Orion M.C.

You're probably deaf from all those irate drivers shouting in your ear as you scrape past their cars and dodge red lights! For those of a more … delicate … disposition, such as myself, I find the volume very uncomfortable. I’m quite happy to sit outside, but during the winter I think I’d find myself as Gavin-nae-pals out there in the blizzard.

Surely they will turn music down a bit to accomodate us. Think of the revenue they will lose if we leave.

Maybe we could hang out down at the river drink cider?

Sound like a sterling plan!

I've always been a total fan of the Vicky and would never countenance even thought of an alternative. Ok the beer garden is good. However, it is really pissing me off these days. The beer is woeful (I can put up with that) but it is indicative the bar management doesn't give a shit about it's customers. What's pushed it over the edge for me is the racket which makes it impossible to hold a decent conversation. It is splitting the night into two camps which is not conducive to having a good blether with everyone on a Thursday and it's pissing me off.

I think we need an alternative and we need to hunt one out. The club deserves to meet in a better place.


John

John, the problem is finding an alternative pub which will tick all the positive boxes in Julian's original posting to this thread.

If you, or anyone else, suggest somewhere which does just that then I am happy to try it out. However, I think you are going to be hard pushed to find somewhere comparable.

As for the management and staff, personally I think they treat us pretty well and probably better than the previous management/staff. Last week they were giving away free whisky, and not for the first time. Unfortunately I was driving, but Gavin took full advantage and so I had to put up with him half cut on the way home

If the management wont listen to our request to turn music down, then they obviously don't give a shit about their customers. At that point we need to look elsewhere. One step at a time I say.

Maybe a little diplomacy may be in order here
Rather than ask them to turn the music down or else, we could ask whether the regular music session is a temporary thing or is indeed to be permanent.I`m sure he`ll get the message

I spent a few weeks trying to find another pub that meets our requirements in the past. Only 2 did...one has since shut and the other has live music now. Sloans is a possibility albeit not so good for the parking.

Can't say that I agree with you on that Graham...there are probably about a similar number of other customers in the pub, sometimes possibly more, who do enjoy the music. Also, since the pub changed hands I would say that the music has slightly increased custom...do you not remember when it first changed hands we were the only ones in there on a Thursday. It was so quiet that it even closed for a while.

Furthermore, it's not like they make a fortune from us. At least half of us drive to the pub and the rest aren't knocking back pint after pint.

So the management has to take all that into account. Remember we aren't the only customers and it would appear to me that it is only (some of?) our lot who are adverse to the music.





Agree, that local parking is very important.

How about across the park at 'West'? - http://www.westbeer.com/

Meets most of the Pros? Might be slightly further out of the city centre but has plenty of parking, great beer garden, great beer etc...

Pros
It is central and not bad for access by public transport, car and bike.
It is a reasonably ned-free zone and the customers are quite a decent bunch.
The drinks are reasonably priced for a city centre.
We have been going there for eons and so occasional and past members can drop in as they do and be fairly sure to find us.
The beer garden is possibly second to none in the city centre, and is fab in the summer/autumn.
The management is pleased to have us there, and treats us accordingly.

I'd prefer a more central venue, but it could be worth considering.

I agree with Alex on the diplomacy front, I have to say. I also agree that we are no longer the dominant force in the pub. Could someone not explain to the manager the benefits of the 'intimacy' of unamplified acoustic music?

FWIW I think it's a shithole there were three people in the bar, me, the barman and a jakey spanking a plank into a 1 billion watt pa system. I was going to go round the bar to the next room but couldn't get past the 100 inch plasma telly screen, presumably for the footy, whatever that is. The beer garden was like stalag 9 with the searchlights. I was expecting to see people dispensing dirt from their breeks. Then there's the smokers...

the other bar connected to stalag 9 seemed to be far more lively with people in it and no supersonic jakey and the barmaid actually smiled at me, so it's a superb place to drink

I really don't know why you like that place any more. Alec the happy barman is gone. Stevie the moaning barman is gone and the spicy nut machine is no more. The weegie literati have fled and left a jakey in the corner. Go somewhere else

Hmmmm

Never been in there before, but something about it from their web site makes me less than keen. Anyway, it's less central.

Alright for those based in the Gorbals though

There is a clear majority (of those posting so far) John, Gordon, Dom, Myself and Gavin who aren't happy with status quo. I know it wont be easy to find anything else but we need to do something. Need to encourage members down not put them off.

A thought - do they play loud music every night at Scotch Corner? If it is quiter on a Wednesday can we meet then?

Following my last post - We are customers and have shown some loyaty, we are their every week and make the place a bit busier. Maybe not a lot of money being spent but at least we provide some custom. Our views should be listened to.

Hear what you are saying Graham about us being customers, but I would say that recently quite often we are in the minority on a Thursday night and most other folk are in for the music I think However, we can but ask for the music to be turned down a little, but I wouldn't expect too much.

As for meeting on a Wednesday, I think that Thursdays are better as it is closer to the weekend and therefore is better for arranging weekend outings...more accurate forecasts, etc.

Basically the way I see it is that should we decide to do something we should first, have a polite word with the management and if that fails try to find somewhere else. But if folk want to move then they will have to come up with alternatives. So far only Gordon has proposed other venues.

Anyway, I think I've made myself clear where I stand on the subject...I'm happy where we are and will henceforth limit my responses to only expressing an opinion on any proposed alternative pubs.

So are we pushing our President towards the bar tomorrow and is he going to ask for the music to be turned down?

Viccy isn't what it was in the good old days, when smokers and non-smokers alike could rub nictotine-stained shoulders together while ignoring a Citz actor who was really politically right on and about to move to London, cheered on by a bunch of mohair jumpered crusties whose dogs played fiddles into the wee small lock-in hours. Aye, it was grand then.

But I don't want to meet in a faceless clean gastro-pub even if it does a cracking gin and tonic; and even my old favourite haunts of the Halt and the Carnarvon have flat screen tvs now. And the Mitre Bar closed many years ago. The Laurieston is nice on the inside, intimidating on the outside; the Malt Shovel sells more whiskies than even Gavin has in his cellar, but has no bike parking.

Mono plays really loud music sometimes but has a nice independant record shop which is open late, has good bike parking, plays host to the occasional indie demi-god/dess... only sells expensive crisps tho. Aye, there's no place like home.