The Linny closed.
- Thread starter Scrug
- Start date
Read about it elsewhere. It was my first "local" in the 70s and early 80s. So many good memories. Landlord Roy, first time I went up to the bar as an underage drinker he said "What can I get you Sir?" . I turned round to see who he was talking to. The beer garden on a sunny summer's day was a great place to be. My parents drank in the tap room for years.
Hap
Well-known member
Yeah I remember Roy. I was at school with his daughter, but he didn’t seem to know, thankfully *winky thing*
I don’t really regularly go out to pubs on evenings at all now, but it was my Friday night for decades until quite recently…
Scrug
Well-known member
I went to Kirby college because I was a problem child and the only course I could get on was Travel & Tourism. Didn’t make the majority of my afternoon lessons because I was pickled on Ayingerbrau. Put hairs on your chest that stuff
Scrug
Well-known member
Even named yourself on here after it. My thoughts are with you.
Wiseman_Vaughn
Well-known member
Last day of term before Christmas was always fun. A mix of art students, hairdressers and sammy smiths was a potent mix
sadgit
Well-known member
It was the summer I left school so either 85/86 and I was 15. My parents were friends of Roy and I walked up and asked for a pint of lager (probably my last ever as I found brown ale) He looked at me and said "you are almost 18 aren't you?" Them were the days. I lived on Oxford Road and I spent most nights in there with a pint (or just coke) playing pool and beating all that dared to play me :)
Amazing jukebox, 2 pool tables, pinball, quiz machines, god I loved those years. Even though my anxiety was sky high, being a great pool player was one hell of a mask :)
On The Bob
Well-known member
My mate sent me this last night. He has family that go in there from time to time.
I went in last summer on a really warm summer’s evening and it was dead. Years ago it used to be absolutely packed. Used to love a warm summers night in The Linny.
I went in last summer on a really warm summer’s evening and it was dead. Years ago it used to be absolutely packed. Used to love a warm summers night in The Linny.
TeessideCleveland
Well-known member
The owners have made the Sam Smiths pubs ones we don’t bother with any more
No use of mobile phones , price increases , taxis chased if not got in at once , no music no tv. We used to go all the ones in Boro and Stockton
No use of mobile phones , price increases , taxis chased if not got in at once , no music no tv. We used to go all the ones in Boro and Stockton
On The Bob
Well-known member
Very difficult to turn around underperforming pubs when the Management have hands tied behind their backs. Competition these days means you need to do things to attract punters. Sammy Smiths are so hell bent on staying in the past that the struggling ones will continue to do so.
The Endeavour is my local and that changed hands a few years back when a new brewery came in. The people that run it now are always doing stuff every single day - prize draws, quizzes, darts competitions, live bands etc. they’ve completely turned it around. Not too bad for what essentially, is just an estate pub.
Not a chance any of that would be allowed in a Sammy Smiths. Some of my wife’s family have been in The Cooper twice over the years when Humphrey came in for a check up. Both times he seen things he didn’t like, argued with customers then spat his dummy out and shut the pub. Can’t keep doing that and expecting people to go back.
BobUpnDown
Well-known member
Exactly, crimbo last day of Kirby was excellent in the Linny, then off down to Madison for a spot if Day Clubbing.. great times..
Humphrey’s world: how the Samuel Smith beer baron built Britain’s strangest pub chain
Since the 1970s, Humphrey Smith has acquired scores of pubs and historic properties around the UK. But time after time, he has left the buildings empty. Why has he allowed his empire to moulder?
www.theguardian.com
It's a shame about the Linny, it was my local for many years, although I think I've only been in once since I moved back to the area and it was dead. It was a weekend evening as well.
What a twwat that Humphrey smith is
ThatFragranceGuy
Well-known member
I used to process applications and withdrawals for those courses there for a job in early 2000's - I believe from the grades attained you had 3 choices - travel & tourism, catering or health & beauty.
Seems as long as you had a pulse, you could get in one of those, and churn rate / transfer between courses really high especially in early weeks.
Imagine opening that at 4pm. Just casually move out by the end of the day
Norman_Conquest
Well-known member
I'm not sure how long they expect to vacate the premises, but surely an afternoon is more than enough time to remove belongings.
Is Smith deliberately trying to run the company into the ground and push them into bankruptcy? I read @SE4 Red's article a while back and was astounded by the goings-on with Humphrey Smith.
sambaDTR
Well-known member
A lot of people who used the Linny started to go in the Dormans Club as you do not need to be a member in there now. The Dormans is like a Community Centre now with various rooms for snooker / pool, live music, weddings. £5 for the old folk which includes a Sunday Lunch, bingo and an artist is proving popular. They are one of the last few Clubs with live acts. See the “Dormans New” Facebook page. The Linny is living in the past. It was ok when it was cheap.
On The Bob
Well-known member
The blokes a disgrace and his treatment of others isn’t going to endear me into ever using his pubs again.
He talks about under trading, but as far as I can see, his own actions are what’s running these places into the ground. Good luck finding people who will want to run his pubs if that’s how he treats people as well.