There’s
an interesting article here on the
Morning Advertiser website by Roger Protz discussing Robinson’s, our local independent brewer here in Stockport. It’s quite amusing how the former Trotskyite Protz has now become a cheerleader for the famously conservative-minded and indeed sometimes quasi-feudal family brewers. The Robinson family do give the impression of having a clear vision for taking the company forward and certainly aren’t willing to let it stagnate. But Oliver Robinson is surely correct when he says “Of our 400 pubs, 20% are doing well, 60% could do better and 20% are struggling.” It should be pointed out that, while the Arden Arms, which is something of a showpiece pub, may be busy on a wet Monday lunchtime, it’s unlikely that you would find anywhere near as many customers at that time in any of Robinson’s other pubs in central Stockport.
