End of an era: Phuket Island Lager Bar to close
Claire Connell


David Brook and his wife Kanchana

PHUKET: -- The island’s long established Phuket Island Lager Bar is closing, almost 13 years ago to the day since the first venue opened in Soi Sea Pearl, Patong.

The bar has been run by David Brook and his wife Kanchana, and has operated in four different locations.

It first opened in Soi Sea Pearl, which David says was a highly successful outlet with 35 staff. Unfortunately it was hit by the 2004 tsunami, and re-opened in Soi Lion off Bangla Road, where it stayed for three years.

The bar then moved to Soi Sukhumvit and finally into DJ Plaza, where it remained until recently. The DJ Plaza site is now being demolished and redeveloped.

David says over the years the bar has hosted a number of celebrities and local organisations.

“We have had a lot of fun running the bars in each location. The best operation was the one in the original Soi Sea Pearl – pity the tsunami spoiled that. We have had a great number of friends who have been to each one as we moved.

“We have always enjoyed meeting people and have met some great characters over the years. Our philosophy has always been: “You may arrive as a stranger, but you will always leave as a friend.”

Each bar featured a Wall of Fame plus a collection of photographs taken with celebrities who visited over the years, such as Mohammed Ali, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Bobby Charlton.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/end-of-an-era-phuket-island-lager-bar-to-close-40609.php


-- Phuket News 2013-07-04

Please forgive me if I don't shed any tears over the closing of a drinking establishment.

Please forgive me if I don't shed any tears over the closing of a drinking establishment.

Are you that much of a prude?

Ouch, where will all the drinkers go now? Oh yes to one of the other thousands of bars available - not exactly a great loss.

Please forgive me if I don't shed any tears over the closing of a drinking establishment.

Are you that much of a prude?

I'm no prude, but there are worse things one could be called. Do you even know what the word means? Propriety and modesty are rather admirable traits.

13 years makes an era? Seems like the blink of an eye to me.

Can't people just congratulate David and Khun Kanchana for having run a successful business for so long, and wish them success in their retirement or with whatever they plan to do now? To survive so long in Patong with the Russian mafia, local government mafia, Police mafia, etc., demanding money all the time, they did well to survive so well.

Well done, David and Khun Kanchana!

You led with your self-righteous chin and got popped - live with it!

Can't people just congratulate David and Khun Kanchana for having run a successful business for so long, and wish them success in their retirement or with whatever they plan to do now? To survive so long in Patong with the Russian mafia, local government mafia, Police mafia, etc., demanding money all the time, they did well to survive so well.

Well done, David and Khun Kanchana!

Hear! Hear!

Agreed. not an easy business

They look very happy together. It is not an easy task to run a successful business in Thailand. Good on them!

You led with your self-righteous chin and got popped - live with it!

Self-righteous for implicating things like this are happening every day and there are many alternatives so hardly news worthy?

Please forgive me if I don't shed any tears over the closing of a drinking establishment.

Are you that much of a prude?

I'm no prude, but there are worse things one could be called. Do you even know what the word means? Propriety and modesty are rather admirable traits.

Not in this country they are not.

You led with your self-righteous chin and got popped - live with it!

LOL...my chin is just fine, thank you. Though, it appears I put a few noses out of joint.

She looks like she's just about to burst into tears.......

Not really much of a story of any note, but hardly anything to swing your handbags over, ladies.

Well - I have to wonder how this is news....

- man comes to Thailand

- man goes to girly bar

- man meets woman half his age

- woman leaves girly bar

- man buys girly bar

- bar closes

Not a rare story by any standards.

Even by Phuket standards the bar wasn't open very long.

Lol........one closed, thousands opened. I suppose they were likeable people. Bars up in Udon change hands almost monthly...not a great way to make a living, but I know many who would rather open a bar and try to make some money rather than buy beer in another bar. When I find myself settling down, I might get a cozy place with some good looking staff (as long as the wife doesn't mind) and just hang out there. Not really expecting a profit at all, but it seems I used to spend enough in other bars that it wouldn't cost too much more to have one (in the wifey's name). Hell, I was thinking just an afternoon/early evening deal that closes before the vampires get up. This post will, of course, bring up tons of negative comments on issues of morality, drunks, pitfalls, wayward staff, and the likes. That stuff is all obvious. Its just a thought, right now.

Can't people just congratulate David and Khun Kanchana for having run a successful business for so long, and wish them success in their retirement or with whatever they plan to do now? To survive so long in Patong with the Russian mafia, local government mafia, Police mafia, etc., demanding money all the time, they did well to survive so well.

Well done, David and Khun Kanchana!

Well said.

Can't people just congratulate David and Khun Kanchana for having run a successful business for so long, and wish them success in their retirement or with whatever they plan to do now? To survive so long in Patong with the Russian mafia, local government mafia, Police mafia, etc., demanding money all the time, they did well to survive so well.

Well done, David and Khun Kanchana!

Well said.

Yes ..should have said Good Luck and God Speed. As for all the retiring businessmen...same to you guys. However, it is always more interesting when a news item generates all opinions, viewpoints, cudos ...both positive and negative. If everyone just nodded and said the same thing, it would be quite a boring forum. I find that remarks that are humorous, original and interesting are what makes ThaiVisa so great. I enjoy the bad and the good. Posters...keep up the good work.. March on. Have a beer on David and Khun!!!

You led with your self-righteous chin and got popped - live with it!

Self-righteous for implicating things like this are happening every day and there are many alternatives so hardly news worthy?

hardly newsworthy but you felt compelled to READ it and make a post,,,,,you must be bored,,,

Please forgive me if I don't shed any tears over the closing of a drinking establishment.

Does that mean you would shed tears if it was a restaurant, maybe a favourite restaurant of yours, serving food, just the way you have liked it, for the last 13 years????

Anyone surviving 13 years here in the hospitality business deserves to be congratulated.

i'm sure something else will open to cover its locals, not that they would need to...

Does anyone know if the chrome poles are for sale?

Is this news???

Is this news???

Bar owner doesn't lose his shirt. Yep, that's news.

Does anyone know if the chrome poles are for sale?

No, but it would seem the vultures are circling.

She looks like she's just about to burst into tears.......

No more money coming in from the bar?

Please forgive me if I don't shed any tears over the closing of a drinking establishment.

Don't be a wowser!! Knocking back a cleansing ale may not be your thing, but don't criticize those for whom it is an enjoyable part of life.

She looks like she's just about to burst into tears.......

She looks to me that she is pulling away from him, not wanting to be there, similar to what you see with young girls in Soi Nana/Cowboy with old guys, dyed black hair swept across their bald patch. Still, they seem to have stood the test of time.