York pub boss struggles in wake of big chain’s price cuts and economic downturn

12:20pm Wednesday 7th January 2009

By Press reporter

A LEASEHOLDER of a troubled York watering hole has blamed big chain pubs offering customers massive New Year’s reductions for pushing her out of business.

Jill Greaves, leaseholder of The Deramore Arms, in Heslington, and The Rose & Crown, in Lawrence Street, said she was facing a bleak 2009.

She blamed the economic downturn and the fact bigger companies were able to offer booze at vastly reduced prices.

Mrs Greaves said: “Leasehold pubs are going under because of these big chain pubs, such as Wetherspoon, who are pushing the smaller, privately run pubs out of business.”

There are two Wetherspoon pubs in York, the Punch Bowl at the top of Micklegate and the Postern Gate, in Piccadilly. Wetherspoon announced this week it was offering beer at 99p a pint and two meals for £5 and Mrs Greaves said it was impossible for her to compete.

“It would be cheaper for me to go down the road to the nearest Wetherspoon and buy my beer from there than through the brewery,” she said.

Mrs Greaves has already been forced to put the other pub she has been leasing, The Rose & Crown in Lawrence Street, on the market and is now worried about the future of The Deramore Arms.

She said: “The current climate means it is going to hit my pub in Heslington – especially on the drink side.”

She said there was general concern in York for the smaller local pubs being pushed out of business by the multinational chains. “It is annihilating people who are trying to run a pub, many leaseholders I know are being forced to sell up.”

She said something needed to be done before York lost its smaller, privately- run pubs.

“I think the Government should be stepping in and doing something before all these pubs start closing down,” she said.

However, a spokesman for Wetherspoon said the chain was trying to help out its customers during a difficult financial time.

“We’re just saying to our customers, ‘we know it’s tough out there and we want to help’,” he said. He added that the company was acting to benefit its customers – not other pubs. “If we had to stop and think about the effects all of our actions would have on others everytime we wanted to do something, we would never get anything done. Ultimately, everyone is in competition and it’s up to other publicans to decide how to compete.”

The spokesman said that the new low prices “shouldn’t stop you from going to a certain pub you enjoy for its local ale or traditional charm”.