I don't get on with the GPG. Whilst I was happy enough to be in it, when I started looking through it a bit closer I was surprised at what I found. Most noticably a pub that had been shut for a while before being re-opened 2 years ago as a antiques shop was in it - picked up by the local CAMRA branch. Something else made me email the editors of it though. A local pub - very good pub, food led, with 2 good beers well kept (no guests) had earned the badge signalling an award for excellent real ale. I have no qualms with this whatsoever - I've enjoyed the ale there many times.
We didn't have this badge of honour, and whilst not over the moon that I didn't have it, my first thought was to email the publication and ask what the criteria was for these awards. Whilst I can't find the reply in my email, it was what you expected - well kept ale, a good selection etc etc.
I replied, enquiring if there was any reason I hadn't got it as I offered 5 ales, including guests, all of which had recently passed the cask marque assessment for the second year running. The reply to this was that the person reviewing the pub hadn't been impressed enough to warrant the reward. Needless to say this is where I fell out with them. And I wasn't surprised to find out the following year we were now a 'lucky dip' pub.
Fast forward 2 years, and we're still 'lucky dip' material. The same basic mistakes are still there - this time another pub in the town apparently has new owners. This was news to me, and it turns out, to the owners, who have been there longer than the four years we've been in Hay. Our page (all the current information I've found from their website) only had a couple of minor errors on it - we have 8 handpumps, not 5, and dogs are allowed on the patio out the back, just not on the lawn.
But it got me thinking - this book is basically an out-of-date version of tripadvisor, or beerintheevening (I would include pubsgalore but this seems to be a good site, sensibly moderated) - opinionated reviews putting things out of proportion. Reviews are sent in by members of the public. Yet the editorial team seem to enjoy slagging off pubs as a whole - The piece in the MA focused on 'foolhardy' licensees who put their prices up. Same as last year - when no mention was made that duty went up to cover the reduction VAT would have made.
I've found a category for this type of literature. From now on, I'll hold it in the same regard as the Daily Mail.*
Some people may think this is because we're not a full feature in it. It's not - I don't want to be. What upsets me is guides like this can help make or break some pubs. With such basic mistakes on pubs details (you really should check with the pub before going to print stating the ownership has changed) and an editorial team that neither know or care about the finer points of the pub trade, what else have they got wrong? For some pubs, it could be the straw that breaks them.
* I apologise in full for naming this paper and therefore in some small way advertising it. It won't happen again.
Thanks for the kind mention.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting post, my initial thought was that it is overly harsh, as we certainly don't contact all the pubs to check their information ;).
On reflection it is spot on though, we also don't charge people to read us, which is a distinction I feel means the Pub Guide has more responsibility to get facts right.
It also made me think of one of the old debates on our forums where I was making the case for only leaving good reviews and someone pointed out that was the role pub guides used to fill for them by focusing on promoting good pubs. Extending this an incorrect review can be as bad as negative reviews on a web site.
Pubs Galore admin
Good piece. And like you I don't understand why a good pub guide criticises pubs. Surely they want people to go to pubs.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. The GPG used to be my bible for finding interesting pubs (Adrian would, of course, go by the GBB!). I am very surprised that Kilverts does not get a full entry as, to my mind at least (and by heck, I've been in enough pubs!!) it fulfils all the criteria and more. Adrian has always said that it focuses more on the overall pub experience than the beer and so I suppose one could argue that their staff checkers are not as focused on that area. However, if they are going to give awards for real ale, they really ought to make sure they know what they're taking about...or not go down that route.
ReplyDeleteAs for getting the ownership wrong....*eye roll* - that really is appalling.
We haven't bought a GPB for several years now....says it all really.
Conrad - What I'm more concerned about is that there's no real way to update a book. A website can quickly be changed. Whilst other printed guides are by no means perfect, they're certainly not making errors as large as this! This is why I think online guides are the way forward - with more and more people having advanced mobiles, and with options like the Cask Marque text service, it could replace printed guides (except for a niche market) within a few years.
ReplyDeleteBeerandPubs - exactly, with consumption on the downward slide and pubs closing etc etc, we should be celebrating the pubs worth celebrating and changing the public's perception of pubs as a whole. Hm, blog post there I think!
Exmoorjane - Thank you, we've worked hard to make the pub one everyone feels comfortable in and it seems to be paying off. I just did a search for Beer award pubs - none in Hay or Brecon, and only one in Hereford - The Victory (home of what was Spinning Dog and is now Hereford Brewery).