Cratos 'pub' in Catalkoy

bernie


Joined: 18/01/2010
Posts: 11

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 16:34

I went into the new Cratos North Shield 'pub' today to see what they had created for us Brits as thay had advertised it extensively in Cyprus Today as a venue ostensibly to make us feel 'at home'!

I ordered a draught Becks, ' sorry that's off' said the pleasant English barmaid. 'Ok I'll have a bottle then' said I.

When It came up after she'd scrabbled about looking for a drip mat it was warm. The glass was cold but the beer was WARM. 'Sorry about that, I'll change it for a Budweiser, that should be colder' she said. It wasn't any better but I was getting a little frustrated by this time so I suffered it. Wanting to have a smoke I said 'I'll pay you for this and take it outdide' at which point she went to the cashier and came back with a tab of 12.50 Lira. Yes that's right 12.50 Lira for a 330ml bottle of warm Bud. I queried this of course and said I wanted to speak to the manager, along came a lady who said 'that's the pricing set by the owners and it's the same in all hotels'.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 16:48

It might be in their Hotel group but it's certainly not that price in other hotels here.

zerochlor


Joined: 03/04/2009
Posts: 4024

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 16:58

Budie ell !

MotoMoto


Joined: 15/02/2009
Posts: 152

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 17:21

Its going to be really busy with Brits - not!....

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 17:35

bernie

Did you expect any different? If you did then what would you expect for a high class hotel to charge you for your beer?

Oh and I forgot to add they are giving you a touch of the UK in the TRNC. If you want a little bit of the UK in the TRNC then be prepared to pay for it.

'Little Britain' does not come cheap anywhere in the world.

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 17:37

They do a gold card now for free that gives 25% off very reasonable considering

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 17:40

I told you the pricing would be 'unique'.



No matter how plush a 'Brit-feel' pub is 12:50TL for a small beer is simply too much.

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 17:45

Gin and tonic (International) (good Tonic Schweppes) 12.5TL then you will get 25% off about 9TL seems ok by me considering the surroundings. I liked it there.

Harold2555



Joined: 19/04/2008
Posts: 1139

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 17:59

Well I have been to 5 star Hotels in England and paid £7 for the equivalent bottle of Bud. t was cold though!





Harold

wanderer


Joined: 05/02/2009
Posts: 1653

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 18:05

Thats dearer than Ataturk airport how much would it have cost chilled obviously it has to be warm beer in a British pub )

CJtill


Joined: 02/05/2008
Posts: 836

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 18:07

You can go next door to The Paradise sports bar and pay a fraction of that price, while you watch Premiership football.

I know where I would rather be.

Michael

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 18:12

It is the usual situation with Brits, they want a British pub atmosphere in any country they go to but do not want to pay for it. First of all I would say if you do not like the prices that are being charged for your little bit of Britain then do not go. But my guess is that there will be plenty of punters wanting to get their 'Little Britain' fix.

AJ

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 18:22

If they served real British Beer you might be right - but Bud and Becks? come on!



Harold more fool you for paying £7 for a bottle of Bud. Although you don't say if the 5 star hotel had a 'British Pub' within it's confines....



I don't know of any British Pubs charging this sort of sum for what amounts to small bottled beers. If they do they are soon going out of business...



There is a genuine pub atmosphere in many of the establishments on the island... just calling it something sounding 'pub-like' doesn't make it so - only a convivial atmosphere can do that. I can't see there being much of a real pub atmosphere if only the most well-healed clientèle are attracted.

wanderer


Joined: 05/02/2009
Posts: 1653

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 18:44

AJ I've watched the carbuncle that is Cratos sprout up over the last few years from my balcony and have no desire to enter

I visit a son and daughter in the London area and get stuffed with over £4 a pint on occasions Wife and daughter £9 for two beers by the Thames in Kingston on a sunny afternoon

I have no desire to recreate or visit little Britain in a bar in the TRNC



In fact I now have a policy where if its over £4 I don't drink it or pay for it and if a larger that should be cold they can keep it

bernie


Joined: 18/01/2010
Posts: 11

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 19:12

I didn't pay forit even though it was offered at no charge after my complaint....I said it would leave a bad taste in my mouth.

LaptaMike


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 1679

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 19:39

A friend of mine stayed at a top hotel in New York last year. They charged the equivalent of £49 for a vodka and coke. Nothing special, just Smirnoff. He had about 4 of them and then got his bill ;-)

Pugwash


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 1797

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 22:02

Yeah Paradise that's real lovely, you would need to pay me to drink anything there! lol!

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 22:36

At least in the UK pubs must display a 'pro-forma' list of bar prices... so you know what the charge should be.

LaptaMike


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 1679

Message Posted:
06/09/2010 23:06

msg 18. Thats a legal requirement, to have licence to serve alcohol there has to be a price list.

Cannylass


Joined: 07/09/2010
Posts: 47

Message Posted:
08/09/2010 06:52

I went to the Cratos on Saturday and had a fab time, the staff were great, the wine was great, the food was great, what the hell are you all complaining about. I called in last night and picked up my discount card (25%) off and had a few beers, watch the England game, by the way the pub was full as they had 2 different games of footy on (England and Turkey). Great atmosphere, Efes on draught and it was cold, found out they are having their own kitchen built and will be doing pub grub, ploughmans etc, and paid less than 7tl for a pint of Efes. Get a grip guys this place is great, I will definately be a regular.

Lazy days


Joined: 24/07/2008
Posts: 847

Message Posted:
08/09/2010 07:08

Canny lass I note you have just joined the board and all your posts have been about cratos, any connection perhaps only curious

clifhanger


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 128

Message Posted:
08/09/2010 07:19

who is this pub/ irish bars core target ???



high rollers??



Do they really want to sit in a bar drinking effes ( no irish beers yet ) ?



SNOBBY Brits who want to pay through the nose ??

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
08/09/2010 08:10

Beer and footy... as I said before is hardly a unique selling point here.... the prices are pretty unique (high) though.

Turbo


Joined: 24/12/2006
Posts: 833

Message Posted:
08/09/2010 08:29

You want a pub? then why are you in Cyprus, didnt you move there to get away form all that?

Warm beer, the world thinks the Brits like warm beer (I know thats not true).



You ever had a coffee at an airport 5tl at least.....(a cup of hot water and a packet of nescafe)

Cratos is not for you if you look at menu prices....how much would you pay for a beer at the Ritz in London? this is the TC version..

I know I will get lots of flack fo rthis, but , seriously, people are not twisitng your arm to go, lots of other places to go to.. so go..

CJtill


Joined: 02/05/2008
Posts: 836

Message Posted:
08/09/2010 09:06

Cratos is third division compared to The Ritz.

Delusion everywhere you look.

What next?

Michael

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
08/09/2010 09:10

Turbo, you are right of course, nobody is twisting our arms to go...



I wouldn't pay airport prices either if you had a choice... but you are a hostage to fortune there as once through Security with the limit on liquids you don't have a real choice. It's not the same with Pubs... is it?



Time will tell whether the Catalkoy Flour-Mill/Glasshouse (that's what it looks like from the outside) can achieve the sleight-of-hand required to pull off a British pub with Ritz prices....



I would have thought a safer strategy would have been to start low and see how it goes. British pubs generally rely on what is termed a 'regular' trade to keep the winter months viable. With this pricing strategy, I just don't see that happening. The golf club tried it and had to reduce prices... and they didn't have as much local competition.

rcroton


Joined: 05/06/2008
Posts: 192

Message Posted:
08/09/2010 11:25

I think the place is great and when over am a regular, to call it a carbuncle is just daft especially if you have not been in. At east peope are investing in the place and internally, the pool and beach area are spot on.

Cannylass


Joined: 07/09/2010
Posts: 47

Message Posted:
08/09/2010 12:13

No I'm not connected, I just really like the place and I'm sick of Brits the complain all the time, if you are not happy here go back to England. These people worked really hard and I don't think it's their fault if they are undermined by senior management.