An ale-ing industry

GOLDEN Fleece landlady Angela Flynn with husband Mark

Desperate times for pub businesses

The alarm was sounded by Angela Flynn, landlady at the Golden Fleece in Denshaw.

Standing up at the Oldham Chronicle hustings during the by-election campaign, the pub owner made a desperate plea to the candidates to help save the ailing industry.

Still adjusting to the news that she is expecting a baby, the 44-year-old landlady has just been made redundant from her job as a social worker for Oldham Council.

“We don’t take anything from the business, we’re working for the roof overhead,” she said, back behind the bar.

“It might as well just be the bed for the night, we’re always busy downstairs. The industry is on its knees.

“It’s hard graft. Trying to come into a pub where the reputation had gone downhill is tough.”

Angela, along with husband and chef Mark, is determined to make a success of the pub and says she is starting to see regular customers back through the doors.

A bid to diversify and provide a meeting place, cookery school and restaurant has also proved fruitful.

“You can’t just be a pub anymore, the bar takings wouldn’t even cover the rent,” says Angela.

“Sometimes we think ‘why are we here?’ It is a worry but this is Mark’s dream and I’d do anything for him.

“There will be a lot more businesses closing if the breweries and the Government don’t wake up to this situation and do something. Neither are helping at the moment. Luckily, we’re ticking over.”

It seems the price to pay for that idyllic country pub, nestled among Oldham’s surrounding windswept moors is one of hardship, strife and a constant struggle to attract custom.

“We are all fighting for the same pound note,” admits Angela.

Less than a mile up the road, the car park at the Kings Arms lies empty, the heavy wooden door bolted shut following the closure of the pub last week.

A spokesman for Punch, which owns the premises, said: “Our licensee at the Kings Arms has taken the decision to leave the business. We are actively recruiting a new licensee.”

Just a stone’s throw from there is The Olde Black Ladd, best known for its hearty food, homely atmosphere and breathtaking views over the borough from the top of Buckstones Road in Shaw.

Steeped in history, punters can nestle under the country-style beamed ceiling and feel the warmth of the open fire as they sup their brew.

Instead of a dwindling customer base landlady Amie Blant, owner of the business and chef for the past four years, has had to fight against an all together different beast — the rumour mill.

“The building is up for sale and has just gone on the market, but the business isn’t,” she said. “We’ve had people ringing up asking if we were closed, over Christmas especially parties were getting in touch thinking we might had done a runner with their deposits.

“You just have to rise above it and be up front and honest.”

Reassuring signs now adorn the walls promising customers that the business is healthy and Amie, along with partner Angus, will continue to be there serving up delicious grub. Weekday trade has slowed, however.

“Like other industries, these are hard times and we have to dig deep,” she added.

Such honesty is shared by the owners of Relish at The Grotton, which shut its doors recently.

“Unfortunately, due to poor trade and difficult circumstances The Grotton has had to close down,” reads the paper taped to the window pane as the marketing A-boards, rendered useless, are propped up around the side.

The struggle, it seems, has not been helped by some of the breweries, as seen in the case of Mike Mooney, former landlord of The Swan in Dobcross.

He claimed that Marston’s had gone against a verbal agreement and hiked his rent by 40 per cent, which he said would make running the village-centre pub not viable. In a twist however, he remains behind the bar after the new tenant he was meant to be handing over to backed out.

The Farrar’s Arms in Greenfield lay dormant for months, the pumps untouched and the glasses unwashed before new owners moved in.

The brewery of the former Woolpack, renamed The Shambles in Dobcross, has been searching for a new tenant since May, last year. That was following its closure, less than six months after a revamp.

Marjorie Schofield is halfway through a yearlong contract as landlady of The Junction Inn, Denshaw.

She said: “I call it the village of the damned round here. There’s hundreds of cars come through everyday but nobody walking around, there is no village in my opinion.”

She says she often closes the doors at night if there are no customers and points the finger at cheap supermarket booze as the problem.

“I just see this as a job, but it’s long hours for seven days a week,” she admits.

Marjorie arranges charity, comedy and music nights once a month in a bid to woo customers.

Across the road, the once-thriving Black Horse now boasts dark windows. Instead of a proudly-placed brass name plate above the door, a “For Sale” sign now rests there.

But it’s not simply traditional pubs vying to make a success and get their hands on a slimming slice of the action.

Dobcross Band Club has been a staple in the idyllic village and is this year celebrating 100 years in the current clubhouse.

Proving a cornerstone for events such as the heart-warming candlelit parade at Christmas and of course Dobcross’ role in the Whit Friday Band contests, the club is now under threat.

Steward John Holden, who has run the club for the past 27 years, said: “Years ago people were in most nights of the week, now in the present climate people are limited as to how often they can do that.

“We’ve had visitors from far and wide including brass bands from New Zealand who had heard of the club. With a lack of support it will come to a crunch before long.”

Break

Figures from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) showed that a total of 2,365 pubs closed their doors in 2009.

Lee Le Clercq, regional secretary for the north of England, voiced concerns.

He said: “We pay more in alcohol tax than any other nation in Europe and have seen a 26 per cent increase in the last two years.

“We want a break.”