Your opinion: Buying a house next door to a Pub

paddy's_mum

I once lived directly across the road from a 400 year old small town pub. Lovely building, loyal cadre of regular old boys, and a local landmark. Then it was bought by a pub meals chain, of the Wetherspoon type. We endured weeks of constant and ear-splitting noise, penetrating dust and workmen's foul language while the building was "re-styled".

Once opened, it had a licence to continue to serve food and alcohol until midnight which meant that on many occasions, people would leave other pubs at 11 pm and then come here to order a late meal. They often didn't leave until 1 am - not funny when you've got a gaggle of 'screaming with laughter' drunken girls all slamming their car doors with abandon into the small hours.

Then the really bad behaviour began. An earlier post by Juliescot (?) had it right. We had used condoms thrown into the garden; people defecating in the access alleyway; drunk men having piddling contests into the gutter outside the house; flaming rows or punch-ups taking place directly beneath our windows - you name it, we and our near neighbours endured it. So bad did the situation become that the Police backed a neighbourhood application to the local magistrates court that the pub's liquor licence not be renewed.

We chose to move, selling the house to a young couple who were thrilled to have such a "great venue" right on their doorstep. Whether they still thought the same after constant broken nights or when their children came along, I never bothered to find out.

I'll give the OP three guesses what was at the very top of our check-list when househunting ever afterwards! So .. would I buy the house described? :eek: NO!

Hermia

I rent a flat on the same road as a pub and would never, ever buy a house near a pub. People urinate and vomit on the front step and there are fag-ends and bottles all over the garden. We have also had problems with arson. Every weekend for four months we had our bins/fences/anything flammable set light to. The police launched an investigation and it turned out to be a group of regulars from the pub. The pub used to be a nice place and we'd just get woken up from people shouting as they staggered home. It changed ownership and has now attracted a much rougher crowd.

warehouse

A pub near me changed hands last year. The quiet pub garden suddenly turned into a kids playground and the local residents went bananas. Kids screaming and shouting well after 11pm every night during summer.

Run away from it.

mlz1413

I used to live 2 away from a pub which was no hassle or problem, the pub had its own car park which wasn't connected to any gardens and this was pre the smoking ban.

I think now I would be concerned because all smokers have to be outside so all year round there will be a noise and smoke issues to connected neighbours. Also many pubs are closing down so the re-use of the site needs considering - ie will it become a dozen flats?

Re-sale will always be an issue as everyone is going to ask the same questions you have, so have a look at how long the house has already been on the market, if the price is cheaper than neighbouring houses and the history of the house sales.

If this is to be a long term home and you like the house, the pub and the neighbourhood then buy it for those reasons and accept the houses position.

barnaby-bear

Running_Horse wrote: »

Cambridge? Must be if it's £275,000 for a terrace.

We lived opposite a Cambridge pub and never had any trouble, but I still wouldn't buy one now. Must just be getting old and intolerant. I'd be more worried about having students for neighbours.

If it's Cambridge, might well be the one next to the Cambridge Blue, which has historically been a no smoking pub but may well change now most are - not sure what the garden policy was/is.... looking at the google street view images the house next to the pub (which is for sale) has a large hand written sign about not leaving bikes against their windows (funnily the signs not there in the estate agent photos!), it's not a rowdy pub but knowing it reasonably well - usually piles of bikes against the nearby walls so cracked windows probably a high chance and there will be lots of standing around chattering at 11:25pm while people faff with bikes. It'd be ok if you have no kids and don't go to bed before 11:30pm or are heavy sleepers. People do pee in the alley next to that end house though.

Running_Horse

Looks like a busy but well run pub. Wouldn't mine being a few doors further away.
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/26/2608/Cambridge_Blue/Cambridge
See what you mean about the bikes though.

pjcox2005

I'd probably consider the type of pub that was next door - so how busy it is, type of customers etc. and whether this is something that would bother me. I would also probably have a think about the property being brought - are the rules thick so unlikely to hear noise, windows double glazed etc.

Given the above, then I may view it as a negative or positive. To an extent I think pubs can add a bit more atmosphere/community to a place.

I appreciate others have said that it may restrict buyers should you come to sell, however, this is presumably already the case and taken into the valuation of the house so you shouldn't be 'losing' money as it won't be a new feature.

I also appreciate that pubs can and do change (as others have mentioned) but so can anywhere...a bad neighbour moving next door (which would be unregulated), a new road, area going downhill due to high unemployment etc. I think whilst you should show some consideration to the future, you can't always make decisions on a what if basis.

So I think it goes back to the following:

Out of all the places you've seen is this your preference and do you feel you are paying the right price/one you can afford?

Rockporkchop

Absolutely not, never in a million years would I pay that much to live anywhere near a pub.

Read this old thread if you want further reasons for not buying.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=523115&highlight=smoking+area+house+next+door

Would love to have an update on that thread.

Jewel_2

I have a lovely story about living by a pub (mid terraced, two doors down). Lovely area, nice people. I had a baby and my OH (now ex!) used to be away on business. The landlord and his dog used to keep an eye on me, and make sure I was OK. I knew he was around all the time if I needed him (bless). It was in a lovely village, and there was the occasional drunk, but he knew the local bobby and he dealt with the trouble himself. When my daughter was old enough, she used to go in the pub and get an ice-cream from him, and take his dog for a walk. When I bought it, everyone (esp parents) thought we were mad, but I have so many happy memories of walking past, going for the odd drink, knowing everyone and generally feeling part of the community.

He is, however, retiring next year, so perhaps I wouldn't buy it now under different circumstances. The thing to remember is that pubs are struggling, so they have to find additional ways to make money (he did pig roasts, firework displays etc), but you could have someone who did something really noisy.

I really think it depends on the area and what the surrounding clientele is like and what they would want to see in a pub. If the pub can get money from loads of youngsters, then it is likely to become louder as time goes by. But a local pub with lovely people around who like walking their dogs and going for a drink - I think that's fine.

Yafeng

We thank everyone for posting your opinion here. We've made our minds up not to make an offer, which is apparently what the majority of the posts here suggest. Many thanks again!!