howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Update from the Royal Oak Dover.
We would like to thank everyone who completed our Customer Survey over the festive period.
Your comments and feedback are helpful to us as we take the pub forward.
· 90% of you said that you wanted food so that message came through loud and clear.
· 58% for Quiet drinks
· 53% for Wi-fi
· 52% for Quizzes
· 42% for Coffee and Cake
· 40% for Live music
We are pleased to say that our wi-fi is up and running so please enjoy it and we have a new coffee machine. Work has started on the kitchen and we expect food to be available soon. Craig Weyers, our new manager, is arranging for quiz nights and live music. Our first act Hannah Caldwell is playing on Friday 19th January at 8.30pm. We also had an open mic session on 10th January which we hope to run monthly.
Further comments were instructive with mentions of real ales, décor and families. We have also given the pub a repaint and freshened it up. New beers including Adnams, Fosters and Kronenbourg have been added and we are also looking to get a guest ale.
We have books and magazines for adults and toys for kids. Some of you mentioned that the pub is key to the community so we are getting a community noticeboard and putting together a tug-of-war team for the summer fete and Boxing Day.
Opening times will increase to all day (12pm – 11pm) from Tuesday – Sunday starting Tuesday 16th January and we will also open from 10am on Thursday & Fridays to try out morning openings for those who would like a coffee at that time. Come along and support us if you want this to continue.
Thank you again for your warm wishes of support and the invaluable feedback. We hope you like the changes and look forward to seeing you in the Oak.
Best wishes from John, Craig, Val and Kirsty
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
I wasn't aware that DDC had stopped them putting chairs and tables outside, they were always there in its previous incarnations.
http://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/food-drink/burger-brothers-dover-revealed-reasons-1077261Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,696
The seating area outside this bar is partly their land and partly council/public land, like all establishments of this type if the land is used for seating them rates are payable, plus a separate wayleave agreement would need to be obtained to use the public land for a business purpose and additional rates payable. Previous business owners in that premises had sensible discussions with the council and reached agreement on use and cost; perhaps the current franchisee just expected?
As for the state of repair of the premises, well it will have been leased on a standard full repairing basis, so if he failed to get it properly surveyed and agreed repairs at the landlords cost before commencing the lease, or suitable rent reduction, then more fool him. Having dealt with this particular landlord he is difficult, slightly hard nosed and not particularly interested other than getting what he thinks the premises is worth
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,807
Beat me to it Ross.
So reading between the lines Burger Brothers were not making enough money. The state of the building must have been known when they started and the lack outside seating should not have badly impacted on an already busy profitable business.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 2210- Registered: 16 Aug 2017
- Posts: 53
Do DDC work with companies to try to accommodate? Always has been seating outside. No doubt having seating in the summer is big money for a place like that. Or is DDC a road block. Do any DDC members live in Dover and actually care about if shops etc come here and stay?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
BenjiB wrote:Do DDC work with companies to try to accommodate? Always has been seating outside. No doubt having seating in the summer is big money for a place like that. Or is DDC a road block. Do any DDC members live in Dover and actually care about if shops etc come here and stay?
The two previous occupiers had outside seating and were very busy, the one that has just closed also had seats for quite a time but not many bottoms on them. Previous regulars complained that the drinks prices were much higher than "Port of Call" charged so voted with their feet. As previously stated Burger Bros would have negotiated a rate with DDC just like the others.
Guest 2210- Registered: 16 Aug 2017
- Posts: 53
Understand a rate would of been negotiated. But did they try to accommodate the request for outside space? There would not of been many bottoms on the outside seats it's middle of winter!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
I'm referring to last Summer of course when the seating was there but hardly used.
Guest 2210- Registered: 16 Aug 2017
- Posts: 53
But surely they were hoping to catch some of the st James action this summer? The best way to do that is surely a vibrant outside area to bring people in? I just don't get DDC motives for this town? Do they care? I have my doubts
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,807
I am no fan of any of our councils but then there are those who blame the councils for everything that goes wrong, often the inhabitants or the businesses are the culprits.
Brian Dixon and howard mcsweeney1 like this
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
I am at a loss as to what DDC have done wrong here as they don't own the "run down" property and HMRC are responsible for the business rate. Charges for outdoor seating would have been the same as for the previous occupants, maybe a small amount extra year on year as per normal. It just begs the question of why those tables were busy during the Summer seasons in previous years but not last year.
Jan Higgins likes this
Guest 2210- Registered: 16 Aug 2017
- Posts: 53
What DDC has done wrong? Come on! They don't care about Dover. Walk through the town and its in a bad way, some empty shops had green moss growing in the Windows last time I walked through. Litter everywhere. Then look at everywhere else. Deal, Folkestone, Canterbury etc all good places to go. Do DDC members walk through the town? And if they do, do they think this town is doing ok?
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#213, is it the one with the indoor lawn/garden just inside the window. if so a certain company has covered the window along with the empty unit next door has coverd them up with large ad signs for the company.
Guest 1535- Registered: 27 May 2015
- Posts: 399
BenjiB wrote:What DDC has done wrong? Come on! They don't care about Dover. Walk through the town and its in a bad way, some empty shops had green moss growing in the Windows last time I walked through. Litter everywhere. Then look at everywhere else. Deal, Folkestone, Canterbury etc all good places to go. Do DDC members walk through the town? And if they do, do they think this town is doing ok?
HERE HERE!....another person without sun tinted glasses seeing whats up
Andy B likes this
If only everyone could be kind and honest what a better world we would be in.
Guest 1535- Registered: 27 May 2015
- Posts: 399
'WHATS UP'
If only everyone could be kind and honest what a better world we would be in.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
wind.
Guest 1535- Registered: 27 May 2015
- Posts: 399
Is the Royal Oak the Whitfield Howard if it is will take my family there and if very good will make it my local with regular visits. Not up on the pubs but I am sure this up at Wittyfield
If only everyone could be kind and honest what a better world we would be in.
Guest 1535- Registered: 27 May 2015
- Posts: 399
If only everyone could be kind and honest what a better world we would be in.
Guest 1535- Registered: 27 May 2015
- Posts: 399
Will be up for mic night wearing foil hat and singing 'spaceman'
If only everyone could be kind and honest what a better world we would be in.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Amberleaf50 wrote:Is the Royal Oak the Whitfield Howard if it is will take my family there and if very good will make it my local with regular visits. Not up on the pubs but I am sure this up at Wittyfield
Dear 2 ounces of hand rolling tobacco in metric form available from leading tobacconists and most convenience stores, the Royal Oak is in the heart of Dover, the ward of River to be precise.
Brian Dixon likes this
