| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:38 - Dec 31 with 1418 views | leitrimblue |
Blokes seems a bit of a tw4t, but cheap beer and food handy enough if that's what you looking for. Other then the Drabbit in Haverhill I not been in one for years but
the preservation of historical old pubs/buildings in our high streets clearly benefits everyone. |  | |  |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:40 - Dec 31 with 1412 views | MattinLondon |
He’s obviously a very good businessman and has others have mentioned his pubs help to preserve some fantastic buildings.
I do wonder if he would have been knighted if he had been a vocal remainer. |  | | |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:44 - Dec 31 with 1380 views | You_Bloo_Right |
I get pee'd off by the whole out-moded, forelock-tugging, nature of the honours system in general.
And not least my continued absence from the various lists. |  |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:44 - Dec 31 with 1381 views | lowhouseblue |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:37 - Dec 31 by Leaky |
Oh so you hate is based on the fact your political views are different to his |
surely that's how everyone assesses a pub? first you ask the landlord to complete a questionnaire on his political views and then you estimate the average income of the regulars? it's basic common sense.
this thread has caused me to discover that wetherspoons has 240 pubs in the good beer guide. so it can't be all bad. |  |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:54 - Dec 31 with 1321 views | Herbivore |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:44 - Dec 31 by lowhouseblue |
surely that's how everyone assesses a pub? first you ask the landlord to complete a questionnaire on his political views and then you estimate the average income of the regulars? it's basic common sense.
this thread has caused me to discover that wetherspoons has 240 pubs in the good beer guide. so it can't be all bad. |
Your posting on this thread is very odd. Who, other than you, has mentioned income or social class as a reason to not like Wetherspoons? |  |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:58 - Dec 31 with 1290 views | ArnoldMoorhen |
Why would it bother me if a King I didn't have a say in gives a title to a bloke who has proven himself to be a canny businessman?
Obviously Martin will be proud. But when he gets to the Palace, and sees all the people in better seats than him, and given higher honours than him, he will realise that the whole system just reinforces the idea that we should "know our place".
Accept the honour, and accept that you are X ranks above the great unwashed, but many more below the King.
And someone like Martin, or Steve Redgrave, for example, who have got there through hard work, sacrifice and risks, are many ranks below the hereditary peers, and even their children, who have done NOTHING to earn any honour or respect.
Or reject the whole idea of hereditary monarchy, Royal Patronage, and rankings of nobility, and place your self worth in the idea of the dignity of all humanity. |  | | |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:05 - Dec 31 with 1249 views | lowhouseblue |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:54 - Dec 31 by Herbivore |
Your posting on this thread is very odd. Who, other than you, has mentioned income or social class as a reason to not like Wetherspoons? |
superkieranmckenna above, for example. but why not engage with what's posted rather than editorialise about what i choose to post? the thread is about wetherspoons and i'm saying that part of the reason people attack those pubs is because of social snobbery. now come on, you've heard that argument before - it really can't be radical or new to you? do you think there's never any snobbery associated with attacks on wetherspoons as a chain. | |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:07 - Dec 31 with 1224 views | Leaky |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:54 - Dec 31 by Herbivore |
Your posting on this thread is very odd. Who, other than you, has mentioned income or social class as a reason to not like Wetherspoons? |
I feel a point worth making is that for people on low disposable income or people refising to pay £5 a pint Spoons offers a social meeting place. I don't suppose you were in the Moon under the Water Post Watford game seemed pretty popular with town fans the place was rocking |  | | |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:08 - Dec 31 with 1213 views | leitrimblue |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:54 - Dec 31 by Herbivore |
Your posting on this thread is very odd. Who, other than you, has mentioned income or social class as a reason to not like Wetherspoons? |
I'm not sure about the rest of the country but the one in Haverhill is rammed full of Pikeys. But enough about my family and friends  | | | |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:09 - Dec 31 with 1210 views | Herbivore |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:05 - Dec 31 by lowhouseblue |
superkieranmckenna above, for example. but why not engage with what's posted rather than editorialise about what i choose to post? the thread is about wetherspoons and i'm saying that part of the reason people attack those pubs is because of social snobbery. now come on, you've heard that argument before - it really can't be radical or new to you? do you think there's never any snobbery associated with attacks on wetherspoons as a chain. |
Maybe people just don't particularly like their pubs? You also mentioned political point scoring and it seems very much that's your intention here. Shame really to come on to a thread and accuse people of sneering at the working classes when nobody is doing so, rather suggests some unconscious bias of your own against those who are less fortunate than you if you genuinely think that's why people might not like Wetherspoons. | |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:09 - Dec 31 with 1198 views | leitrimblue |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:58 - Dec 31 by ArnoldMoorhen |
Why would it bother me if a King I didn't have a say in gives a title to a bloke who has proven himself to be a canny businessman?
Obviously Martin will be proud. But when he gets to the Palace, and sees all the people in better seats than him, and given higher honours than him, he will realise that the whole system just reinforces the idea that we should "know our place".
Accept the honour, and accept that you are X ranks above the great unwashed, but many more below the King.
And someone like Martin, or Steve Redgrave, for example, who have got there through hard work, sacrifice and risks, are many ranks below the hereditary peers, and even their children, who have done NOTHING to earn any honour or respect.
Or reject the whole idea of hereditary monarchy, Royal Patronage, and rankings of nobility, and place your self worth in the idea of the dignity of all humanity. |
Excellent post. Though growing up on the Chalkstone Estate i liked to know I could look down on those from the Clements Estate while those on the Parkway could look down on me.. | | | |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:15 - Dec 31 with 1168 views | SitfcB |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 05:20 - Dec 31 by Dubai_Blue |
Doesn't allow dogs inside or outside of his pubs, so down vote from me. |
Really? Could’ve fooled me!  |  |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:17 - Dec 31 with 1166 views | ArnoldMoorhen |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:07 - Dec 31 by Leaky |
I feel a point worth making is that for people on low disposable income or people refising to pay £5 a pint Spoons offers a social meeting place. I don't suppose you were in the Moon under the Water Post Watford game seemed pretty popular with town fans the place was rocking |
I don't like Martin's politics at all. And he isn't the political prophet he thinks it is. Brexit has been a disaster, probably for the hospitality industry more than any other, and he went all-in on it, and his support may have been important in a very tight vote.
And, as I state above, I don't support the hereditary system at all.
But honesty is important to me. The truth is that there are many decent Wetherspoon's pubs. Many of them keeping the beer very well.
The food is classic Brake Bros type reheat. Everyone knows that. But so is the food in a lot of chain "restaurants".
In many High Streets they may be the only place still open. They have had coffee and other non-alcoholic drinks available from long before the mushrooming of independent coffee shops. They keep the toilets clean.
For many people they may be the only affordable place for a social night out.
I don't like him, but he is good at this part of what he does. | | | |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:20 - Dec 31 with 1140 views | EdwardStone |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 10:37 - Dec 31 by Leaky |
Oh so you hate is based on the fact your political views are different to his |
Yes....
See also these outrageous frauds such as
Rees Mogg
Truss
Farage
Francois
Johnson
Cummings
Braverman
Sunak
and all others who have steered our country onto the economic rocks
Knaves or fools, the whole lot of 'em |  | | |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:26 - Dec 31 with 1094 views | jontysnut |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 18:58 - Dec 30 by factual_blue |
He has the ability to ruin the entire brewing industry, as he is the biggest customer for most of their output. 'spoons has an office in Greene King and many other breweries. They all have to produce to his price and his timescales, and that's part of the reason quality suffers (the other is staff who can't keep beer properly).
Were he to pull the plug, pretty much the entire brewing industry would be destroyed. |
Does that apply to small, local brewers? I was at a meet the brewer evening at the local branch. They seemed happy to be there and I was drinking Elland 1872 Porter, champion beer of Britain, for £2.55. Nowhere else nearby would stock it. I can't stand the bloke though. |  | | |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:26 - Dec 31 with 1088 views | Herbivore |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:17 - Dec 31 by ArnoldMoorhen |
I don't like Martin's politics at all. And he isn't the political prophet he thinks it is. Brexit has been a disaster, probably for the hospitality industry more than any other, and he went all-in on it, and his support may have been important in a very tight vote.
And, as I state above, I don't support the hereditary system at all.
But honesty is important to me. The truth is that there are many decent Wetherspoon's pubs. Many of them keeping the beer very well.
The food is classic Brake Bros type reheat. Everyone knows that. But so is the food in a lot of chain "restaurants".
In many High Streets they may be the only place still open. They have had coffee and other non-alcoholic drinks available from long before the mushrooming of independent coffee shops. They keep the toilets clean.
For many people they may be the only affordable place for a social night out.
I don't like him, but he is good at this part of what he does. |
He's also very good at making money, he offers affordability but it's not as some kind of social enterprise. COVID years aside, Wetherspoons is a very profitable business. There are also arguments about the homogenisation of our towns and cities, small independent businesses being driven out due to being unable to compete with massive chains like Wetherspoons, and so on. They provide a service that is popular but it's not without associated downsides. | |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:28 - Dec 31 with 1069 views | lowhouseblue |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:09 - Dec 31 by Herbivore |
Maybe people just don't particularly like their pubs? You also mentioned political point scoring and it seems very much that's your intention here. Shame really to come on to a thread and accuse people of sneering at the working classes when nobody is doing so, rather suggests some unconscious bias of your own against those who are less fortunate than you if you genuinely think that's why people might not like Wetherspoons. |
again, you're posting about me rather than what i've posted.
i've suggested that the criticisms directed at the pubs - eg, badly kept beer etc - don't match my experience and aren't really valid (240 entries in the good beer guide suggests it's not a fair criticism). and i've suggested that part of the criticism is really from people who don't like the politics of the owner and / or don't like the people who drink in the pubs. accusing others of not liking basic and cheap pubs frequented by people with less money is my attempt to rationalise criticism of pubs which seem to me to be perfectly decent. the idea of the demonisation of the working class is hardly new - even that twit owen jones has written about it. | |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:35 - Dec 31 with 1024 views | Herbivore |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:28 - Dec 31 by lowhouseblue |
again, you're posting about me rather than what i've posted.
i've suggested that the criticisms directed at the pubs - eg, badly kept beer etc - don't match my experience and aren't really valid (240 entries in the good beer guide suggests it's not a fair criticism). and i've suggested that part of the criticism is really from people who don't like the politics of the owner and / or don't like the people who drink in the pubs. accusing others of not liking basic and cheap pubs frequented by people with less money is my attempt to rationalise criticism of pubs which seem to me to be perfectly decent. the idea of the demonisation of the working class is hardly new - even that twit owen jones has written about it. |
If you're going to accuse people of that, then some evidence (beyond "Owen Jones says so") would be good. As I've mentioned, only you and one other poster making a similar unevidenced point have really mentioned the patrons of Wetherspoons on this thread. | |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:38 - Dec 31 with 984 views | Leaky |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:20 - Dec 31 by EdwardStone |
Yes....
See also these outrageous frauds such as
Rees Mogg
Truss
Farage
Francois
Johnson
Cummings
Braverman
Sunak
and all others who have steered our country onto the economic rocks
Knaves or fools, the whole lot of 'em |
You failed to add the ex PM who was suggesting moving Wimbledon FC to become Belfast United. | | | |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:45 - Dec 31 with 951 views | lowhouseblue |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:35 - Dec 31 by Herbivore |
If you're going to accuse people of that, then some evidence (beyond "Owen Jones says so") would be good. As I've mentioned, only you and one other poster making a similar unevidenced point have really mentioned the patrons of Wetherspoons on this thread. |
well i guess my judgement is based on the accumulation of stuff i've seen on social media about wetherspoons, including nasty video clips of the clientele and general jokes about the customers. i'm sure some have even been posted on here. in my experience a significant element within popular culture is consistently sneering and dismissive about the people who drink in whetherspoons. perhaps, hand on heart, you've never seen any of that? perhaps in the day you also never heard any jokes about essex girls? so that's my judgement of the cultural context (the fact that on this occasion is coincides with that of own jones is entirely coincidental). | |
| And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:47 - Dec 31 with 932 views | leitrimblue |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:28 - Dec 31 by lowhouseblue |
again, you're posting about me rather than what i've posted.
i've suggested that the criticisms directed at the pubs - eg, badly kept beer etc - don't match my experience and aren't really valid (240 entries in the good beer guide suggests it's not a fair criticism). and i've suggested that part of the criticism is really from people who don't like the politics of the owner and / or don't like the people who drink in the pubs. accusing others of not liking basic and cheap pubs frequented by people with less money is my attempt to rationalise criticism of pubs which seem to me to be perfectly decent. the idea of the demonisation of the working class is hardly new - even that twit owen jones has written about it. |
Has a committed leftie i hate the working class, I don't even like to look at um, they make me feel sick | | | |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:49 - Dec 31 with 924 views | J2BLUE |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:15 - Dec 31 by SitfcB |
Really? Could’ve fooled me! |
How many times do we have to tell you not to sit by the window? |  |
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:49 - Dec 31 with 924 views | ArnoldMoorhen |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:26 - Dec 31 by Herbivore |
He's also very good at making money, he offers affordability but it's not as some kind of social enterprise. COVID years aside, Wetherspoons is a very profitable business. There are also arguments about the homogenisation of our towns and cities, small independent businesses being driven out due to being unable to compete with massive chains like Wetherspoons, and so on. They provide a service that is popular but it's not without associated downsides. |
Of course. But most pubs are run by a Brewco with terrible practices, which screw over those chasing the dream of "running their own business". Wetherspoon's isn't the worst business model in the UK hospitality sector.
The Honours system, as I have said above, perpetuates social rankings, and gives a vestige of "they made it themselves" credibility, which is really all about keeping the public from asking questions about hereditary wealth, power and status.
And it has always honoured "Captains of Industry" as part of that.
I don't think Wetherspoon's is the main reason for the decline of pubs. Drink driving crackdowns, antisocial behaviour in Town Centres, high alcohol taxes, high business rates, and supermarket beer case deals are all huge factors.
Brewcos' shady practices (including deliberately running down previously profitable pubs to make them unviable so that they can apply for change of use and develop them as flats) are another major reason for the decline of many High Streets complement of pubs.
And the double whammy of COVID and Brexit has crushed many of those who remained.
Martin is a successful capitalist in a capitalist society built on a class system. It suits our "betters" to acknowledge people like him, in return for his pledge of loyalty.
Edit for "Martin is a successful capitalist..."
Not "Wetherspoon is a successful capitalist..."
Maybe I got him confused with Tim Witherspoon, who was a Heavyweight Boxing World Champion who beat Frank Bruno and Larry Holmes, amongst others, but who had a habit of turning his greatest triumphs into humiliating defeats? [Post edited 31 Dec 2023 12:22]
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:52 - Dec 31 with 896 views | EdwardStone |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:38 - Dec 31 by Leaky |
You failed to add the ex PM who was suggesting moving Wimbledon FC to become Belfast United. |
Yes.... a barking mad idea by any standard.
But he did oversee some important social improvements before the Messiah Complex got him.
There is important political work to be done, climate breakdown and the dangers of wars spiralling out of control.....and I feel that we have expended pointless time and energy on the whole Brexit fandango which has made a tiny percent of people much wealthier whilst leaving the rest of us poorer.
I do actually admire a few things about Sir Spoons.... I have frequented some of his pubs and I love that he preserves magnificent old buildings. Apparently he orders bespoke carpets for each of his establishments and thus provides a steady stream of business for a carpet mill in Wilton.
I also like that he never has curtains on the windows of his pubs, so you can see who is in... but the best thing has to be the deliberate exclusion of bar stools so you don't have to try to push past the backs of resentful bar-loiterers when you want a pint [Post edited 1 Jan 2024 8:45]
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| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:54 - Dec 31 with 881 views | Herbivore |
| I bet this peed some off on here on 11:45 - Dec 31 by lowhouseblue |
well i guess my judgement is based on the accumulation of stuff i've seen on social media about wetherspoons, including nasty video clips of the clientele and general jokes about the customers. i'm sure some have even been posted on here. in my experience a significant element within popular culture is consistently sneering and dismissive about the people who drink in whetherspoons. perhaps, hand on heart, you've never seen any of that? perhaps in the day you also never heard any jokes about essex girls? so that's my judgement of the cultural context (the fact that on this occasion is coincides with that of own jones is entirely coincidental). |
I imagine my social media looks quite different from yours based on your description of what you see. Most of the criticism I see of Wetherspoons tends to be that (a) they just aren't very good pubs, (b) Tim Martin is a knobhead that people would rather not give their money to, and (c) that their size and competitive advantage is detrimental to small independent businesses and contributes to the homogenisation of high streets in our towns and cities. Those all seem fairly valid reasons to not want to frequent Wetherspoons. | |
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