Chris Maclean: the difficult pub

On Saturday night I was visited by a young couple who have taken over one of the most difficult pubs in the town. On a Friday and Saturday night from 10.30pm, in a 150m stretch between the kebab shop and the junction at the end, there is a war zone.

In the middle of this area is a small pub which attracts more than its fair share of grief.

This is their pub.

The couple who have taken over are experienced and have a brief from their pub company to turn it around.

Until recently it was trading on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights only and taking just £2,000. It provided a disco. Entrance was via doorstaff. There was a notice advising people that access would be subject to a body search. The carpet was bald and sticky within two metres of the bar. Drugs were a problem. A tough venue by any standard.

The new couple are faced with two choices; do what it is doing but drive it upwards by improving the facility, improving security and making it a quality music outlet. The second is to drastically alter the set-up. Take away the music and the squalor. Stop the alcopops and the shots. Dispense with the security in favour of a calm, elegant and sophisticated venture. Both options require considerable bravery and vision. There will need to be a steady hand at the helm. There will be blood.

On Sunday lunch I popped in to see them. The place is very different in daylight. It looked ghastly. The new landlady languished on the sofa.

The talk then was of a killer pool tournament.

Sadly, I suspect their tenure there may be measured in months.

There are too many young licensees, of potentially great talent, who are left dashed by pub companies abandoning them in places like this. Sad.