Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Landlord calls time on city pub
Director says venue failed to generate enough cash
DUNDEE’S pub trade has been dealt a fresh blow after bosses at another venue announced it will close.
Deacon Brodie’s on Ward Road only opened its doors last summer.
Tom Alison, 63, director of the pub said there were a number of factors which had led to the closure.
He said: “The main reason is quite simply the business wasn’t making any money.
“We had started opening later and later as there simply wasn’t the demand to be open during the day.
“Although we had food on offer there wasn’t a case of folk from neighbouring businesses coming in for lunch.
“The culture of having an alcoholic drink for your lunch is now long gone and that’s probably had an impact on the lunch trade.
“We had limited success with ticketed music events but there are only so many of them you can run in any given week.”
The news comes just weeks after The Lab on Bell Street called last orders, only months after it opened.
Tom, who has four bar staff and two kitchen staff, said he didn’t know what the long-term future of the building was.
He said: “Our time in the premises will come to an end at the end of January.
“I don’t know if someone else will try to make a go of it but there simply wasn’t enough footfall coming into the premises to keep it going.
“The changes in the drink-driving laws have played a factor in the pub trade.
“I think people just don’t have the disposable income like they used to.
“If someone had money to invest, I’d tell them to stay well clear of the pub trade unless they were investing in one of the bigger city centre pubs — but even they, I think, have noticed a decline in footfall.
“We are gutted that we’ve had to make this decision but hopefully we can go out with a bang.”
City centre councillor Georgia Cruickshank said it was unfortunate to hear of the business closing.
She said: “We’ve lost a number of businesses in the city particularly around the Murraygate.
“The Disney Store, Monsoon and Dorothy Perkins have all left the city. It’s unfortunate to hear of this pub closing and I could see more businesses going.”