The Londoner, reopened

[blackcab]

On 29/09/2016 at 2:44 PM, smokie36 said:

 

I don't know why that place does well as it has ++ pricing and not much else on offer.

 

Their trade picked up when they demolished the exterior wall and fitted the sliding doors.

 

That's the only change, so I guess people like the "outside" feel of the place.

[blackcab]

23 hours ago, Deserted said:

Yes agreed, ironically, Hanrahans on Soi 4 is still ok but under Thai management

 

Hanrahans, The Royal Oak and Herrity's all have the same owner.

Edited September 30, 2016 by blackcab

[Deserted]

I know they certainly used to and rotated managers but I thought they'd sold Hanrahans, could be wrong about that. Obviously the current (Thai) manager has been there for sometime. Not sure where the previous manager went. 

 

I think the owners of the pubs mentioned above also own The Robin Hood

[mightyharriss]

On 9/29/2016 at 9:48 PM, Deserted said:

 

Nothing to do with being imported. As can be read in this thread, it is sold for much less than that in Thailand elsewhere. Try reading through the thread.

 

And btw, Guiness is Irish not English.

 

Lets break this down shall we.. A keg of Guinness costs 7120 Baht for 55 pints = 129 baht Cost per pint to purchase for the bars.  This does not include staffing costs(low in pattaya/high in bangkok) rental costs(low in pattaya/high in bangkok).  An industry standard beverage cost is 30%, any bar selling you a guinness at 250, is selling their beer at a 50% cost, add the staffing and rental costs, utilities etc then you are looking at a 65%-70% cost for a pint of guinness in bangkok, so the bars would be making less per pint than your shophouse in pattaya... everything is relative

[blackcab]

Also consider that a pub the size of the Robin Hood will have overheads of something like 1.5 million baht per month, without paying for stock.

 

Which on busy month would be close to another 1.5 million baht.

 

You have to sell a lot of food and beverage to cover those overheads and then make enough profit to make it all worth while.

[NickJ]

Terraforming has its price tag... Move the pub halfway around the world. Help with the rent and quit bitching. 

[blackcab]

22 hours ago, Deserted said:

I think the owners of the pubs mentioned above also own The Robin Hood

 

The ownwrs used to have a partnership but they operate separately now. 

[Think2Mutt]

Rubbish place overpriced and full of idiots,Sukhumvit 33/1 is the place for English pubs as mentioned before,the Royal Oak is the best one in Bangkok by a country mile!

[Think2Mutt]

Hanrahan's is terrible,the Sunday roast beef dinner is like eating a 70-year old Pad Thai cart seller's flip flop just gross!

[mightyharriss]

14 hours ago, blackcab said:

Also consider that a pub the size of the Robin Hood will have overheads of something like 1.5 million baht per month, without paying for stock.

 

Which on busy month would be close to another 1.5 million baht.

 

You have to sell a lot of food and beverage to cover those overheads and then make enough profit to make it all worth while.

Correct

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

The Londoner's brewer just posted on FB that he's in Munich to buy some brewery parts. Says he can't wait to get brewing again. There's hope!

[Deserted]

There must be some truth in the fact that it costs more (perhaps much more) to run a bar in BKK than Pattaya but it seems a bit strange that bars move out of the city, presumably to avoid such high rents, but continue to increase prices. I'm not a Guiness drinker, I can't stand the stuff actually, but I've often thought that lovers of that beverage suffer more than most. People who prefer lager aren't too fussy about which one they drink and can always find a cheaper option. 

 

If many of the ex-pat bars are owned by the same company, is it presumptuous to suggest price-fixing is in play here? It's often said about the Indian restaurants on Sukhumvit, personally money isn't an object as long as I have a good night out but it is a shame when the pub is half-dead and you feel you are paying for the lack of interest in the current manager to bring more punters in. You do feel that is the case with some bars, I'm astounded The Queen Vic has managed to limp on, The Pintsman, in spite of the developments of late, seems to have less and less people every time I go there.  It doesn't help when many of the premium beers on tap aren't available for weeks on end and no one makes an effort to explain why.

 

The pub that seems to have the best atmosphere is The Clubhouse on Soi 23. Quite a lively and well run place that.  

[les Dennis]

2 hours ago, Deserted said:

There must be some truth in the fact that it costs more (perhaps much more) to run a bar in BKK than Pattaya but it seems a bit strange that bars move out of the city, presumably to avoid such high rents, but continue to increase prices. I'm not a Guiness drinker, I can't stand the stuff actually, but I've often thought that lovers of that beverage suffer more than most. People who prefer lager aren't too fussy about which one they drink and can always find a cheaper option. 

 

If many of the ex-pat bars are owned by the same company, is it presumptuous to suggest price-fixing is in play here? It's often said about the Indian restaurants on Sukhumvit, personally money isn't an object as long as I have a good night out but it is a shame when the pub is half-dead and you feel you are paying for the lack of interest in the current manager to bring more punters in. You do feel that is the case with some bars, I'm astounded The Queen Vic has managed to limp on, The Pintsman, in spite of the developments of late, seems to have less and less people every time I go there.  It doesn't help when many of the premium beers on tap aren't available for weeks on end and no one makes an effort to explain why.

 

The pub that seems to have the best atmosphere is The Clubhouse on Soi 23. Quite a lively and well run place that.  

Although I'm not familiar with the Pintsman, I would tend to agree with your opinion of the Queen Vic (and the other posters that have mentioned it) and definitely your appraisal of The Clubhouse. Its not often Trip Advisor is wrong and it has the best ranking out of all its competitors. With regards to The Londoner, it certainly looks a nice pub and if the food is similar to the old one that should be pretty decent too. I would imagine it would appeal to the wealthier Thais, which from the owners point of view wouldn't be a bad thing. 

[Thainess]

Grilled sirloin steak, 622 baht (inc. service charge) = £14 quid. Blimey, BKK is a lot more expensive than London, innit? Willing to bet the steak is half the size of the one you get in a London pub too. Then again, so are the ladies...

[smokie36]

1 hour ago, Thainess said:

Grilled sirloin steak, 622 baht (inc. service charge) = £14 quid. Blimey, BKK is a lot more expensive than London, innit? Willing to bet the steak is half the size of the one you get in a London pub too. Then again, so are the ladies...

 

A six ounce rump steak at the pub I am sitting in now is £10.95 and comes with all the trimmings.

 

So indeed their food is very expensive.

 

Be good to see some reviews before I eat there....as for that kind of money you can get some very good food in Bangkok especially using Eatigo to your advantage.

 

Oh jeez...the guy at the next table just had one delivered....smells great lol!

Edited October 2, 2016 by smokie36

[Anthony5]

2 minutes ago, smokie36 said:

 

A six ounce rump steak at the pub I am sitting in now is £10.95 and comes with all the trimmings.

 

So indeed their food is very expensive.

 

Be good to see some reviews before I eat there....as for that kind of money you can get some very good food in Bangkok especially using Eatigo to your advantage.

 

Oh jeez...the guy at the next table just had one delivered....smells great lol!

 

Yeah but 10.95 Pound used to be about 800 Baht. The Londoner also can't help it that the Brits went for the exit,

[smokie36]

31 minutes ago, Anthony5 said:

 

Yeah but 10.95 Pound used to be about 800 Baht. The Londoner also can't help it that the Brits went for the exit,

 

Great I'll be expecting every yank I meet in Bangkok to buy me a pint from now on! 

[Rhys]

Great welcome back then..

[manxninja]

£7 pound for a guinesss lol , don't think so the rest of the drink prices are ridiculous as well.

 

Give it a year.

[HoboKay]

Interesting to have them consider Jagermeister as a whisky.

[Laughing Gravy]

On ‎02‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 8:35 AM, Think2Mutt said:

Rubbish place overpriced and full of idiots,Sukhumvit 33/1 is the place for English pubs as mentioned before,the Royal Oak is the best one in Bangkok by a country mile!

I will have to disagree with you totally, as the Soi 8 pub is the best by far, if you are looking at the selection of drinks, the food, the service and the prices. A happy hour on many drinks for 11 hours. No I do not own or work in there but there is not a 'pub' in Bangkok that comes anywhere near the criteria I mentioned. It does frequent many of our fellow Aussie and Kiwis cousins, but it is bearable.

[Laughing Gravy]

On ‎01‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 4:17 PM, mightyharriss said:

 

Lets break this down shall we.. A keg of Guinness costs 7120 Baht for 55 pints = 129 baht Cost per pint to purchase for the bars.  This does not include staffing costs(low in pattaya/high in bangkok) rental costs(low in pattaya/high in bangkok).  An industry standard beverage cost is 30%, any bar selling you a guinness at 250, is selling their beer at a 50% cost, add the staffing and rental costs, utilities etc then you are looking at a 65%-70% cost for a pint of guinness in bangkok, so the bars would be making less per pint than your shophouse in pattaya... everything is relative

So from your estimation the costs of a pint of Guiness in Pattaya to Bangkok, 135 Baht per pint difference, is due to the rents and staff.  Well I just don't buy that justification fro such a big difference. Guinness is 200 baht in my village in Bangkok all day everyday. I do think customers have a good point if a pint exceeds the amount so much. Like when on happy hours, a beer can be 40-50% cheaper.

Just as a point to note the place I quoted in the thread in Pattaya, is probably the best bar/pub there so hardly a shop house. I think the owner is more savvy with his pricing strategy.

[blackcab]

2 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

I will have to disagree with you totally, as the Soi 8 pub is the best by far, if you are looking at the selection of drinks, the food, the service and the prices. A happy hour on many drinks for 11 hours. No I do not own or work in there but there is not a 'pub' in Bangkok that comes anywhere near the criteria I mentioned. It does frequent many of our fellow Aussie and Kiwis cousins, but it is bearable.

 

I was in there about 2 years ago. It was dreadful in all aspects, to the point I haven't returned.

 

Glad to hear things have changed. 

[Think2Mutt]

4 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

I will have to disagree with you totally, as the Soi 8 pub is the best by far, if you are looking at the selection of drinks, the food, the service and the prices. A happy hour on many drinks for 11 hours. No I do not own or work in there but there is not a 'pub' in Bangkok that comes anywhere near the criteria I mentioned. It does frequent many of our fellow Aussie and Kiwis cousins, but it is bearable.

Soi 8/The Kiwi had been absolutely rubbish since Big Mick the Irish manager left,that is some years ago now it has just gone steadily and apparently unstoppably downhill!

[Think2Mutt]

2 hours ago, blackcab said:

 

I was in there about 2 years ago. It was dreadful in all aspects, to the point I haven't returned.

 

Glad to hear things have changed. 

It has definitely changed,it's got worse!

[Think2Mutt]

17 hours ago, manxninja said:

£7 pound for a guinesss lol , don't think so the rest of the drink prices are ridiculous as well.

 

Give it a year.

That's on a par with the most expensive pubs in Barcelona,just wow!

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

17 minutes ago, Think2Mutt said:

It has definitely changed,it's got worse!

 

I haven't been in the Soi 8 Pub/Kiwi in the evenings in something like 3 years; had a couple of unremarkable breakfasts last year. I too felt it was not worth returning to and it seems to be the same. None of my friends has ever recommended hitting the Kiwi for a few. And no word of mouth either, which is the usual way people hear of worthy pubs.

[Deserted]

Soi 8 is alright although I think it has gone downhill a bit.

 

Best pint I've had was in The Clubhouse, worst was a pint of tiger in The Robin Hood. It was flat.

[Laughing Gravy]

14 hours ago, Kaoboi Bebobp said:

 

I haven't been in the Soi 8 Pub/Kiwi in the evenings in something like 3 years; had a couple of unremarkable breakfasts last year. I too felt it was not worth returning to and it seems to be the same. None of my friends has ever recommended hitting the Kiwi for a few. And no word of mouth either, which is the usual way people hear of worthy pubs.

We can all have an opinion but as you have said you haven't been for a few years. Yes I liked Mick too. I would agree with all of the comments about the other pubs except this one. Cheap, the best value Sunday carvery IMHO, best happy hours and range of drinks and for me good service. Everyone has a favourite I guess.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

13 hours ago, Deserted said:

Soi 8 is alright although I think it has gone downhill a bit.

 

Best pint I've had was in The Clubhouse, worst was a pint of tiger in The Robin Hood. It was flat.

 

My local pub in Phra Khanong has fresher, colder Tiger draft than RH. And cheaper.  I was a regular quiz night player so had lots of chance to drink beer at RH but never had a good pint (of Tiger, Carlsberg or Heineken) there. Ever. 

Edited October 4, 2016 by Kaoboi Bebobp