The Firkin Pubs

[factormax]

Whatever happened to the 'Firkin' chain of pubs? They used to be all over London, and elsewhere, for all I know, with alliterative names such as 'The Frog and Firkin', 'The Fulmar and Firkin' etc. The company motto was something like 'Usque Ad Mortem Bibendum', which I believe roughly translates as 'Unto death through drink'. They sold real ales, a particularly potent brew springs to mind - 'Dogbolter'. Four pints of that and...the rest was history, as the saying goes! Splendid!

 

[antdad]

Full of pensioners smelling of wee nursing half a mild, so naturally turned into high street care homes.

 

[Tall_Paul]

Gosh you're going back some now! I can remember when one opened on West Street in Sheffield (replacing a much loved pub called 'The Beehive'). It too is long gone now.

 

[factormax]

Gosh you're going back some now! I can remember when one opened on West Street in Sheffield (replacing a much loved pub called 'The Beehive'). It too is long gone now.

Yes - this would have been the early eighties, I think.

 

[jds]

Gosh you're going back some now! I can remember when one opened on West Street in Sheffield (replacing a much loved pub called 'The Beehive'). It too is long gone now.

Now then... West Street, there's a place. Happy memories.

According to Wikipedia the Firkin brand was discontinued in 2001. The first Firkin opened in 1979 and the brand and chains were sold off in 1988. Rights were purchased by Punch Taverns in 1999. 110 pubs were sold off to Bass and the brewery side of the business wound up.

Of the remaining pubs most have been rebranded by M&B, however there are a handful of Firkin pubs still in existence.

Pint of Dogbolter, please!

---

Full of pensioners smelling of wee nursing half a mild, so naturally turned into high street care homes.

Aren't you thinking of Wetherspoon's?

 

[antdad]

Ooops sorry yes.

 

[Omp]

I used to frequent the one in Muswell Hill in the late 90's / early 00's. It was in a converted church. Was a great venue for a while. I think it became an O'Neills when the Firkin brand finished.
I've just had to look up the name. Must have killed to many brain cells in there! It was the Fantail and Firkin

 

[Scuba Steve]

I remember visiting a Firkin pub in Liverpool. It must have been around 1996. They had a range of 'Firkin' goods pinned to the wall above the bar.
One amusing item was a pair of ladies pants onto which the sloggan 'Make Mine a Firkin Large One' was printed.

 

[UKRob]

Rights were purchased by Punch Taverns in 1999. 110 pubs were sold off to Bass and the brewery side of the business wound up.

Pub companies - scum of the earth. They are the sole reason why many locals are out of existence.

A prime example of the 'laws of unintended consequences'. Local brewers being forced to divest managed pubs because of a presumed lack of competition - led to creation of Pub Companies who wanted the best of both worlds in terms of retained discounts on top of horrendous rents whilst forcing what had been managers to become leaseholders and foreclosing as soon as they couldn't stump up 3 months rent in advance.

 

[jds]

Rights were purchased by Punch Taverns in 1999. 110 pubs were sold off to Bass and the brewery side of the business wound up.

Pub companies - scum of the earth. They are the sole reason why many locals are out of existence.

A prime example of the 'laws of unintended consequences'. Local brewers being forced to divest managed pubs because of a presumed lack of competition - led to creation of Pub Companies who wanted the best of both worlds in terms of retained discounts on top of horrendous rents whilst forcing what had been managers to become leaseholders and foreclosing as soon as they couldn't stump up 3 months rent in advance.

The ultimate irony here is the brewers are now the Pub companies. Take Whitbread for instance. Formed in the late 18th century as a brewery and now are a brand owner who produce absolutely nothing.

It is sad indeed. My Dad who worked in insurance in Birmingham throughout the 60's, 70 and 80's often talked about visiting the Mitchell's & Butler's offices in Birmingham when they would serve beer in meetings. I don't think that M&B produce anything now - they just run brands.

Aaah, Brew XI....for men of the midlands.

 

[ollie9091]

You can still get Brew XL in the Midlands, I think brewed by Coors

 

[SirPrize]

[attachment=13989]Mine was called the Ferret & Firkin in Lots Road, Chelsea.
The full title was "The ferret and firkin in the balloon up the creek"
The previous name had been "The Balloon Tavern" because balloon ascents had taken place there in the 1800's when the area was known as Chelsea Creek.
I use to go there for the Murphy's Stout.
Nice place, all wood & brass, and someone had suspended a mobile of a hot-air balloon with a ferret peering out of the basket over the bar.

 

[Rufus]

There's a chain of 30 odd pubs in Ontario going under the name Firkin Pubs. I've never been in one, however.

 

[razorog]

I met my wife in The Fusilier and Firkin in Camden Town in '96. She then worked briefly as a barmaid at the Fairway and Firkin in Blackheath where she had a company t-shirt that read " I'm a Firkin Bar Steward".
There was one in Greenwich we used to frequent, but I can't remember the name..
Theres still one in Lewisham called the Fox and Firkin which is a great music venue.