To open an 80s themed pub?

[FallingOrbit]

I have an opportunity to buy a disused building that was previously a social club.
It's a good size, I grew up in the area where this building is and have very fond memories of it as a youngster back in the 80s.

I would theme it completely as I remember It, old style jukebox and bandits, wooden everything, snooker table where you pay for the lighting and a pool table where it's 10p play.

It also has a skittle alley and huge function room. The building is in fair order, leaking roof etc as it was abandoned. I don't want to ramble on so I'm sure you get the gist.

Would you be interested in such a place? This isn't going to hit home for a LOT of mumsnetters but does anyone out there get what I'm thinking?

Only if you sell Discos and Monster Munch as well

Findus crispy pancakes or French Bread pizza, with vienetta for pud. And a cherry b please

I'd be there in a flash!

Why has nobody done this before? When us opening night and please may I be on the guest list?

Of course you are on the guest list!

Yes it's a place (not town) that if I'm honest I like being stuck in the past.

If you all promise to come I'll make sure your drink of choice is available!

Thanks for your replies, I appreciate it and I'm glad I'm not the only one!

Without wanting to piss on your McCain Microchips - the 80s were a black hole when it came to food and drink. Once the novelty wears off from the 1st visit, I can't see people returning to drink Skol, Hoffmeister Lambrusco or a babycham and cherry b on a regular basis. Because quite frankly they're a horrible, synthetic mess. I can see people thinking 'ooh I've not had that in years' and realising why they hadn't very quickly.

The building is interesting and could make a nice retro cafe/ice cream parlour.

Something I've just thought of though, depending where you are. There are still social clubs /labour clubs/working men's clubs where I live that are still the same as in 1985 in terms of decor and entertainment. Are the 80s long enough ago that people will get that it is meant to be retro or will it need to be mega hipster?

We had something similar on our caravan site. I don't know if it would work as a pub but I think it would be really popular as a social club. That wAy you could control who came in. Joe Public are hard to please.

You will need to have a meat raffle too 😁

Seren, no it definitely wouldn't be hipster, I was thinking literally 80s. And I know what you mean, there are still a few old places alive around here too. Maybe it's just a flash in the pan fantasy of sorts, on the other hand maybe I'll do it!

Donkey Kong was amazing at the time, but there would be better games to put in a pub opening 37 years later. Scramble, Kung Fu Master, Shinobi for example have all aged much better, and weren't on the recent NES Classic Mini.

BadLad you are very right there! Damn I forgot about shinobi!

It just depends whereabouts it is. In my northern home town it wouldnt be anything unique as they still go to social clubs. What woukd you do with it in the week? People just dont really go out anymore.

Young people don't go out like they did in the 80s.
Even the union shuts Some nights at the uni my DD is at as drinking isn't as popular as it used to be.
My DDs Facebook feed is of friends having afternoon tea or in cafes.

Oooh sounds right up my street! Will you sell west coast cooler and castaway? Where are you?

ok op. where is it? that matters.

Please tell me it is in Devon.

I'm a chef and would love to do an 80s retro menu!!

Isn't it just going to look dated and like no-one has redecorated for forty years? :-/ I think you need to wait until all the run-down, out-of-date originals actually close before you can rediscover them.

Meat raffle! We went to a golden wedding party recently that was held somewhere that could pass for the Phoenix Club and there was an honest to god meat raffle in the side bar.

Not sure how to link but I love this video. The Lancashire Hotspots.

Honestly, you'd never recoup the cost of refurbishment. Modern pubs are closing left right and centre these days the margins are so tight only the massive chains (with their stock discounts and own brands) can compete. Better looking for the next new thing, whatever that might be!

I'd love it - I was a teen in the 80s and I really remember the kind of place you're on about. I used to love putting songs on the jukebox. Traditional 80s menu and drinks and I'd be right there (I'll have a snowball with a cherry on a cocktail stick, or if I'm with a rougher crowd, a snakebite and black).

I'd pay to play space invaders or pacman on an old style machine - not the most exciting games out there, but definitely my era as a young teen.

To make a pub work you need regular custom. Your idea is going to attract a fair number of one-off visitors but the chances of them coming more than a couple of times (or once) is slim. You'll have the cost of staff, rates, insurance, licence to play music & serve alcohol.... You'll lose money. Nice idea, but not workable unless you're a millionaire able to treat it as a hobby.

I have to agree with AlexDrake and Nike, sorry.

Sure it sounds like a fun idea but there's no money in pubs anymore. To make a profit it needs to be somewhere that is CONSTANTLY busy. A few folk in during the week and then busy a Friday and Saturday night just won't cut it.

And as already pointed out, it will cost a fortune to refurb. And if your target market is folk that will appreciate the 80s theme then surely most of them will have to spend their cash paying mortgages and won't be able to go out at night as they'll be looking after kids?

Look up figures for the amount of pubs closing every week.

I don't want to rain on your parade but I think you'd be a fool to plough your own money into this.

Listen to your head here, not your heart and it's fond memories of 80s social clubs. It was a different time then. Most men went to the pub most nights after work, that doesn't happen now.