Another Margate Institution Closes...

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

This time it's the Britannia pub, well known as Margate's premier live music venue, which closed about a week ago. This was my local, and the news was completely unexpected.

For those on Facebook, there is a group called RIP BRITANNIA MARGATE which has messages and memories from staff and customers... reading between the lines, it seems that the problems were financial, rather than anything to do with Licensing.

I think it's fairly safe to say that this is the biggest shock in Margate since somebody had the Scenic Railway burnt down...

The landlord, Solly, is a wonderful character and my thoughts are with him- he is quoted in the Thanet Times as saying "I have become a squatter at 58" (he lives in the flat upstairs). It's currently up for sale for £135,000.


So farewell the Britannia, scene of so many happy evenings

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

[Nick Evans]

I'm sorry to see the pub shut down - hopefully it won't be too long before someone else takes it over, although the licensed trade as a whole is having a very difficult time while more people prefer to stay at home and drink supermarket priced booze instead. According to CAMRA's figures from July 2009, more than 50 pubs are closing in Britain every week, costing 24,000 jobs lost.

It was around 18 months ago that I visited the Britannia and talked to the licensee to write an item for Thanet Extra as it was losing trade caused by the lengthy roadworks on Fort Hill outside. Locals will recall these were carried out to help accommodate the Turner Centre and cost taxpayers around £1 million. That said, there was little being done to promote the music side of the pub at the time and it was a loyal group of customers who were supporting these events. Perhaps the writing had been on the wall for sometime.

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

I drive all over the UK and everywhere I go I see closed-down pubs, more and more every week.

A lot of this is due to price- a pub pint costs ten times more than it did when I reached legal drinking age, whereas wages are around four times as much so the true price has more than doubled.

People have far more home entertainment nowadays.

Because of the nature of the pub and its clientele, the Britannia was also hit hard by the smoking ban.

I too hope someone will take it on, but the asking price of £135,000 suggests it will go for development.

[barcrest]

From the outside that doesn't look like a live music venue. It's always sad to see a good pub close but so many are closing now it's become the norm. I often wonder when going to a venue i have not been to for a good few weeks if it will still even be there. High unemployment and inflated beer prices coupled with the smoking ban have killed pubs, i doubt they will exist at all in 5 years.

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

I smoke, so I may be biased, but I think the Health Act 2006 has been disasterous for the licenced trade- I used to frequent the Brit a lot before it closed, despite the price of beer, and while the breathing quality of the air inside may have improved, much of the atmosphere was lost when the smoking ban came in and it was noticeably less busy afterwards.



I cannot see what would be wrong with allowing a licensee to choose whether his pub is a smoking or a non-smoking pub, then allowing potential customers the right to decline to enter the premises if they do not wish to be somewhere where people are smoking.

[porf]

From the outside that doesn't look like a live music venue

It's a pub with live music rather than a venue. Not too much they can do layout wise either as I believe it's Grade II listed.

We've been in there a few times when down for campaign visits over the years and it's always been a good night - good music, friendly door staff and a lot of good natured customers.

It would indeed be a shame for it to go, but based on some of the comments on the facebook group it looks more like one dodgy owner doing a runner rather than a failure of the venue.

There's already rumours on the facebook group that it's gone from the "for sale" site it was on, so it may have been sold.

I'd also suspect that it won't be going to residential use - that £135,000 probably only gets you a lease.

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

Word on the Street is that this is for the Freehold, but like you I am sure this must be incorrect.

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Aww, this is just the kind of charming and well kept place that this town should be full of.
It's too bad the little guys are suffering the ravages of the bad economy.
People whine that there's nothing to do, but then don't support things like this. People need to turn off their TVs and live a little.

[EAS]

It would indeed be a shame for it to go, but based on some of the comments on the facebook group it looks more like one dodgy owner doing a runner rather than a failure of the venue.

So maybe not a lack of support then.

[Sarah]

I had heard on the Margate grapevine that a midnight flit was the cause. And that £135k buys you a lease.

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

In that case, I imagine a well-known local operator of licensed premises will buy it in order to ensure it remains closed, as he did with another popular pub overlooking the harbour some 15 years ago- it is still closed and derelict.

[dreamland]

what has the pub got to do with dreamland?

[cliffc]

what has the pub got to do with dreamland?

Hi

Nothing direclty but as this forum has allways coverd other areas of the town when thay have closed down.

And it one less aminity in the town the more of these places that close the harder its going to be to attract people to the town so it all has a baring on Dreamland.

Regards

Cliff C

[Jim Douglas Jr.]

Dreamland will need much more than itself to succeed. The whole of Margate will need to bump up its game a notch to attract the kind of numbers it did in the past. It's short sighted not to look at what else is happening in the town and think of how what else is or isn't happening can and will affect the Dreamland project.