Trans Pennine Real Ale clampdown

[175001]

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/loca...-as-pubs-say-enough-is-enough-86081-33388598/

Lager ban on Real Ale Trail as new pub group says 'enough is enough'


LANDLORDS and brewers are putting the brakes on a railway pub crawl which has become a victim of its own success.

The Ale Trail from Manchester to Leeds via the Colne Valley, Huddersfield, Mirfield and Dewsbury, was set up four years ago so real ale drinkers could enjoy a quiet pint in a selection of the area’s best taverns.

But the trail has been ‘hijacked’ by hen, stag and other parties in search of alcoholic oblivion instead of good beer after the route appeared on the BBC’s Oz and James Drink to Britain, approximately four years ago.

On Saturdays, from noon until 8pm, participating pubs will not be serving lager, shots, spirit doubles or other tipples favoured by binge drinkers.

Fancy dress, as well as hen and stag parties, will be barred and large groups hoping for a drink will be urged to call the venues in advance.

Presenters Oz Clarke and James May visited several pubs on the line, including The West Riding in Dewsbury which has joined the Real Ale Trail Licensees (RATL) scheme.

RATL, comprising landlords and brewers from Stalybridge to Dewsbury, have decided to call time on the antisocial behaviour caused by binge drinkers on the trail.

The reason is that on Saturdays the quiet villages of Marsden and Slaithwaite have become a magnet for revellers.

Residents and businesses have complained about noise, intimidating behaviour, as well as urinating and vomiting in streets and front gardens.

Marsden resident Dorothy Lindley was shocked to find a drinker sitting in her living room last summer.

The group was set up by like-minded licensees and brewers including Jamie Lawson, who runs Ossett Brewery which owns The Riverhead pub in Marsden... (read more)

As someone who works these trains nearly every weekend, its about time that something had to be done.

But.....Will this deter people from doing it? I have my doubts on that!

Horrendous line on Saturdays.

 

[DarloRich]

The Ale Trail from Manchester to Leeds via the Colne Valley, Huddersfield, Mirfield and Dewsbury, was set up four years ago so real ale drinkers could enjoy a quiet pint in a selection of the area’s best taverns.

But the trail has been ‘hijacked’ by hen, stag and other parties in search of alcoholic oblivion instead of good beer after the route appeared on the BBC’s Oz and James Drink to Britain, approximately four years ago.

On Saturdays, from noon until 8pm, participating pubs will not be serving lager, shots, spirit doubles or other tipples favoured by binge drinkers.

Fancy dress, as well as hen and stag parties, will be barred and large groups hoping for a drink will be urged to call the venues in advance. (extracted from article)

Good - It might get it back to what it was before - a decent afternoon out and a few decent pints of ale in nice pubs. That was before the chavs got hold of it

 

[table38]

Maybe we can go back to real "glass" glasses in the Buffet Bar on a Saturday instead of the awful plastic ones...

 

[Blindtraveler]

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/loca...-as-pubs-say-enough-is-enough-86081-33388598/

As someone who works these trains nearly every weekend, its about time that something had to be done.

But.....Will this deter people from doing it? I have my doubts on that!

Horrendous line on Saturdays.

a long overdue step which I welcome. Just one moan from a personal POV, What are those like me who is the odd one out larga man in a croud of ail drinkers supposed to drink? Not a big issue really but just interested.

 

[DarloRich]

start drinking ale or drink lemonade

 

[Stonesourscotty]

i have that friend who only drinks lager to and also one who only drinks vodka and coke but there both social drinkers not ****pots this would probably put my friends off going on it.

 

[Blindtraveler]

i have that friend who only drinks lager to and also one who only drinks vodka and coke but there both social drinkers not ****pots this would probably put my friends off going on it.

better to put off the minoritty though, I have had 3 invites to do this and only now the participating outlets are cracking down will I even considder it! I think they would still sell single spirit measures and would certainly be 6re likely to for an obviously social drinker?

Best bit here is the much reducf threat to rail staff if this works.

 

[dysonsphere]

Hmm I only drink Lager as well they might be on dodgy grounds with a selective ban thinks discramination act

 

[Morden Via CHX]

Hmm I only drink Lager as well they might be on dodgy grounds with a selective ban thinks discramination act

It is nothing to do with discrimination, a pub has every right not to offer a drink.

 

[A-driver]

Hmm I only drink Lager as well they might be on dodgy grounds with a selective ban thinks discramination act

It's not discrimination.

They can serve what they like. They could only serve fizzy water on Saturdays if they choose. You can go to another pub if you want lager or anything else they don't serve. And pubs have always been allowed to refuse service to anyone without explanation as can any business.

 

[Amy Worrall]

Hmm I only drink Lager as well they might be on dodgy grounds with a selective ban thinks discramination act

Equality act only bans discrimination against a protected minority group. Lager drinkers most certainly are not a protected group!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Equality act only bans discrimination against a protected minority group. Lager drinkers most certainly are not a protected group!

and with that in mind shouldnt we instead look at the possible benifits of this to customers using the trail as it was intended, and also at the benifits on staff?
175001
seams doubtfull it will help the issue a great deal. Thoughts from anybody else? I would myself vindicate a dry train trial here.

 

[FGW_DID]

Hmm I only drink Lager as well they might be on dodgy grounds with a selective ban thinks discramination act

:roll:a bit slow for this forum, there were 6 or 7 posts made after the OP before someone was claiming discrimination:roll:

Might be a fine time to widen your taste repertoire! Try a real- ale or a cider ( or two!) You may find you like it

 

[Max]

I too believe it's a bit unfair to stop somebody buying a lager - indeed, not everybody likes ale! If service is at the discretion of the establishment, surely they can choose whether or not to service a customer based on factors at the time?

 

[marks87]

Wouldn't it be better to exercise discretion?

Clearly if you have a group of (e.g.) 5 where 4 are drinking ale and one is drinking lager, they're not the people you're wanting to keep away.

 

[A-driver]

I tend to not drink lager and prefer real ale. When I go into a number of bars which only sell lager and Guinness as a number of chains now do can I claim discrimination? Or if I go into McDonald's and ask for a donor kebab and find out that they don't serve those can I also claim discrimination against kebab eaters?

If a pub decides to only sell real ale then they are more than entitled to do so. If it affects business then they may add other drinks to meet customer demand but if they can still make enough money only serving ale then they may do that without any issues. If you don't want to drink what they offer then you are free to take your business elsewhere and find somewhere else selling what you are looking for.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Am I the only one who assumed dysonsphere's comment was a bit in jest?

Wouldn't it be better to exercise discretion?

Clearly if you have a group of (e.g.) 5 where 4 are drinking ale and one is drinking lager, they're not the people you're wanting to keep away.

I daresay this is what the pubs will be doing on the day. Saying there's a blanket ban will discourage the undesirable customers, with discretion for customers who do arrive.

 

[MidlandMainlie]

I too believe it's a bit unfair to stop somebody buying a lager - indeed, not everybody likes ale! If service is at the discretion of the establishment, surely they can choose whether or not to service a customer based on factors at the time?

Then the pubs should be refusing to serve people who are dunk, be it on larger, spirits or ale.

 

[dysonsphere]

:roll:a bit slow for this forum, there were 6 or 7 posts made after the OP before someone was claiming discrimination:roll:

Might be a fine time to widen your taste repertoire! Try a real- ale or a cider ( or two!) You may find you like it

LOL that stirred things up as it happens I rather like cider.

 

[leedstraindude]

Am I the only one who assumed dysonsphere's comment was a bit in jest?

I daresay this is what the pubs will be doing on the day. Saying there's a blanket ban will discourage the undesirable customers, with discretion for customers who do arrive.

Thats whay I was going to say, put this message out publicly and try and keep undesireables away, means less conflict for the staff in the pubs, making a safer environmnent for all concerned, and it easier to use discretion on the day when hopefully not faced by as many large groups.

 

[Max]

Then the pubs should be refusing to serve people who are dunk, be it on larger, spirits or ale.

Well, yes, it's the law actually! I used to work in a bar and we were told not to serve people who were clearly very drunk.

 

[Buspilot]

What a stupid decision!

Who decided on these drinks to ban?

We are coming up to summer when many of our legless friends will get that way on Magners with ice or other ciders. Also, too many real ales these days are too citrus and vile to a real ale drinker's pallet.There have been days in the Buffet Bar when it has been necessary to resort to lager because of this.

Just have doormen on Saturdays and refuse entry or throw a few idiots out.

Word will soon get around.

Or, why not have an agreement amongst the landlords that they will not serve beer/lager over a certain ABV? Give the hoards session beers.

 

[transmanche]

Who decided on these drinks to ban?

Most likely the 'Real Ale Trail Licensees' group - i.e. those pubs included on the trail who are fed up of the disruption and the damage to their reputation caused by the drunk minority.

 

[A-driver]

What a stupid decision!

Who decided on these drinks to ban?

We are coming up to summer when many of our legless friends will get that way on Magners with ice or other ciders. Also, too many real ales these days are too citrus and vile to a real ale drinker's pallet.There have been days in the Buffet Bar when it has been necessary to resort to lager because of this.

Just have doormen on Saturdays and refuse entry or throw a few idiots out.

Word will soon get around.

Or, why not have an agreement amongst the landlords that they will not serve beer/lager over a certain ABV? Give the hoards session beers.

Well I guess they have done research and a lot of work to come to this decision. If it means they loose a lot of business then they will re-think but I doubt that they are doing this without reason.

 

[Morden Via CHX]

Wouldn't it be better to exercise discretion?

Clearly if you have a group of (e.g.) 5 where 4 are drinking ale and one is drinking lager, they're not the people you're wanting to keep away.

This is of course the most sensible option and what I'd hope would happen..

 

[D1009]

There are some excellent cask conditioned lagers such as Harviestoun Schiehallion served from hand pumps, will these be banned?

 

[Buspilot]

Well I guess they have done research and a lot of work to come to this decision.

Very Doubtful. Seems like a bit of a knee jerk response to a problem that this will not solve. The kind of people they are trying to stop will drink something that can be bought, simply because they are there and on a night out. This is not the answer or the deterrent to the problem. Some of the real ales being served are far too strong for the Trailists..

Have all the watering holes on the Trail agreed to this?

At Stalybridge, it is easy enough to get off the train, exit the station and go next door to Q for your ale, rather than use the Buffet Bar and having to push through the crowds to the bar to get served.....sometimes more enjoyable cheaper and you don't drink out of plastic!

 

[transmanche]

There are some excellent cask conditioned lagers such as Harviestoun Schiehallion served from hand pumps, will these be banned?

What do you reckon? Do you think the 'ban' is aimed at people who drink that - or the people who drink copious quantities Fosters/Carling/Stella/Kronenbourg/etc, followed by a Jägerbomb or two?

This thread really has prompted some rather daft responses...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There are some excellent cask conditioned lagers such as Harviestoun Schiehallion served from hand pumps, will these be banned?

Any such lager, irrespective of the more higher quality of such as the one that you name, still remains a generic lager and looks doomed to being included within the named grouping.

It is like a wine ban being imposed and someone asking for dispensation for bottles of Chateux Lafite Rothschild 1996.

 

[A-driver]

Very Doubtful. Seems like a bit of a knee jerk response to a problem that this will not solve. The kind of people they are trying to stop will drink something that can be bought, simply because they are there and on a night out. This is not the answer or the deterrent to the problem. Some of the real ales being served are far too strong for the Trailists..

Have all the watering holes on the Trail agreed to this?

At Stalybridge, it is easy enough to get off the train, exit the station and go next door to Q for your ale, rather than use the Buffet Bar and having to push through the crowds to the bar to get served.....sometimes more enjoyable cheaper and you don't drink out of plastic!

The only knee jerk reaction is the one on here!

Perhaps wait to see how it works/is enforced before jumping to conclusions?