Ferry inn stokesby

[Wonderwall]

I hear on the great tinternet that this pubs owners are moving on. 

I've not visited this pub for a few years and it was on my visit list this year . Does anyone know if it is to carry on as a public house and my main question really!! Is does it have a games room , either to darts or pool?

thanks folks 

[imtamping2]

Darts and pool table I do hope it will continue as a pub....nice littlespot.

[NorfolkNog]

Hi

I was in the Ferry last week. I thought the room where the pool table used to be had been knocked through and was an extension of the dining area but I'm happy to be corrected. It's a very food orientated pub. It's also an Adnams tied house. Adnams are not particularly known for flogging off pubs but again I could be wrong. Be careful of rumour, it's a bit like boatyard whispers. I'd be happy to make enquiries with the local CAMRA Branch. 

[Oddfellow]

It was certainly for sale as I read the particulars myself. 
 

[NorfolkNog]

Is this the sale of the freehold or the lease Andy? There is an important difference. My guess it's the lease in which case the pub shouldn't be under threat. 

[Oddfellow]

Just now, NorfolkNog said:

Is this the sale of the freehold or the lease Andy? There is an important difference. My guess it's the lease in which case the pub shouldn't be under threat. 

Lease. 

[NorfolkNog]

I thought that would be the case. I can't see it on the current Adnams website. But in any event it's very unlikely to close as a result. As I mentioned its a  food led pub, probably pubs such as the Kings Arms and the Sutton Staithe would be better bets for pool and darts. Dog Inn too 

PS I know Griff likes to play darts on his lads week so he may have more info. 

[BroadAmbition]

As 'The Lads Week' crew - we have not been in this pub for years and years now, it used to be one of our favourites before it became more of a restaurant, it has gone the way of the Woods end pub at Brammerton imho, but what really stopped us was 'that' sign - 'no all male groups' or something similar as a result I won't visit the place even when mixed crews onboard - their loss, much prefer The Bridge Inn, Lion, Kings Head, New Inn, Berney Arms etc etc who are open to all, male / femail, mixed or otherwise and the four legged crew members too

Griff

[imtamping2]

Lifted from there Facebook page......

"It's with sadness and a bit of excitement that we can announce we will be leaving the pub on January 7th. A tough decision for us as we have some great friends and customers and have had a fantastic time here in Stokesby. To that end our last ever quiz will take place this Sunday 20th December. We will be handing over the money raised so far this year to Suzanne Bryant from families charity so hope we can see you there if you can make it. "

and I fear you may be correct about the darts and pool no longer available

[Paul]

Howard is being very polite when he says it is a "food led pub", sadly as with Griff this is now off our visiting list. Last time we were in we were not quite asked to leave, though we all agreed in hindsight that would have been friendlier and more polite than the attitude we got. If you are not eating then do yourself a favour, get some cans in and a deck of cards. 

In the interest of balance and fairness, if you do want to eat then the food is very good.

[NorfolkNog]

Fully agree Griff. 

That's interesting as I avoid Facebook like the plague 

My guess, and it's only a guess, is that either new leaseholders will take over or that Adnams will put in a temporary manager. As I can't see it on the Adnams site, my money is on the latter but as usual I'm happy to  be proved wrong  

They didn't have any Old on last week either 

It's certainly not the first time the lease has been up for grabs in recent years. 

 

[Chelsea14Ian]

We called in last September for Dinner which was very good.Sad to hear from the landlady that they were moving on.I hope that who ever takes over that the food and drink is good.

 

Ian

[NorfolkNog]

Good comments from Paul and Griff. Pubs need our custom more than ever these days and some could learn valuable lessons from Phil at the Bridge Inn. They are doggy friendly and to quote Phil directly "we are a pub that does food' could explain why he runs arguably the most successful pub on the Broads 

[JennyMorgan]

It would be something of a tragedy if Stokesby was to close. It must be incredibly hard to run the pub though, it's either heaving or it's deserted and the winter is long. My experiences have always been positive & I would miss it.

[NorfolkNog]

Loss of any pub is a tragedy Peter. I think the key is on the Broads more than anywhere you need to be flexible, imaginative, adaptable and as long as customers are well behaved don't turn them or their cash away!

[MauriceMynah]

For my part, I went in twice this year (2015 for anyone reading this next year or later). I was not eating just having a beer or three. I was made very welcome and the pub will stay on my list of "good places to visit". Yes it is more foody than I would ideally like, but not as bad as others. To get over the "no all male" issue, and given that I was cruising on my own, I did offer to go tranny, but the landlady told me that this would not be necessary.

[LondonRascal]

I don’t see why a pub cannot be more to more people.  Don’t just become a ‘gastro pub’ and alienate the people who want to stop by for a few drinks, and what is wrong with some good entertainment like a dart board or pool table? 

Especially on the Broads the people who will come through the door will not reflect that of the local community – they will be varied and from far and wide and with equally varied ‘wants and wishes’.

If it was myself with such an opportunity I’d certainly want to make the place that once you came inside you wanted to stay – that extra drink, that yummy desert etc I know you will not please everyone, but I do look at the White Horse as an example of a pub that has had the ‘modern’ brush swept over it, and has come out actually pretty well – I went there in 2012 on a rainy day for a burger and chips and the old fan heater just about alive for hat in the back room, the brown carpet and mediocre food all just summed up a sad pub.  Now it is a place I think has a warm inviting feel and look – it may be a bit over the top in parts but the reviews are good from the experience people have had.

There is room to make a sad pub great, but just don’t focus too much on one thing I say keep an open mind and don’t diss the pub games they can really add something to a place and keep people in for longer – and spending more on drinks.

[BroadScot]

Bring back dominoes, bar billiards and shove halfpenny!  Oops and skittles! 

Iain.

[imtamping2]

Come on now , Skittles or table skittles......... talking of bar billiards I note they have a table in The Reed Cutters (Red House).

[SteveO]

If there is one thing that puts me off a pub, it is where all the tables are set up for dining. Yes, I know that pubs have to make a living and that food makes more for the landlord than drink but, taking LondonRascal's point, pubs should cater for the drinker as well as the diner.

Before I eat in a pub, I usually visit it to check out the menu, the beer and the ambiance. If I don't feel welcome, I won't return.

Steve

 

Edited December 15, 2015 by SteveO
To add signature

[Soundings]

I think the problem is that not many pubs have a snow flakes chance in hell of making a living on the back of drink, and especially so if tied. When you add to that the fact that some pubs are quite small the options are very limited indeed.

[Wonderwall]

Each to their own of course, and it would be a very dull world if we all liked the same thing. But a couple of games of darts or and pool before and after a bit lunch or dinner is just dandy. It also helps the mix of the pub I think. Brings others together where otherwise they would unlikely crack up a conversation.

And after being cooped up all day with Mrs and miss wonderwall, myself and the lad quite enjoy a distraction . 

The last thing the broads need is another empty pub. Although it must be hard in the winter months to say the least. I always do my best to boost their funds during my holiday. All from the goodness of my heart of course 

[Gracie]

If two brothers or a couple of male friends were to moor up and go in for a drink would they be barred for being an all male party? I really don't see why, anyone with good business sense would turn away all male and female groups unless they were unruly considering the potential for a hell of a lot of money being spent on food and drink.

On my Hen party Boat we stopped at a couple of pubs on our travels, ok most of the pubs lol and spent a lot of money on copious amounts of wine with the odd steak and chips thrown in, although we were always well behaved and respectful of others (the pink sparkly stetsons may have offended some ), give these groups a chance to spend money in pubs, if they misbehave then kick em out.

Grace

[JennyMorgan]

If a six or seven strong 'gay' group turned up at Stokesby, for example, perhaps they would be perfectly within their rights to claim prejudice if asked to leave. If I followed them though the door, with half a dozen of my 'straight' male friends, was similarly barred, then what could I claim? Intolerance, maybe, but not prejudice,  funny old world! I'm with Gracie on this one. 

[Oddfellow]

The fact is that Food is profitable, far more so than highly taxed alcohol. 

As a food environment, it's quite easy to see why the management would not want unruly same sex parties in; the very reason that people moan about them being allowed to hire boats and the "trouble" they cause. 

I know how to look at both sides of this argument; I am a boater, a operator and a pub-goer (on occasion). Perhaps even a hypocrite? You decide with this story about an ex-Adnams pub. The KA in Martham was left by the landlord in April 2014; we got on very well with Ian and Leslie there and they loved having the children around. It was a good place to be with decent food, two very different bars; one with pool and karaoke (which some of you will realise I am not to shabby at). 

Not everyone liked Ian and Lesley, but then we can't always like the same things and get on with everyone.

The pub was closed for months and months and eventually reopened just before Christmas having had a fortune spent on it by the new owners (I understand that it is a free house now).

We went in on Christmas Eve and it was buzzing from people having just come away from the carol service on the village green.  The decor very nice, but not to everyone's taste (and quite unnecessary for a village pub IMHO) and the carpet removed making standing on the tiled floor for any length of time less than comfortable. Only one bar open at this time. We left quickly as it was too busy to be comfortable.

Some months later, I was early home and I didn't have my house keys, so with my young son decided to go for a drink to wait for my wife to come home. We walked down to the pub and were met by a very unfriendly sign in the inner hall way saying "NO CHILDREN" or similar. 

I haven't been back in there since and from stories I hear around the village, I have no expectation of going in. We used to have the occasional meal down there and go in quite regularly, but as a family man, I won't go to a pub that doesn't welcome children.