Publican Local Focus: Wolverhampton wanderings
Wolverhampton is no stranger to being labelled one of the less glamorous cities in the country.
After being placed in the UK's Crap Towns list in 2003, the people of Wolverhampton have been battling to prove that it's more than just a poor relation to Birmingham.
With the city home to more than a quarter of a million Wulfrunians and 23,000 students, you would expect demand for pubs to be pretty high.
But this West Midlands city's recession hangover is still evident, with 'for sale' signs dotted around where successful pubs once stood.
Kim Gilmour, manager of Wolverhampton City Centre Company (WCCC), puts this down, in part, to a lack of public funding.
Before the credit crunch really kicked in, the WCCC had plans in place to help boost city centre trade. Regeneration initiatives have since been put on hold due to a floundering economy. As a temporary measure, WCCC is dressing empty retail units and pubs instead of using metal bars and boards in a bid to dispel any atmosphere of desolation.
A major concern for Wulfrunian publicans is the lack of support they get from the government, especially when it comes to competing with alcohol prices in supermarkets. Licensees feel they are being forced to act as police and a first-aid service in their own pubs because people are "pre-loading" and not monitoring what they drink properly.
According to Jamie Atkins, licensee at the Great Western, this is having a knock-on effect on society. He said: "People don't know how to behave in licensed premises or how to socialise any more."
Another factor, Gilmour believes, is a misconceived image of Wolver-hampton nightlife.
She said: "Local media tends to focus on drunken incidents that happen at 4am, so people think the city isn't safe."
She and her team are working to dispel the notion that, because of the large university presence, the city centre "is a place for only young people to go out".
There are all the stamps of a student city here, with chain bars and promotions. But there are also some really charming boozers. Many of Wolverhampton's best pubs are the ones that focus on the basics: friendly service, pleasant décor and good quality beer.
And there's no shortage of that. As would be expected in the hometown of Banks's brewery, this city's residents, whether publican or punter, are passionate about their ales.
With family brewery Holden's just down the road in Dudley and Batham's in Brierley Hill, good-quality ales are a top priority.
As Gavin Craig, who has been at the Combermere Arms for 16 years, agreed: "You can have all the gimmicks you want in place, but if the beer's not right there's no point."
Chris Millard is licensee of Punch Taverns pub the Posada, which is based in the heart of the city.
How much will a pint cost me?
The most expensive pint is £3 and the cheapest is £2.50. A glass of wine costs £2.80 for a small and £3.80 for a large. Soft drinks are £1.30 and a vodka will cost you £2.
Do you do food?
No. This is a drinkers' pub and we found food never really takes off here.
Who are your customers?
We get lots of football fans before and after Wolves matches, and students. We do deals for CAMRA members and we get them in too.
What are the issues affecting trade in Wolverhampton?
There aren't many places to go here so people can just jump on a train and go to Birmingham.
What attracts people?
This is a beautiful building; it has barely ever been touched. And we're a proper pub; everywhere else is a fancy wine bar. We get a good crowd in, mostly football fans and real ale fans. We don't have much entertainment on, as Sky is too expensive, and the beer is the real attraction here.
Jamie Atkins has worked at the Great Western for 26 years. The pub is owned by regional brewer Holden's.
How much will a pint cost me?
A pint of bitter costs £2.10, or £2.40 for a premium ale. It's £2.40 for a spirit and £1.30 for a Coke. We get most of our ales, such as Bathams Brough, from the local area.
Do you do food?
Yes, it's all homecooked traditional Black Country food. The hot pork baps are very popular. We don't do evening meals, only lunch from 11am to 3pm.
Who are your customers?
They are an eclectic bunch. We get everyone in here from postal workers to barristers. On Saturdays we get the football crowd and, with seven ales on at all times, real ale fans love it here.
What are the issues affecting trade in Wolverhampton?
Business rates are the killer. For all businesses in Wolverhampton the rates are far too high for everyone. Another problem is that big pub companies are too greedy. Holden's are a family company - they don't have to please the shareholders and they encourage us to do well. You don't get that sort of attention from the big pubcos.
What attracts people?
It is a really traditional pub. It's decorated with old train station memorabilia and it looks great. I've been with the pub for 26 years and the customers know me. In fact people travel from Birmingham and Coventry regularly to drink here.
Gavin Craig is licensee at the Combermere Arms. The pub is more than 150 years old and bills itself as a country pub in the city.
How much will a pint cost me?
It's about £2.80 for a pint, vodka is £3 for 35ml, and a glass of wine costs £2.50. We charge £1.30 for a Pepsi.
Do you do food?
Yes. All our food is homemade, and I do most of the cooking myself. It is mostly light bites such as sandwiches and they cost around £3, and it is all made to order and fresh.
Who are your customers?
We get the lot in here: absolutely everybody and anybody, from our local MP and business professionals to students.
What are the issues affecting trade in Wolverhampton?
Supermarkets have made it a lot easier for people to drink at home. If I was monitoring what they drank, there is no way they would get into that state. We end up cleaning up the mess.
What attracts people?
We have bands in on Saturday nights, but we're open to most forms of entertainment. Customers can ask for what they'd like and I try to accommodate. We even had a psychic in one evening. Customers feel like they have a little bit of ownership in the pub then.
Bill Kendrick is licensee of Enterprise Inns-owned pub the Newhampton Inn.
How much will a pint cost me?
Lager costs about £3, ales are available from £2.55 to £3.10. A glass of wine is £2.50, and you can get a Coca-Cola for £1.30.
Do you do food?
We do quite cheap and cheerful food, like fresh sandwiches for £1.35 or homemade chips for £2. We also do hot meals like steak and ale pies, and hot pork on match days.
Who are your customers?
I would say about 80 per cent of our customers are male, and live in the local area, from the ages of between 20 and 60. Because of our big garden out the back we get quite a lot of families from the local area too.
What are the issues affecting trade in Wolverhampton?
It is now coming down to how much pubcos want from tenants. Most tenants, if they are making money, want to spend it on their pubs. But with pubco charges pubs aren't moving forward, just existing. I am really lucky - this is an iconic pub where people will go. To some extent I have been riding the recession, but you still have to be proactive.
What attracts people?
Certainly the quality of the beer is important. Also 90 per
