Bangkok Betty closing

[SooKee]

 

Wandered into BB tonight (outside the Holiday Inn in Soi 22) for a couple of beers and a pizza. Understandably it lacked atmosphere tonight, pretty much the same as anywhere that's not completely behind closed doors, but was sad to hear from the staff that it's closing permanently ink the next couple of days. Always quite liked the place for a slightly more upmarket night out with some live band music but it seems not enough customers to keep it open.

Closest thing now with the same company would be Bon Bon out at Thong Lo I guess. Unless you fancy a night with the ever smiling (or "why the <deleted> have you come in here making us work"), hard grafting and ever so service orientated staff of the Queen Vic.

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[smokie36]

BB was very on trend for a while....I'm surprised their weekend trade is not enough to keep it open.

 

Must be high rents around that corner however.

[pmarlin]

Denny's on the other side of the Hotel recently changed owners and bet the new owners won't last long.  BB was just too expensive for the area.

[SooKee]

Yeah they were basically saying the rent was too high to make it worth it for them. Sad to see it go really, liked the style of the place, especially when it had a good crowd and the band was playing. Will have to go scouting for a local replacement. Had quite a nice pubby feel to it unlike most of the other pub type places that don't. Gulliver's a bit too sports bar style for me.


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[TallGuyJohninBKK]

OP, it sounds from what you're saying that they're simply going out of business, period.

 

So you confirmed with them that they're not looking to re-open at some other, perhaps more economical location after bailing from the Holiday Inn complex?

 

[SooKee]

Yeah that's right. Closing up period. No new BB planned. The company that owns BB has 6-7 other outlets. One of the staff rattled the names and locations off but I can't recall them all to be honest. Most were food outlets IIRC. The main flagship place seems to be Bon Bon at Thong Lo. It looked quite nice from the pictures she showed me. Whether it has live music I'm not sure though. I'll check it out next time I come which will be just before I move here from CM.


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[bark]

25 minutes ago, SooKee said:

Yeah that's right. Closing up period. No new BB planned. The company that owns BB has 6-7 other outlets. One of the staff rattled the names and locations off but I can't recall them all to be honest. Most were food outlets IIRC. The main flagship place seems to be Bon Bon at Thong Lo. It looked quite nice from the pictures she showed me. Whether it has live music I'm not sure though. I'll check it out next time I come which will be just before I move here from CM.


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Food was disappointing, the last time I was there. Nothing lost.

[AlQaholic]

For a really trashy skunk run night out go to Thermae.....if it is still open.....

[bangon04]

even Boots couldn't afford the rental in that block.

[JHolmesJr]

1 hour ago, AlQaholic said:

For a really trashy skunk run night out go to Thermae.....if it is still open.....

 

Its a nothing place….just tons of hookers standing around with expressionless faces….might as well put them on a carousel so punters don't have to circle around.

[carlyai]

 
Its a nothing place….just tons of hookers standing around with expressionless faces….might as well put them on a carousel so punters don't have to circle around.

In the old days .....I thought the place was a fun night out. [emoji41]

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[MrBanks]

When I'm in town I quite enjoy having a pint or two at the Pickled Liver at the end of Soi 7 / 1. 

 

[itsuptome]

33 minutes ago, MrBanks said:

When I'm in town I quite enjoy having a pint or two at the Pickled Liver at the end of Soi 7 / 1. 

 

Seconded on that, the Pickled Liver has that friendly "pubby" atmosphere that many of the larger pubs lack.

[Familyonthemove]

I think Maggie Choo's in Sathorn is the same owner?  That was different for a while, but when I was last there the Noodle Restaurant was closed and the bar was half empty.

 

'Theme bars' seem to have a limited life - need to be refreshed often. 

 

I prefer Apotheke in Soi 11 - quality live music never gets old.

[thedemon]

4 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

 

Its a nothing place….just tons of hookers standing around with expressionless faces….might as well put them on a carousel so punters don't have to circle around.

 

Maybe, but I bet you can't name another place in BKK that has survived longer.

[flexomike]

6 hours ago, AlQaholic said:

For a really trashy skunk run night out go to Thermae.....if it is still open.....

Wow it has been around for a long time, that was one of our after hour places when I was stationed in Bangkok from 1968-1970

[zd1]

7 hours ago, AlQaholic said:

For a really trashy skunk run night out go to Thermae.....if it is still open.....

 

Had some good nights there in the early nineties, remember walking through the toilet and down the stairs.

 

[anotheruser]

That's too bad. I only ever was able to try it once. For the people saying no lose you have to consider what will replace it? Throw in a 711 in it's place and call it a day I guess.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Sat across the street from BB at Buddy's many times. Always thought BB was consistently busy and that it would last. Well, if they can't make it, no one else can. Seems to be a pattern. Brave new businessmen with good ideas put up a massive deposit and sign on the line for a massive rent. But the odds are you're going to fail because the greedy Thai landlords want an arm and two legs for rent. Probably won't see Buddy's around much longer either because they've been forced by police to close at midnight from now on, even though others can stay open. 

[smokie36]

I'm sad to see the departure of the only Chicago style pizza in Bangkok.

 

Was never in for the music although those nights looked well attended.

 

I can only assume the rent killed it.

 

Sad.

[Americano555]

On 10/26/2016 at 3:11 PM, flexomike said:

Wow it has been around for a long time, that was one of our after hour places when I was stationed in Bangkok from 1968-1970

It moved location some years ago.

[upside]

On Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 4:56 AM, smokie36 said:

I'm sad to see the departure of the only Chicago style pizza in Bangkok.

 

Was never in for the music although those nights looked well attended.

 

I can only assume the rent killed it.

 

Sad.

 

They played a few good songs by Jason Donovan the nights I was there.