Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Nice picture of Morgan in Daily Mail

Our local Wetherspoons the Trawl boat is always packed no matter what time of day. On sunny days the outside drinking area is full, so clearly there is a need, especially with the level of day trippers we have coming to the coast for the day. We use it occasionally for the Guinness is better kept, as its regularly pulled compared to other locals. The ever changing range of guest ales is staggering. Its offering local jobs, is usually much cleaner than many of the other pubs around, feels maintained, warm and not full of the obvious regular bar flies, that prop the bar up in other establishments.

Being in a big retirement area by the sea, over 60% of the locals are over 65 therefore understandably most regulars tend to be pensioners, often in large social groups who come together for a meal, a drink and lots of putting the world to rights in a warm environment, especially welcome in the depths of winter, many of whom are asset rich and cash poor..

And yet Wetherspoons seems to be making money with this business plan, it certainly has taken its toll on other local pubs, where they have seen trade fall, but on a sunny weekend many will be full of day trippers, so much so you can't get into a local and we have to travel out of town to other favourite haunts if we fancy a pint.

When on the organised Mog run last year from Brooklands to Nuffield Place NT had an interesting couple of hours in Henley on the way back as the Regatta was taking place - including Lancaster or Wellington? fly past.

I was told by an ex publican that the Wetherspoons formula for dramatically lower beer prices is achieved in part by buying excess production at reduced prices from breweries, given consequent limited shelf life. Despite this I've never had a bad pint in any of their outlets as turnover allows quick sale. Quite the reverse in fact, it regularly tastes like a fresh barrel.

The big question will be where the bathrooms are situated, how long a hike and how much elevation change will be required, that cheap beer passes through quickly

The grey haired gentleman was me!! Haven't been on the forum for a while but someone pointed out that they had spotted me in the Mail and in following the story up on line it led me to this conversation. Just innocently taking the scenic route back from Maidenhead to Reading via Marlow, Henley, Wallingford and Pangbourne. Certainly not expecting to get caught up in a debate about a proposed Wetherspoons in Marlow. I didn't see the photographer although I recall driving down that particular road.
Ah well, fame at last!

I have no issues with the concept or business model of spoons. It was his Brexit/COVID behaviour that put him on the naughty step for me. I appreciate that would be the complete opposite for many on here.

TBM, did you ever read Martin,s article in the Wetherspoons magazine, about truth.
Basically what was said by various politicians was not correct, according to Mr Martin. He published the corrections made by various news papers.

No, one was stuck through the letterbox but went straight in the recycling. No interest in his deluded wafflings. Brexit has turned out great hasn't it. 😁😁😁

Haha - "papped"! Fame indeed. It's interesting that a Google search should bring you to this forum so soon.

I've never aspired to appearing in the Daily Mail myself but some years ago they photographed my 4/4 in my local pub carpark while I was inside having lunch. To be honest it wasn't the main subject of the story, they focused more on Laurence Fox, Chris Evans and others celebs walking past on their way to the church opposite where Fox was to marry Billie Piper.

As I say, a few years ago now ... but at least I still have the car!

I read the whole article in the DM for fun. It's longer than the one about the Munich Security Conference in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung...
Well, DM writes the report as if the Spoon is the end of the world for the old-established with wealth. Is it really the case that a pup with reasonable prices attracts the country's entire proletariat? And that in a neighbourhood where such people don't usually stray? I can't imagine that. I believe that the article in the DM is artificially creating a polarisation. I don't know rural England well, but if the prices quoted for long-established pubs and restaurants are really that high, then some competition should stimulate business, shouldn't it? It seems that the "Spoon chain" has something to offer for many sections of the population. If so many people write about their good experiences here in the forum, then surely it's not a place to be ashamed of going to?