Friday 5 January 2007

Who took all the pies?

I accept that Mitchells and Butler have every right to decide what to sell in their pubs even when I deplore the decision in question:
The Horse Shoe bar in Drury Street has withdrawn pies from its menu on the instruction of its owners Mitchells and Butlers.

Bar owners are hoping "to broaden the pub's appeal to a wider customer base".

This is cultural vandalism. Like everywhere else in Britain, Glasgow already has plenty of pubs aimed at pleasing that so-called "wider customer base". The Horse Shoe Bar is world famous and well patronised precisely because it's not one of those damned plastic pubs that are full of plastic people who drink fancy water and whose idea of a square meal is a couple of lettuce leaves. Actually, I suspect that M&B are running scared of the health fascists on Glasgow Council and in the Scottish Parliament and wanted to implement their miserable new menu before it becomes compulsory. Anyway, if you want a "wider customer base" shouldn't they be serving more pies?

At least the customers are fighting back:

David Hunter, a Horseshoe regular, has launched an online vote asking punters to support his campaign to return pies to the menu.

His website says the pie has been a tradional (no BBC spellchecker?) snack with thousands of patrons.

"It's the natural choice with a pint," it adds.

It's at times like this that I wish I had enough money to buy Mitchells and Butlers and fire the idiots who made this decision.

I note that the people agree with me.

1 comment:

David Farrer said...

Comments made on previous template:

David Hunter
Many thanks for all the comments in this post. I'm happy to say that M&B reversed their decision, which incidentally had been made by the local area manager and not by M&B senior management, and have returned the pies to there rightful place - in the pie warmer of The Horse Shoe Bar. 
One comment made "it takes months to find a customer, seconds to lose one" proved very true, as guys like myself and many others, left for other Glasgow locals that have stayed with tradition. Mind you there's not a lot of traditional pubs left. 
Monday 15 January 2007 sees the pie relaunched and McGhees who supply them have donated the first 100 FREE. 
Thanks again for all your support. 
David Hunter 
Horse Shoe Bar pie campaigner.

13 January 2007, 12:37:00 GMT
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Andrew Ian Dodge
As a former CAMRA member & current supporter, I hear yah David. Its rather appals me to see what some of the chains are doing to their pubs. Alas Whetherspoon is no better with its banning of smoking ahead of the law. One of the best things about the UK is its pub it would be a shame to lose that asset as well.

8 January 2007, 09:01:36 GMT
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David Farrer
Glenn 
 
As I said at the beginning of the post I fully accept M&B's right to make this decision. I don't think that "there should be a law against it". But I also accept that people can complain loudly about this - and I'm one of them! I hope that market forces will make M&B reconsider. Note that the health fascists are not part of market forces but an execise of non-market power. The plastic people may predominate eventually though. Hopefully not. 
 
And I haven't even mentioned the inevitable bankruptcy of ScotRail once Edinburgh folk no longer need to go through to Glasgow for the Horse Shoe experience...

5 January 2007, 16:51:40 GMT
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Glenn
I think its mad that they don't offer even more pies. They are dead trendy down in London now. There's square pies, all sorts. You can pay £10 for a pie down a Terence Conran Pub FFS! 
 
They could probably increase trade by becoming an expert in pies and pints. Shame they can't see this. 
 
I lived in Glasgow for 10 years, went to the Horseshoe a few times, and its an old timer's traditional pub - I like that kind of thing though. 
 
It seems to me that they owners are probably going to do it up and completely ruin it. 
 
David - if you are a libertarian though, how can you interfere with business's decision to do what it wants. OK it doesn't make much business sense.

5 January 2007, 15:57:01 GMT
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Andrew Duffin
Presumably what they're really trying to do is narrow the pub's appeal to its current customer base, who I imagine are perceived as unfashionable/unprofitable and whom the owners therefore wish to drive away. 
 
A high-risk strategy imho. Have they never heard "It takes months to find a customer - and seconds to lose one" ?

5 January 2007, 13:13:23 GMT