The Lewes Arms boycott

You know sometimes somewhere the pub must improve by being taken over by a large corporation, statistically at least. What really gets my goat is the inconsiderate attitude that all pubs should be the same. Same decor, same preprepared food etc. When GK really moved in to the Lewes Arms they produced a booklet for the staff, even suggested the type of music that should be played at specific times during opening! Never mind the existing clientelle. As it happens one of he best features of the Lewes Arms was it had no jukebox, no television and no fruit machines. It was a drink and discussion pub and it was very good.
Why do the suits, and in this case those some 150 miles away think they know better than the 'landlord' what the pub needs and how it should be run. Jumped up marketing oyks is all they are and soon they will be the only types able to afford a pint or two as well.
Well they ruined the Lewes Arms and I guess many more previously good establishments too. Pillocks.

Sorry I got my facts wrong! I must appologise. It wasn't Greene King Who took over the Paines brewery it was Tolly Cobbold.

I haven't been to Lewes in quite a long time but I do like Harveys ales. Anyway what I really would like to say is that Greene King should be boycotted everywhere. Many years ago Greene King took over the Paines Brewery, which I think was in St Neots, now at that time I considered Paines EG as the best pint of beer I have ever tasted in my life ever! and what did Greene King do? They shut down the brewery. Unforgivable!

Hi Real Ale Lad,

Yes the regulars did well in making GK reverse their strategy with the Harveys. Sadly due to the time it took and we all drank elswhere and most still do, GK lost the soul of a good ale house with an excellent atmosphere and as yet it is nowhere as good as it used to be.

I dont know what it is but these corporates have dumbed down the landlords role. they are there just to fleece you now and to do that they dont need to get to know who you are!

Hey guys. It's good news all round I think. About time that the big breweries like Greene King paid some notice to the punter who wants a decent pint of beer. Well done The Lewes Arms for standing up to them.

Further to our 'victory' at the Lewes Arms it is very surprising that Greene King have not put Harveys back into its other pubs in the town. They have been made aware of the popularity of the beer and clearly do not want to encourage those that do not wish to go to the Lewes Arms every time theu want a pint of it! Quite astonishing! Poor marketing? Additional embarassment perhaps, who knows? Whatever it still ekes into what they think a pub should be like rather than asking clients opinion.

Hi Content,

Thank you for your input and support. I am sure GK beers taste just fine where they are brewed, just as Harveys does here in Sussex. Its all down to the water and how the recipe has been tweaked over the centuries. Thank goodnesss for regional beers, something to look forward too on those trips away in the UK. So why do GK insist on closing them all down and brewing them in BSE? Bad move in my opinion. Too little variation maybe, that sounds a little odd from someone who has just helped a campaign for its local ale doesnt it!

Thanks again to everyone who had input here.

Cheers

Congratulations Shy Vera.... I'm happy for you that all of your efforts have paid off. I've got to be honest and say that I didn't think they would! It goes to show you that GK are not as bad as you thought.
Incidentally, their beers are not all crap. IPA is actually a very pleasent drop if drunk in suffolk/essex border region.

Hope you all enjoy your celebratory p*ss-up.

For those who are not in the know some fantastic news. Greene King have relented and as of today, 20th April Harveys Best Bitter has been reinstated in the Lewes Arms, with a promise that the seasonal beers will also be making appearances.

Fantastic news for the little guy who in numbers can achieve the opposite of what the selfish bulldozing bully boys press to want. that includes at government level to if you want it bad enough.

All we need to do know is keep GK aware that thier crap bitters need to step up to the mark.

a good weekend to you all and enjoy your choice of poison, whatever it may be.

Sorry my previous post is not correct, it should say.... And what is behind the idea of selling their own beers as guest beers?

Just to try and regain the focus of this forum here. it NOT just about the beer or lager or cider or sherry or whatever. The beer in the Lewes Arms is great, but so are others not available in there. The same applies to those visitors who did not drink the local bitter, yes the lager,cider and wine drinkers also remain outside the pub because the corporation bully antics currently in use.
We all have the freedom to drink what we want where we want and we continue to do so. My worry is the corporation dont want us to do that, they only want us to drink their beer in their establishments. Well thats fine but serve decent stuff to do it competitively and not force us by removing the options.
And what is behind the idea of selling their own beers, brewed in their own brewery still carrying the name of the beer it was that they bought out and subsequently closed! Plus they dont mention anything about its new owners, new birthplace on the badge pump. Are they trying to pull the woolover the experienced drinkers eyes? Answer: Yes though failing with the experienced drinker I think.
You could substitute Greene Kings name many other of todays corpoations, I am sure you know them, as well as some old ones that some of us may recognise before thier ultimate demise, thank goodness. Watneys, Whitbreads to name just a couple.
I dontcare whether your poison is lager or even bloody water! I have drunk some very nice lagers in my time. What I do care about is the ever diminishing choice being offered in the name of profit as well as not being allowed the very thing that is making the money for them.

Kids?

Im in my 30's and have tried many an ale and have to be honest I much prefer a czech beer anytime. The poster below was right. Ale snobs believe they are better than those that drink lager, why is this?