BITE user comments - twatboy
Comments by twatboy
Kenbabs, there was never any serious danger of the pub being "Grand-Unionized", due to it's size and location - in fact the new look is exactly what I predicted, which is what makes it so predictable, ha-ha.
I see that ubiquitous English heritage green everywhere now, from the White Swan in Richmond to every gastro-pub that's had a makeover.
You haven't grasped my point which is that it didn't need it, it just needed some TLC as advertised on the board outside - which means maintenance, cleaning etc.
If you were involved in advising on the new look, then obviously you will defend it, but i agree with fatang; put your money where your mouth is and unmask yourself.... there's no downside for you, otherwise we will have to assume you are one of the owners or their acquaintances.
22 Jun 2010 22:05
Badly phrased - I meant to say: even then, only having bottled beer was a rarity, not that a Pubco going into administration was a rarity!
22 Jun 2010 18:04
Dear Kenbabs, you don't have a unique grasp on the future of pubs.. other people are quite capable of realizing that a failing pub needs to change - the point here is that the White Swan wasn't failing.
When you visited and there was only bottled beer, it was because the previous Pubco owners had gone bust and were in administration. (even then that was a rarity). The pub itself is and was profitable.
It doesn't follow that it needed to be updated, as the majority of it's trade is summer visitors who come for the location and don't care about the interior, and rugby crowds who are very likely to strongly disapprove of the new look, especially as it had a strong rugby connection and now the genuine rugby memoribilia has all gone.
It always had a good selection of beers and good grub, but what made it special was that it was original - un-planned, un-themed and real.
The bottom line is that you either like a pub to look modern, wine-bar-ish, and in the same fashionable colour scheme as just about every other re-furbed pub, or you like it to look like a pub.
I'm glad you feel as strongly as me at the sad loss of pubs in the area, and the whole country, but, to us, this pub has been lost.
You say, "What would you prefer - a pub in it's original 17th century building serving 4 real ales and decent grub or a block of modern flats which has "tastefully" retained the frontage or a supermarket?"
That wasn't the choice here. Are you happy for every historic pub to be made over unnecessarily?
22 Jun 2010 17:56
Pub used to mean "public house". Now this one is a plaything for the rich - somewhere for them to hold parties for their children and have soirees with their fellow ponces.
We can vote out a council who try to foist an unpopular scheme on us, but democracy doesn't apply here - money always has the power in the end.
Bring on the revolution!
21 Jun 2010 17:38
God this is so depressing....... a fantastic pub with years of unique character has been ruined by bland, unimaginative, yuppie new owners.
The crowd who were here this evening (Thursday), were the most awful bunch of poseurs I have ever seen.
A pub should be a cross-section of the real world, and this pub used to be full of interesting local characters, who sadly now seem to have been hounded out by the soulless, out of place new regime.
Shame. We see it all over the country, with classic old pubs biting the dust, but when a healthy historic masterpiece like the Swan can be mauled and ravaged by those with money but no taste, it's time for a revolution.
18 Jun 2010 01:16
The White Swan, Twickenham
Beautifully put, natasha! - says it all
19 Jul 2010 17:59