The Castle - Jenny the manager forced out

[paulj]

Jenny Rubie, the manager of the Castle in Crystal Palace Road, has been forced out by her brewery and leaves next Tuesday. She has been there for 11 years as manager and 5 more before that. She was given a week's notice. A 65 year old woman who is not from anywhere near here and has been with the company for 5 years and had 4 different pubs is coming..

This is a community, traditional pub, the only one left in ED and the loss of a lynchpin of the area is a disgrace. She was offered the Foxes pub in Sydenham, a known druggie pub that takes less than half in turnover compared to the Castle. It was a derisory, insulting offer that could not be countenanced.

A petition has been started and signed by over 150 people in a week. Please register a protest with: [email protected]

[Earl Aelfheah]

What reason have they given for forcing her out? Sounds pretty unfair

[paulj]

They believe they can take loads more money. Don't know how, it's a sports bar and the amount of regulars who'll walk away will be replaced with the number of barred druggies that Jenny kept clear... company politics too.. Whilst they had manager meetings there, it appears that several of them were jostling for the spot and Jenny was the last to know..

No respect for loyalty

[Jah Lush]

I heard about this last week and I've also heard they've sacked all other staff too. It's a bloody disgrace. Jenny is a part of the furniture and fittings of The Castle just like Mary was before her. I expect a refurb is imminent and the pub will be turned into another boring homogenised pub like the rest of them around East Dulwich.

[Earl Aelfheah]

I feel for her, that's pretty harsh. I suspect Jah is right, there'll be a refurb and a 'repositioning'.

[LondonMix]

The Castle was the last 'old man's' pub. Seeing the success of the CPT's repositioning as the Great Exhibition, its not surprising the owners are tempted to try a new strategy that will generate more business.

For those of you who go to the Castle, how busy is it? It always looks fairly empty whenever I pass it.

Its a bit harsh to criticize the new style of pubs. They are full, which means they are giving people what they want and there are differences between them.

[steveo]

And all the old lags they ship out will slip back in

[Earl Aelfheah]

I feel sorry for the Manager and the existing staff who are being pushed out. I used to like the Castle(great that it has a pool table / dart board) but i was put off following the last refurb, by the number of TV screens that were installed. I like to go to the pub to escape the TV personally. I hope they don't change it too much though. The White Horse in Peckham is a good example of an update which brings in new customers without driving out the old.

[Jeremy]

LondonMix Wrote:

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> Its a bit harsh to criticize the new style of

> pubs. They are full, which means they are giving

> people what they want

Well.. they're giving some people what they want... but not everyone wants the same thing.

[LondonMix]

Not everyone wants the same thing of course. If what the Castle is doing doesn't appeal to enough people to fill up the pub (even though its the only place offering its style of pub), that says it all though.

If there was really a significant demand, it would be full and it would remain open as is.

[LondonMix]

That's not to say that its not sad that it might be changing. I'm not trying to be flippant as I know some people will feel the loss keenly.

[Jeremy]

Clearly the brewery agree with you, LM!

I assume by arranging this petition, people are hoping to appeal to their altruistic side... so good luck with that...

[Otta]

I'd say the castle is usually pretty busy.

I also heard about this last week, and I think it's an absolutely shocking way to treat someone. Bare in mind this is more than just her job she's losing. And it's not just an old man's pub FFS. Unless by "old man" you just mean people who's faces don't fit in the other "pubs" of ED.

Although I do disagree with the OP about Fox's, I've used it a lot and never seen any drug use going on (unlike most of the places on Lordship Lane).

But that's not really the point anyway. A very very nice lady is being treated in a bloody shocking manner.

[Otta]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> Clearly the brewery agree with you, LM!

>

> I assume by arranging this petition, people are

> hoping to appeal to their altruistic side... so

> good luck with that...

Indeed, can't see anything changing their decision, but it still stinks.

I hardly get down to drink in ED these days, but the castle is the only place left in the area where I can walk in and the bar staff greet me warmly by name. Sad to lose that.

And my old man is really gutted.

[LondonMix]

Otta, do you think the owners are planning to revamp the pub? If its really busy, then why would they do that?

If the other pub she's been offered isn't that bad, why doesn't she want to go there? Is it a matter of principal because she's been at the Castle forever and doesn't feel she should be expected to move- genuine question?

By 'old man's pub' I just mean not a modern pub (of which there are many varieties around here). I actually think the most diverse and welcoming pub in the area is the EDT. Anytime I go by there is a mixture of young and old, different races, different sexual orientations, middle and working class etc.

[Otta]

LondonMix Wrote:

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> Otta, do you think the owners are planning to

> revamp the pub? If its really busy, then why

> would they do that?

My guess (and it's only a guess) is that they'll want to introduce food and will knock it through like they did with the CPT/TGE.

>

> If the other pub she's been offered isn't that

> bad, why doesn't she want to go there?

Probably because she lives at the castle and doesn't want to live at the other pub.

Or maybe it is that bad and I'd just not seen it, I haven't used it that much in the last 2 years.

[BrandNewGuy]

It?s appalling how pubcos treat the people who make them their money, but ?wet-led? pubs are struggling and shutting all over the place, not just in ED and the like. To put an optimistic gloss on this, as has been suggested above, the White Horse looks promising as a compromise between the old and the new which could be replicated elsewhere. We had a fine Friday night pint or three there the other week.

And it?s not quite fair to tar all the pubs of East Diulwich with the ?boring homogenised? brush either. We're fond of the EDT and *whisper it softly* it?s home to quite a few old-style clientele who are more than happy to make it their local.

Bet Louisa's bursting to join this thread ;-)

[Earl Aelfheah]

It is ridiculous to suggest that all pubs in ED are the same.

[Peckhamrye]

I might have missed it above but who owns the pub?

[Jeremy]

Otta Wrote:

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> My guess (and it's only a guess) is that they'll

> want to introduce food and will knock it through

> like they did with the CPT/TGE.

I would guess similar. Food, and higher margin booze "offerings".

If this is the company's plan then that is up to them I guess. But did they speak with the current manager to see if she'd be willing to work with them on this?

[Charlie Smith]

I think it is a shame she is going. I was in last weekend to see the Millwall game and Jen knew usual I wanted my usual pint of Guiness. That doesn't happen much these days. It is a pub where builders and workers can have a drink at the end of the day. There is a working class element and sometimes the language can get a little ripe, though now one seems to mind. There is quite a mix of ages and backgrounds. Jenny has tried various activities such as the poker nights and the live music. Often local funerals start and finish at the pub. She also got rid of a small element who appeared to have been dealing in the toilets. The pub could do with a bit of a smarten up but I would not want to see it become a place like the recently refurbished pub on Forest Hill Road with its so called 'craft ales' many that taste unpleasant and cost ?6 a pint.

Regards

Councillor Charlie Smith

East Dulwich Ward Member

[Otta]

rahrahrah Wrote:

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> It is ridiculous to suggest that all pubs in ED

> are the same.

I completely agree.

But they do all have one thing in common, and that's that a lot of the people that use the castle don't feel comfortable in any of them.

[Otta]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> But did they speak with the current

> manager to see if she'd be willing to work with

> them on this?

Obviously I don't know for sure, but from what I've hear, no. She just got her marching orders because they feel she's not bringing enough money in.

[Elphinstone's Army]

How is it legally possible to end a tenancy with a weeks notice? - shabby treatment, for whatever reason

[Seabag]

Does the Castle have the space to 'do food' I'm not sure