The Maltsters

[OldBerkshireBoy]

On 04/12/2023 at 15:55, Mouldy said:

I think that blaming a pubs demise, even only in part, on the ban on smoking, is grasping at straws.

As a smoker at the time it was easy to see the decline in the numbers of people going to a pub over time and all the people who said that they would go if the ban was applied never turned up!

[rightsaidfred]

3 hours ago, ChrisB said:

Oh Dear, showing my age! 

Arn`t we all, good old days when you could spend a week playing darts for pub teams or following local groups in a different pub every night.

Fred

[Wussername]

1 hour ago, rightsaidfred said:

Arn`t we all, good old days when you could spend a week playing darts for pub teams or following local groups in a different pub every night.

Fred

It was the way of many men folk in the day.

The wife stayed at home. In her place.

Not so different in that we witness in this very day in some of the deprived areas of our age.

[rightsaidfred]

59 minutes ago, Wussername said:

It was the way of many men folk in the day.

The wife stayed at home. In her place.

Not so different in that we witness in this very day in some of the deprived areas of our age.

Agreed although in my case I was single at the time, most of that went when I got married as buying and building a home became the priority with what income we had.

Fred

[YnysMon]

31 minutes ago, rightsaidfred said:

Agreed although in my case I was single at the time, most of that went when I got married as buying and building a home became the priority with what income we had.

Fred

Good for you Fred. My father in law has been reminiscing about his grandad, who died in the 1940s. Grandad worked on whaling ships, so was away for goodness knows how long and (reputedly) disappeared off to a pub with his pockets full of his earnings when he did get home. His poor wife and kids! 
 

[Broads01]

8 hours ago, dom said:

13 hours ago, Vaughan said:

Happy memories of the pub's great days, in the 60s.  The boat shaped bar with beer pumps in the steering wheel was built by H.T.Percival of Horning and is now displayed in the museum of the Broads.

Expand  

It's fantastic to see the photo Vaughan. For some strange reason, I still remember having to fight my way through crowds of people in the bar to make it to the gents, which goes to show how busy it used to be on a Saturday night.

My earliest memories of Ranworth are of mooring on the Broads Tours quay (opposite the public moorings and now private moorings)

I had no idea there was a Broads Tours quay at Ranworth. Does anybody have any photos?

[dom]

37 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

I had no idea there was a Broads Tours quay at Ranworth. Does anybody have any photos?

It was the small inlet directly opposite the corner with the damaged quay heading on the BA mooring (about here on what3words). I think it was originally used by George Smith way back to the 20s or 30s. If you look on Broadland Memories, there are some old leaflets from that era which mention trips to Ranworth.

We used to leave Wroxham after the last hirer's trial run, so it was often well into the evening by the time we got there. The staithe was always packed, so we'd use the BT mooring. That would have been during the 80s and I don't think it was getting a huge amount of use by then. I presume they let it go not long after that as it'd be too small for newer trip boats.

I'd love to see pictures of it from the 80s in case one or the other of our boats were on there! My dad died young and I only have 1 picture of his boat, so I live in hope that she'll turn up in someone elses images one day.

[dom]

Ironically, I Googled 1980s Ranworth staithe images and ended up finding a picture of the Broads Tours staithe on here. It's the small dyke/inlet opposite the public staithe. There was a slatted wooden fence around it and a load of trees/bushes between there and the neighbouring dyke which have since been removed. You can even see the old sign at the end of the dyke which said "Trip boats only" or something to that effect.

There's also what looks like Grecian Girl on the staithe. Comparing her to the size of the dyke, I should think it was just big enough for the old traditional wooden tour boats, which must've come out of service around the early to mid 80s?

 

[Broads01]

19 hours ago, dom said:

Ironically, I Googled 1980s Ranworth staithe images and ended up finding a picture of the Broads Tours staithe on here. It's the small dyke/inlet opposite the public staithe. There was a slatted wooden fence around it and a load of trees/bushes between there and the neighbouring dyke which have since been removed. You can even see the old sign at the end of the dyke which said "Trip boats only" or something to that effect.

There's also what looks like Grecian Girl on the staithe. Comparing her to the size of the dyke, I should think it was just big enough for the old traditional wooden tour boats, which must've come out of service around the early to mid 80s?

 

What a brilliant photo, thank you, it answers my question. I smiled at the orange forward-steer nose first into the staithe. My late dad used to do that because he hated reversing in to a space.

Dom, forgive me if I've missed this in a previous post but what was your job in those days? Did you work for Faircraft as was?

[dom]

5 hours ago, Broads01 said:

Dom, forgive me if I've missed this in a previous post but what was your job in those days? Did you work for Faircraft as was?

I worked for Summercraft (and LL Cruisers for a short time after Summercraft bought them). Mostly on turnaround, but also the odd bit of work on boats being fitted out, winterisation, etc. My dad was best mates with one of the yard owners and spent a lot of time helping him rebuilding a boat he'd salvaged (Josephine). My dad later bought a boat which he lived on at the yard and I spent a lot of time on board with him.

I could very easily have ended up working there permanently, but in the end went off and trained in telecomms. Still wonder if that was the right decision!

[Hylander]

I see Malsters has closed its doors for good now.   Such a shame.

 

[NorfolkNog]

59 minutes ago, Hylander said:

I see Malsters has closed its doors for good now.   Such a shame.

 

I suspect Punch will advertise for a new tenant M but could take some time. I doubt anyone would take it on at this time of the year. 

[NeilB]

7 hours ago, dom said:

I worked for Summercraft (and LL Cruisers for a short time after Summercraft bought them). Mostly on turnaround, but also the odd bit of work on boats being fitted out, winterisation, etc. My dad was best mates with one of the yard owners and spent a lot of time helping him rebuilding a boat he'd salvaged (Josephine). My dad later bought a boat which he lived on at the yard and I spent a lot of time on board with him.

I could very easily have ended up working there permanently, but in the end went off and trained in telecomms. Still wonder if that was the right decision!

My parents hired day boats and Burecroft from Len of LL cruisers several times so knew them fairly well.  He let me use his sailing dinghy in return for a bit of window cleaning on turnaround day.  It was them who gave me the idea of working on hireboats so I ended up at Kris Cruisers for 10 years and now Volvo Penta HQ for well over 20 years.
Never did find out why they closed?  we arrived by hireboat, summer of 1987 I think, to find they had disappeared!  Think Len went to Blackpool and Steve to Porter and Haylett, he’s in Beccles now with a Freeman 24!

Mum and dad hired the Summercraft lodges for many years up to the mid 2000’s when dad had to stop driving.

[socrates]

I notice that the Cross Key at Dilham is currently up for sale. 

[Hylander]

I have heard of a pub with no beer but now we have beers and no pubs.    Do you think making people pay for that mooring has killed off the trade, final nail in the coffin so to speak?

 

 

[Pinto]

47 minutes ago, socrates said:

I notice that the Cross Key at Dilham is currently up for sale. 

It’s been up for sale for quite some time now. Surely someone out there must fancy a challenge!

[marshman]

As explored elsewhere on this thread, there are a myriad of reasons but chiefly a huge change in social habits over the last ten years - why go to a pub for a drink? Most people go the the fridge - its cheaper and more convenient. 

Just see from this thread alone how many pubs all around are closing? The few survivors will have to provide a good reason to go there, and if the food is not up to a better than "acceptable" standard then they won't go there just for a drink.

Personally I don't think the mooring fee has had any impact - if it had then the Granary would not be doing well! When I have been to the Granary, I tend to book - says a lot too that people will drive to the Granary. Would that many drive to the Malsters for a drink let alone a meal - I doubt it except on a lovely summers evening but even then?

[rightsaidfred]

5 minutes ago, marshman said:

As explored elsewhere on this thread, there are a myriad of reasons but chiefly a huge change in social habits over the last ten years - why go to a pub for a drink? Most people go the the fridge - its cheaper and more convenient. 

Just see from this thread alone how many pubs all around are closing? The few survivors will have to provide a good reason to go there, and if the food is not up to a better than "acceptable" standard then they won't go there just for a drink.

Personally I don't think the mooring fee has had any impact - if it had then the Granary would not be doing well! When I have been to the Granary, I tend to book - says a lot too that people will drive to the Granary. Would that many drive to the Malsters for a drink let alone a meal - I doubt it except on a lovely summers evening but even then?

There always used to be plenty of non boat custom, cyclists, hikers and locals as well as cars, sadly like many pubs quality and service went down prices went up.

Fred

[rightsaidfred]

On reflection I would say the biggest problem now is there are very few publicans around now days, to many managers.

Fred

[YnysMon]

We hadn’t visited the Maltsters for the last few years as it wasn’t consistent. We have had good meals there, but also not so good. We don't eat out that often, so if we have a not so good experience, it tends to put us off returning.

I would love to try out The Granary, but we don’t leave the dogs on the boat unattended.

1 minute ago, rightsaidfred said:

On reflection I would say the biggest problem now is there are very few publicans around now days, to many managers.

Fred

Isn’t a publican a manager? I would like that’s a large part of the job. 

[rightsaidfred]

18 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

We hadn’t visited the Maltsters for the last few years as it wasn’t consistent. We have had good meals there, but also not so good. We don't eat out that often, so if we have a not so good experience, it tends to put us off returning.

I would love to try out The Granary, but we don’t leave the dogs on the boat unattended.

Isn’t a publican a manager? I would like that’s a large part of the job. 

A Publican (mein host) is/was a calling or lifestyle, a manager is a job, usually totally different approaches to running a pub.

Fred

[floydraser]

1 hour ago, rightsaidfred said:

On reflection I would say the biggest problem now is there are very few publicans around now days, to many managers.

Fred

Ah, I can see him now, the publican. He stands there polishing the glasses while discussing politics with the locals. Shall we have a buxom barmaid too? Roaring coal fire. And Watneys Red Barrell.

Or decent beer and a manager? 

I don't think there's a right or wrong way but there is a culture change going on and it's the London culture spreading north with levelling up as I said somewhere else. Bright, lively staff are the expectation now, along with decent food, beer and a choice of gins and mixers. A manager trained by a brewery is more likely to be aware that it's not about just being there anymore, it's about competition. Gordon Ramsey highlighted this in his Kitchen Nightmares in the UK before he went all Hollywood.

[PaulN]

Use to enjoy the Maltsters, but stopped going there having tried it a few times after Roy left, when it was a proper pub.

After the so called refurbishment in modern 'cold' decor, it was laid out like a canteen with young unwelcoming staff. Totally uninviting to call in for a few drinks and a chat.

The terrace out the front was filthy and hadn't seen a jetwash in years and tables needed replacing.

It use to be our regular call in from our Horning mooring, probably 15 times a year, but haven't been there since Packman started charging for our 'free' moorings. 

[dom]

7 hours ago, NeilB said:

My parents hired day boats and Burecroft from Len of LL cruisers several times so knew them fairly well.
Never did find out why they closed?  we arrived by hireboat, summer of 1987 I think, to find they had disappeared!

I was probably around in '87 when you turned up!

My dad's boat was usually moored on Summercraft's outer quay heading directly opposite the front of Burecroft - mainly because she was just small enough to fit between the quay and the island which used to be there.

Len sold a Broom 30 to my dad, then the yard to Summercraft a year or two later. I have a vague recollection he may have had a heart attack or similar which prompted the yard sale, as it was a small yard without the resources to manage without him. I think Dick who owned Summercraft at that time bought LL for the property as much as the boats. I think we may have run the boats for a season or two, but they were sold off fairly quickly. Sadly, I think Len died around the turn of the milennium. He was a very similar age to my dad, so must have barely reached retirement age, if that. I think I first developed a love of V8 engines from a trip down to Loddon in the back of Len's Triumph Stag to collect the Broom after osmosis repair.

I worked with Steve for a short while, but don't remember much apart from him riding something like an FZ750. He can't have been a great deal older than me so was doing alright for himself managing to buy the bike (and a car?). I think either he or Len might have worked for Powles at some point?

Quote

Mum and dad hired the Summercraft lodges for many years up to the mid 2000’s when dad had to stop driving.

The lodges were generally built over winter between hire seasons (and 12" off the ground to avoid flooding issues). My dad and I both did the odd bit of work on construction here and there on a few of them. I also used to clean, move and service dayboats and dinghies for them when needed.

Was it Kris Cruisers at Datchet you worked for? I'm sure my mum used to handle bookings for them when she worked at Blakes. I have a feeling my very first hire boat experience was on a narrowboat either hired from them, or another yard very nearby. I can only have been 6 or 7 at the time, but clearly remember the yard looking out over the line of trees around Windsor park on the other side of the river.

 

[NeilB]

15 minutes ago, dom said:

I was probably around in '87 when you turned up!

Was it Kris Cruisers at Datchet you worked for? I'm sure my mum used to handle bookings for them when she worked at Blakes. I have a feeling my very first hire boat experience was on a narrowboat either hired from them, or another yard very nearby. I can only have been 6 or 7 at the time, but clearly remember the yard looking out over the line of trees around Windsor park on the other side of the river.

 

Yes, summer of 87, thought we'd surprise them but it was all locked up!!  I remember the Broom 30, he bought some kind of trawler as we bumped into him a couple of years after they closed.  Not 100% but I think Steve owned the houseboat, the small lodge and lived in Lens bungalow for a while.

Yes, Kris Cruisers at Datchet between 1991 and 2001.  We did have a couple of narrow boats but only for a year or so, wasn't keen on them.  Windsor park was on the other side of the river, not advisable to try and go ashore though otherwise a Range Rover with tinted windows would soon arrive and chuck you off again!!!