Tuesday 15 March 2011

Sad News

I've just woken up to the sad news that the Beer Ritz shop in Leeds has ceased trading.
I never got the opportunity to visit the shop myself but I know plenty of people that have and I know a shop just like it and it was one of these places that you could probably stare at the shelves for hours trying to decide which great beers you wanted to buy.

There are a couple of reasons I wanted to post about this.

Firstly there's the human element, Both Zak and Ghost Drinker have their blogs, they have both visited The Rake at various times and although I missed Ghostie when he came in I consider him and Zak 'mates'. The world of craft beer is very small you see and this news almost comes like the news of a death in the family.
I wish every one involved in Beer Ritz all the best for the future, having worked in a pub years ago that closed down, I know how gutted they will all be. I really hope this current cloud over the British beer scene has its own silver lining.

Secondly  if the 'beer world' or 'craft beer scene' is to turn into a proper 'craft beer revolution' then these British Isles need places like Beer Ritz and Utobeer and other places like them to thrive and it's tragic that we seem to have lost another venue that was close to so many peoples hearts.

Good luck and best wishes.

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Hear, hear.

Ben said...

That's truly awful news. :(

The Beer Nut said...

Well said!

And a stark reminder that we all need to support the pubs and shops that sell the beers we like, because some day we may wake up to find them gone too.

Best wishes to all at Beer Ritz.

alex@ALLBEER said...

Shit. Bad news indeed.

Totally agree with Glyn's comments.
All the best to Zak the the team...

Rob Derbyshire said...

Terrible news and a big loss.


Check out my tribute blog.

Beer Ritz - A sad farewll
http://hopzine.com/?p=2508

Anonymous said...

It's not uncommon for basically sound businesses to fail because of poor financial controls – was this the case here, or was it genuinely due to declining trade?

Cooking Lager said...

I share the sentiments. Sad news and all the best to the guys. Niche shops add to consumer choice and it would be great to see it come out of administration.

arn said...

yes, all the best to Zak and Ghostie.
I loved watching the videos that Zak did from the shop, very entertaining.

Ghost Drinker said...

Thanks for this Glyn. And it should be stated that it was not through fault of not doing enough trading. We had been growing bigger and bigger every year. I'll have to come to London to get my beers now.

rabidbarfly said...

Ghostie, you guys are very welcome. I think the level of sadness about this is higher than a lot of people expected. All the best.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Barm said...

Beer-Ritz has been saved: http://ghostdrinker.blogspot.com/2011/03/were-back.html