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[Ollie]

a fine local pub. I noticed in the aberdeen record that it's being bought over. Will it still be much the same, does anyone know?

[Dave]

It's changed hands several times in the last few years, and it's more or less kept the same character as before every time. It's far too successful to make radical changes to it, although there are a lot of murmurs that it isn't nearly as good as it used to be.

[Skamikazee]

When i clicked on this thread I thought it might be about this dodgy fellow:


Alas, it seems we're talking about the pub

The Prince of Wales has gone a little downhill in recent years in my experience, the food was pretty bland last time I went, but that was a fair few months ago. Still seems to draw a fair crowd though. Hopefully the new owners can improve the food a bit, not much else needs changing in there.

Speaking of real ale pubs, has anyone been out to the Marine in Stony? Went there recently with a friend who lives out there and it was a good laugh, great selection of Ale and whiskeys and a great atmosphere.

[Metarie]

The Prince needs a good clean, it is a good pub but it's getting pretty worn down and there are huge holes in the walls, not to mention the mass amounts of fruit flies buzzing around the place.

It probably won't change much, I thought it got bought over a few years ago though? Maybe it's not as successful as it seems?

hope it stays eh same

[daveofficer]

Originally Posted by Skamikazee

When i clicked on this thread I thought it might be about this dodgy fellow:


Alas, it seems we're talking about the pub

The Prince of Wales has gone a little downhill in recent years in my experience, the food was pretty bland last time I went, but that was a fair few months ago. Still seems to draw a fair crowd though. Hopefully the new owners can improve the food a bit, not much else needs changing in there.

Speaking of real ale pubs, has anyone been out to the Marine in Stony? Went there recently with a friend who lives out there and it was a good laugh, great selection of Ale and whiskeys and a great atmosphere.

yup, went there just after it reopened and it's improved a huge amount. very good pub.

[get lost]

Full of Middle Class Social Worker types, not my thing man!!!

[Chris]

If it's bought by Belhaven as someone told me then expect it's selection of real ales to be swiftly replaced by Abbot Ale, Greene King IPA and other beers from the limited Greene King (Belhaven's owners) portfolio. It's a tactic they've been using in England for some time and they've done it in other pubs in Aberdeen (Ma's pretty much only stocks Greene King ales and Belhaven Best now):
AF&RM CAMRA - The Campaign for Real Ale - Green King - The Villains?

[Lucky Rathen]

I've never been that enamoured with he place to honest, it has about as much atmoshpere as the moon and it seems kind of dirty.

It sold a couple of years ago in a bundle with Estaminet, Ministry and Paramount if I remember correctly. They ruined Estaminet, it used to be a brilliant little late night club, brilliant DJs every night, great atmoshpere, it's absolute shite now, completely empty, they've now resorted to putting A4 black&white word documents in all the windows advertising the fact that they are open late, it'll be gone in 6 months, mark my words.

[Dave]

It wasn't bundled with Paramount and Ministry. A company called Scotia bought up the Prince, The Bells, O'Donoghues and Estaminet from private owners, and consequently went bust when it transpired that the Prince was the only one actually making a profit. The Marr Brothers, of Dundee FC fame bought some of the pubs after Scotia went into liquidation, and now it seems they're on the market again.

Praying for it to become an independent again, but Belhaven has had their eyes on it for many a year, so I fear it may sadly become one of their not-bad-but-missing-something-vital chain.

Estaminet/Bruin will be extremely fortunate if they make it through the summer. They're only open Friday and Saturdays these days, and even then they're really dead.