The Pub Next Door

MysteryMe

I wouldn't live in a ground floor flat next to a pub in a seaside town if you paid me.
It's one thing having a pub where the clientele are largely regulars but a pub where a large percentage are going to be visitors out to have a good time and no long term relationship to the pub or town is quite another. 

JuanBallOfWimbledon

I’ve not read all the replies, but my advice would be... don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it.

We live in a small seaside town, and once rented a house next door to a pub, on the seafront. It was a beautiful house and a beautiful view, we like a pub and were regulars at the ‘quiet’ pub we moved next door to. Happy days. Within a month we were desperate to move, it drove my wife to frustrated tears on several occasions and life was pretty stressful for the six months we were there.

The problems were those issues we didn’t even consider, and those we did consider but thought we could live with. As others have said, the deliveries of beer etc at daft o’clock in the morning, the clearing up and bottles being belted around at gone midnight, the infuriating, sanity testing ‘thump thump, twang twang, holler holler’ of the live bands, those sweltering summer nights when you can’t open your bedroom window because people are smoking right below (and not always just tobacco), the loud, obnoxious wailing and screech-like laughter of people leaving, the loud conversations people have on their phones right outside your door (not just for 2 minutes either, we once had a bloke shouting obscenities down his phone sat on our garden wall for THREE HOURS. The police didn’t want to know, nor did the landlady of the pub), the damage to our car/wall/garden/gate when fights broke out (only happened twice, but it was 2 times too many)... I could go on. 

The landlord/lady may seem approachable and helpful now, but they’ll only go so far to please you. Remember, people go to pubs to have fun, get drunk, and be loud. They pay good money to do so. No publican is going to curtail that for the sake of the neighbours, and once you make official complaints to other agencies, that’s a whole new can of worms opened when it comes to selling.

To this day I thank my lucky stars we were only renting and could up and leave after 6 months. Things you think you can live with can quickly test your patience and sanity. At the very least think very, very carefully. 

tink_1983

Honestly I would walk away. There is always another house. 
Don't get stuck with a flat your miserable in and potentially can't sell on or have to sell for a loss 

Mickygg

Don’t underestimate the saleability. Most people on here have said no don’t do it. I bought a property that I said was unique but pals told me I would struggle to sell. They were right it took on and off 2 years to sell, a nightmare as I really wanted to sell. 

I have lived next to a pub before, it was fine, yes occasionally noise in the garden but I didn’t care or listen out for it. It did struggle to sell though! I think the issue here is that you are obviously concerned so if you did move in any noise would seem much worse as you will be listening for it, assessing it, worrying about it. Of course it could turn out to be nothing. Its a gamble only you know if it’s worth risking. 

I really wouldn’t do it. I’ve bought too many houses with concerns in the past and regretted it. 

GDB2222

I think your sellers almost had an incredibly lucky break, selling next to a pub during lockdown. Let’s face it, they almost got away with it! Can you guarantee a lockdown when you want to sell?

Gizzypants_the_wonder_cat

JuanBallOfWimbledon said:

I’ve not read all the replies, but my advice would be... don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it.

We live in a small seaside town, and once rented a house next door to a pub, on the seafront. It was a beautiful house and a beautiful view, we like a pub and were regulars at the ‘quiet’ pub we moved next door to. Happy days. Within a month we were desperate to move, it drove my wife to frustrated tears on several occasions and life was pretty stressful for the six months we were there.

The problems were those issues we didn’t even consider, and those we did consider but thought we could live with. As others have said, the deliveries of beer etc at daft o’clock in the morning, the clearing up and bottles being belted around at gone midnight, the infuriating, sanity testing ‘thump thump, twang twang, holler holler’ of the live bands, those sweltering summer nights when you can’t open your bedroom window because people are smoking right below (and not always just tobacco), the loud, obnoxious wailing and screech-like laughter of people leaving, the loud conversations people have on their phones right outside your door (not just for 2 minutes either, we once had a bloke shouting obscenities down his phone sat on our garden wall for THREE HOURS. The police didn’t want to know, nor did the landlady of the pub), the damage to our car/wall/garden/gate when fights broke out (only happened twice, but it was 2 times too many)... I could go on. 

The landlord/lady may seem approachable and helpful now, but they’ll only go so far to please you. Remember, people go to pubs to have fun, get drunk, and be loud. They pay good money to do so. No publican is going to curtail that for the sake of the neighbours, and once you make official complaints to other agencies, that’s a whole new can of worms opened when it comes to selling.

To this day I thank my lucky stars we were only renting and could up and leave after 6 months. Things you think you can live with can quickly test your patience and sanity. At the very least think very, very carefully. 

Thank you so much for this considered response, its really helpful.  We are in danger of letting our hearts rule our heads and even though we know this town really well (or think we do), it is totally different living there.  We will give it some more very careful thought.  Thanks again.

gingercordial

NameUnavailable said:

Well in that case go for it. People won't be sitting outside in cold weather when they can choose to sit inside.

Some people do, including smokers but not just them.  My husband always sits outside even on the coldest days and has been annoyed this last year that everyone else is suddenly out there too.  I have had to toughen up!

I would assume the outside area is staying - they have paid for awnings, and also it will be in the back of the landlord's mind that there could be a new surge in cases, or even a whole other pandemic, so a beer garden of some kind is a must now.  

 

MysteryMe said:

I wouldn't live in a ground floor flat next to a pub in a seaside town if you paid me. It's one thing having a pub where the clientele are largely regulars but a pub where a large percentage are going to be visitors out to have a good time and no long term relationship to the pub or town is quite another.

That's a really good point.  I'm originally from a seaside town and yes, visitors are much more obnoxious than locals as they don't care, they don't need to stay on good terms with other groups or the landlord.  People on holiday feel entitled to have a good time and enjoy themselves even if that means being much louder than they would be back home.  They won't accept a telling off if they are being too noisy and equally the landlord won't want to risk bad reviews on Tripadvisor etc by enforcing quiet.  And oh god, the stag dos...

purplebutterfly

We live in a seaside town and rent next door to a very small bar that only serves locals (because nobody else knows it exists).  Our first floor bedroom backs onto this small, one room bar.  They only have a live music licence until midnight on Friday and Saturday, the rest of the time they close at 11pm.    The live music was fine for a few weeks but we soon realised that the act only knows the same few songs and repeats them ad nauseam, getting louder as the night progresses.  If you fancy getting to sleep before midnight at the weekend, forget it.  Even earplugs don't drown out the bass vibrations. 

We have to walk past their front/only door to get into our flat and the clientele are perfectly nice but very loud.  Smokers will be outside in ALL weather and tend to congregate in groups.

We haven't had any issues with the landlord or clientele and most of the time we don't hear a peep but we do get people coming down the path to our front door to vomit/eat takeways/deal a bit of weed.  

Honestly, I wouldn't buy next to a pub.  As I say, we live next to a small, one-room bar that is only used by locals and holds about 50 people so I can't comment on larger venues.   

The house we are buying does have a pub down the street and it did factor into our considerations when looking to buy.  If it had been a bit closer, we wouldn't have offered on the house. 

If you live in a nice seaside area it might be different.  I grew up close to Blackpool so I know first-hand how nightmarish tourists can be after a few pints. 

Best of luck with whatever you decide

Leggitte

I don't think it has been mentioned yet, but 'your wall' will become an outside toilet. 

Gizzypants_the_wonder_cat

Leggitte said:

I don't think it has been mentioned yet, but 'your wall' will become an outside toilet. 

Lol, it has been mentioned!  If they decided to take a p*ss there however, they would be standing right next to their table - the passageway is very narrow, still - good point, folk tend not to care when they've had a drink.