[theripsaw]

Hi

 

Good to see everyone's comments.

 

I am one of the partners in The Cricket Inn and i think it is great to get all of this feedback and i can take it all on board and continue to make improvements as we go along.

 

Sorry to hear of anyone who has not enjoyed thier time, but we are still on a steep learning curve here and the 'soft opening' we hoped for has not quite gone to plan and we have already had over 5000 customers!

 

please feel free to ask any questions and i am more than happy to try and help

 

Cheers

 

Simon

 

According to another thread, a CAMRA survey found the Cricket to serve the most expensive pint of real ale in the city (Jaipur at £3 pint). In light of the fact the beer is brewed by the brewery belonging to co-owner I would have thought a price lower than that charged by other purveyors of that fine ale would be appropriate. Why does the Cricket bump up the price?

[jamesogt]

According to another thread, a CAMRA survey found the Cricket to serve the most expensive pint of real ale in the city (Jaipur at £3 pint). In light of the fact the beer is brewed by the brewery belonging to co-owner I would have thought a price lower than that charged by other purveyors of that fine ale would be appropriate. Why does the Cricket bump up the price?

 

I would expect it to still be held on a tied lease. This means even though Thornbridge have an association they would still not be able to buy direct, there order would still come through the lease holder (Punch / Enterprise etc), at the premium price.

 

(Though I will mention we have Lord Marples for £2.45, Devonshire Arms Ecclesall Road)

[Andy C]

The Cricket Inn is owned by Enterprise Inns and Brewkitchen lease it. Under the terms of all Enterprise Leases beer can only be supplied by Enterprise.

 

Enterprise have two beer lists, the main one has all the national brands, then they have whats called the 'Siba Direct delivery scheme' where local breweries that are members of Siba can take an order from Enterprise and deliver the beer direct to the pub.

 

So, in the case of the Cricket Inn, Thornbridge have to sell the beer to Enterprise via Siba, who then sell it to the pub, at a significant mark up of course.

 

This is why the Jaipur is more expensive in this pub than the Coach & Horses at Dronfield, which is a freehouse that buys direct from the brewery.

[simonwebster]

hi

 

as andy quite correctly says we are indeed tied to enterprise and are in a strange situation where we sell our beer to them and they sell it back to us at the pub with thier loading. although this is not an ideal situation it was the only way that we could get hold of the cricket.

 

with regards the pricing i have always thought that artisan craft brewed beer is viewed as the poorer partner to the mass produced continental beers (eg Stella etc). this doesn't happen in the food sector, we are often happy enough to pay £2/3 even £4 for a 'homemade' pot of jam rather than the 90p jar in the supermarket yet often feel that just because a beer is brewed by a local brewery it should be 'cheaper!'

 

when we opened the pub i was determined that Jaipur should not be offered at less than say, San Miguel or Kronenbourg Blanc as i see the amount of expertise that goes into brewing this great beer and this was our chance to give the 'great british pint' an equal standing with its continental neighbours.

 

so far the public have backed us and have accepted that we serve a great beer well in a fabulous environment, hopefully that will continue and also introduce many new people to quality cask ales.

[jamesogt]

hi

 

as andy quite correctly says we are indeed tied to enterprise and are in a strange situation where we sell our beer to them and they sell it back to us at the pub with thier loading. although this is not an ideal situation it was the only way that we could get hold of the cricket.

 

with regards the pricing i have always thought that artisan craft brewed beer is viewed as the poorer partner to the mass produced continental beers (eg Stella etc). this doesn't happen in the food sector, we are often happy enough to pay £2/3 even £4 for a 'homemade' pot of jam rather than the 90p jar in the supermarket yet often feel that just because a beer is brewed by a local brewery it should be 'cheaper!'

 

when we opened the pub i was determined that Jaipur should not be offered at less than say, San Miguel or Kronenbourg Blanc as i see the amount of expertise that goes into brewing this great beer and this was our chance to give the 'great british pint' an equal standing with its continental neighbours.

 

so far the public have backed us and have accepted that we serve a great beer well in a fabulous environment, hopefully that will continue and also introduce many new people to quality cask ales.

 

Why not offer it for less when it costs less to buy? All you are doing is increasing the margin. It would give customers an incentive to buy local and to try things they maybe haven't had before.

 

I thouroughly encourage local beer by serving as many local brands as possible including Thornbridge, Abbeydale, Bradfield and Sheffield Brewery. But i wouldn't charge more than necessary because I can claim 'it's local' so therefore it is crafted better, im sure a ot of effort goes in to many foreign beers that people enjoy too.

[theripsaw]

hi

 

as andy quite correctly says we are indeed tied to enterprise and are in a strange situation where we sell our beer to them and they sell it back to us at the pub with thier loading. although this is not an ideal situation it was the only way that we could get hold of the cricket.

 

with regards the pricing i have always thought that artisan craft brewed beer is viewed as the poorer partner to the mass produced continental beers (eg Stella etc). this doesn't happen in the food sector, we are often happy enough to pay £2/3 even £4 for a 'homemade' pot of jam rather than the 90p jar in the supermarket yet often feel that just because a beer is brewed by a local brewery it should be 'cheaper!'

 

when we opened the pub i was determined that Jaipur should not be offered at less than say, San Miguel or Kronenbourg Blanc as i see the amount of expertise that goes into brewing this great beer and this was our chance to give the 'great british pint' an equal standing with its continental neighbours.

 

so far the public have backed us and have accepted that we serve a great beer well in a fabulous environment, hopefully that will continue and also introduce many new people to quality cask ales.

 

I appreciate your response but Jaipur is available at other tied pubs for around 50p pint less than you sell it. Your comment -

 

'this was our chance to give the 'great british pint' an equal standing with its continental neighbours.' (by putting up the price) sounds like spin worthy of Alaister Campbell himself!