Forum Topic

What is happening with The Telegraph pub?

Does anyone know why the works at the The Telegraph pub have not recommenced?  It looks very sad and abandoned! The Green Man did finish its refurbishment and it is now open.... Thank you!

Ivonne Holliday ● 2071d17 Comments

Craig. Young & Co are certainly "up selling" if one just asks for a glass of red or white - if one looks at their menu cheaper wines are available. Interestingly, yesterday the Green Man had run out of Ordinary, sorry, I mean "Original"!Still, the garden huts and table service were pleasant in the rain and the staff were very helpful so I hope they're being paid a reasonable wage. Some pubs have instead started adding a service charge now there's table service.

Michael Ixer ● 2047d

Young’s have definitely hiked their prices up.  I paid £9.50 for a medium glass of wine the other night ...but would be great to have The Telegraph back.  A lovely place to while away a Sunday afternoon

Craig Fordham ● 2047d

I sense that pubs have used Covid as an excuse to hike up drink prices, with the exception of the Wetherspoons chain. I know there are some additional costs with the extra precautions and table service but there is the reduces VAT rate for hospitality. I have to admit this probably isn't based on a statistically significant sample but others I know have made similar comments.

Michael Ixer ● 2047d

David, most pubs, including the so-called Gastropubs buy in frozen meals from specialist suppliers. Nothing wrong with frozen- what is wrong is the pretense that it is local and the rip-off prices they try, and often succeed, in getting away with.Most of their kitchens will have just 1 "chef" who may have to double-up as the dishwasher as well.Compare these extensive "Gastropub" menus with the limited Carte in good local French restaurants and bear in mind that food and drink prices in UK pubs have gone up astronomically in the past 5 years while restaurant prices have remained pretty static. Anyone who dines out in a chain riverside pub from Wandsworth to Kingston is being held hostage to fortune -on a Friday  if I want a fish and chips I will never go to a pub run by Youngs,Fullers etc. but to Fishers on Fulham High.St by Putney Bridge. Like everyone else I regard the British pub as an important facet of British life but we must not let our emotional attachment to the concept blind us to the reality as it is today- over-priced drink with good continental beer brands sold at very high premium prices while the product itself is an inferior load of crap brewed under licence in the UK - and yes, you are right, the food is bought-in frozen but -  hey guys, the menu is on parchment type paper and ye Olde English typeface because the big Pub boys think we are all stupid.

Timothy Horgan ● 2048d

The company operates a pub which I frequent in Warwickshire; good atmosphere, decent furnishings, friendly local staff, but the food is, I understand, mass-produced in a central kitchen and delivered - presumably frozen - to the different outlets. OK but not outstanding in my experience. But probably better than an abandoned ruin or a building site!

David Barnes ● 2048d

I hope so!

Jonathan Callaway ● 2067d

But at least it may reopen, nevermind its provenance?

Bunny Payne ● 2067d

They survived the CVA and have done a deal with their lenders. Their CEO is Andy Hornby who was CEO of HBOS when it crashed in 2008 and had to be bailed out by taxpayers. Not a great look on anybody’s CV!

Jonathan Callaway ● 2067d

Brunning & Price is a subsidiary of TRG PLC -The Restaurant Group which was experiencing difficulties even before Covid-19. They also own Wagamama.--------------"On 3 June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, The Restaurant Group told employees a "large number" of its outlets would not reopen after lockdown;[8] up to 120 restaurants, mainly Frankie & Benny's, were set to close permanently,[9] with the loss of between 2,000 and 3,000 jobs.[10] On 8 June, The Restaurant Group said it was in discussions with its landlords about potential restructuring options,[10] and three days later announced it had entered a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) and planned to cut 125 sites"- Wiki

Timothy Horgan ● 2067d

I ran past the pub yesterday, there were a few workmen there, not sure what they were doing.The sign said it was a pub in the "Brunning & Price" family and a quick google gives:-https://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/telegraph/Seems they have about 50 pubs round the UK.

John Kettlekey ● 2071d

Thank you Carl.  Their website says it will open in Autumn 2020.As you say, fingers crossed!

Ivonne Holliday ● 2071d

Thanks Carl

Michael Ixer ● 2071d

The last post on their Facebook page was from 24th June: "We are so thrilled at the announcement from the Government on the reopening of the hospitality industry.
We’ve still lots to do here before we can open our doors, but at least now we can make some progress.
As soon as we have confirmed our new opening date we will let you know here." https://www.facebook.com/thetelegraphputney/
Their Instagram page has some photos of the work so far, but the lasted on was back in March - https://www.instagram.com/telegraphputneyheath/
Keeping my fingers crossed.

Carl Broadley ● 2071d

Thank you Michael for your messages and the photograph of the Green Man.  I agree with the astroturf but perhaps it is for practical reasons (it can be hoovered but needs no mowing?).As for the Telegraph, we were also wondering if money had run out.  It would be a terrible pity!

Ivonne Holliday ● 2071d

Sorry about double posts. The system told me it had treashed my first post!

Michael Ixer ● 2071d

Yes, I was in the Green Man Monday afternoon with some friends. It's looking smart although we weren't sure about what seems to be Astroturf in the garden? One of my friends said the Telegraph still looked like a building site, although he thought he spotted someone in it. We were speculating  about whether they might have run out of money.https://flic.kr/p/2jsExBW

Michael Ixer ● 2071d

Yes, I was in the Green Man with some friends Monday afternoon. It's looking smart although not sure about the astroturf? One of my friend said on Monday that the Telegraph still looked like a building site, although he thought he might have spotted someone in it. We were speculating whether they'd run out of money? https://flic.kr/p/2jsExBW

Michael Ixer ● 2071d