Is Singapore saturated with expat pubs?

[ksl]

Thanks for the feedback: that was the sort of response I was expecting.

Without naming businesses, I have indeed heard horror stories of pubs with plastic tree stumps as chairs. It sounds like you guys are after something akin to the old village hall for community projects combined with a flow of beer and tea.

It looks like Pyongyang is the place for me, unless other locations can be suggested?

Expat life is around one's own community when away from home with no real intentions of integration!

[aster]

Aren't pubs aimed at (though obviously not restricted to) a certain country in terms of general "theme" pretty popular? Boomerang, Brussels Sprouts, etc.

Well, those are aimed at Aussies and Belgians, my idea will be a place like "Handles Bar" which will be closing and moved off the Seletar Camp area... to maintain their moldy look.

Boomerang - yes, but not so much Brussels Sprouts - I'd be surprised if it was the Belgian community in Singapore keeping the place packed.

I still think it's a good way to go in terms of theme. Could even do an American-style bar and grill, and focus on sports too. I know Brewerkz can fill up with people intent on watching some gridiron or college hoops - not just because of the good beer but simply because there aren't too many places to watch US sports - but surely there's room for a more American-themed place.

[JR8]

Thanks for the feedback: that was the sort of response I was expecting.

Without naming businesses, I have indeed heard horror stories of pubs with plastic tree stumps as chairs. It sounds like you guys are after something akin to the old village hall for community projects combined with a flow of beer and tea.

It looks like Pyongyang is the place for me, unless other locations can be suggested?

A village hall? No that was just an internal laugh that went on a roll.

I think people are just tired of 'fake', and there is a lot of fake in Singapore.

Class works much better. Look at #5 Emerald Hill and the adjacent wine bar as good examples. Both places I am very happy to frequent...

[ev-disinfection]

JR8,
You go to No.5? I just went there recently, with a friend who is quite a regular there, the place is ok, except the service is not good, even for the regulars.

Yes we should also have all the sports channels there..... US, Aussie, EPL .... etc and will serve the different finger foods for the different sports events... like popcorns, chicken wings, cucumber sandwiches, prezels, beer nuts.... and you must litter the wooded floor with the shells.

Aster - you will be in charge of the cable entertainment.

[JR8]

JR8,
You go to No.5? I just went there recently, with a friend who is quite a regular there, the place is ok, except the service is not good, even for the regulars.

Yes we should also have all the sports channels there..... US, Aussie, EPL .... etc and will serve the different finger foods for the different sports events... like popcorns, chicken wings, cucumber sandwiches, prezels, beer nuts.... and you must litter the wooded floor with the shells.

Aster - you will be in charge of the cable entertainment.

I like the feel of the old building, and it is one of my original haunts that has not been demolished and rebuilt as some puke-inducing pastiche of what it had once been (example: what they did to Saxophone Bar at Cuppage). It is true service is slow, but otherwise I like the place...

[Plavt]

SE / MS / Plavt / WIMH / Anne ...
please advise the board, what you roles would be...

Chief Guiness and wine taster, you do of course realise I would have to take work home with me......

[ev-disinfection]

SE / MS / Plavt / WIMH / Anne ...
please advise the board, what you roles would be...

Chief Guiness and wine taster, you do of course realise I would have to take work home with me......

Oh dear, i am a Guiness drinker myself, i can be your assistant (in case you need a second opinion)

I bet i can take more work home than you.....
or we can add a room with 2 beds in the back, and double up as security guards.

[nakatago]

I just thought this would be relevant: http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/03/gu ... ecake.html

[BillyB]

Thanks for the feedback: that was the sort of response I was expecting.

Without naming businesses, I have indeed heard horror stories of pubs with plastic tree stumps as chairs. It sounds like you guys are after something akin to the old village hall for community projects combined with a flow of beer and tea.

It looks like Pyongyang is the place for me, unless other locations can be suggested?

A village hall? No that was just an internal laugh that went on a roll.

I think people are just tired of 'fake', and there is a lot of fake in Singapore.

Class works much better. Look at #5 Emerald Hill and the adjacent wine bar as good examples. Both places I am very happy to frequent...

+1

Couldn't agree more. A lot of Singapore is all fur coat and no knickers. Half the people here would wear a gold dog turd round their necks if it was made by Louis Vuitton or Chanel.

I do drink in Harry's at times, but Emerald Hill or even Cuppage are far more cleaner, offer a better selection of food and drinks, and are far less pretentious with better and faster service.

[ecureilx]

Thanks for the feedback: that was the sort of response I was expecting.

Without naming businesses, I have indeed heard horror stories of pubs with plastic tree stumps as chairs. It sounds like you guys are after something akin to the old village hall for community projects combined with a flow of beer and tea.

It looks like Pyongyang is the place for me, unless other locations can be suggested?

I got to admire the frank comments After all, being an expat, you get to see the bar scene from different eyes ..

I have a close friend, who owns and manages almost a dozen bars here, directly or indirectly (with partners) and he still has a positive outlook for the bar scene.

After all, location matters, and the majority of his customers are expats, and a reasonable proportion are those passing by Singapore.

To be honest, I still remember his words, when I worked in his bar a few years ago - "I prefer to sell bear in jugs than whiskey in bottles - as the former tend to finish up and overall bring in more revenue / profit, than those who buy bottles, unless the bottle guys are the type who don't park the bottles and bottom-up it .. "

Well, on a side-note: I did wet my hand trying to run a bar, and I did last for 3 months .. before calling it quits and 50K down the drain ..

And you can actually put up a decent bar for the amount you quoted.

PS: the good friend of mine mentioned that outside Singapore, there are very few countries where you can run a bar 'alone' - from Indonesia to Philippines, to Thailand, to Malaysia, 99.9% of the time, if you are successful, the natives will want a cut of the profit and you will have unwanted partners who will make sure your profit gets thinned out until you wonder what you are doing .. After all, that is one reason why guys are willing to put money in Singapore, compared to other countries in the region ..

[ev-disinfection]

Hmmmm, think that we should include some bedrooms for short term rentals and a rental storage area for furniture. (but might be more feasible to tie up with apartment owners / agents and storage companies.

You know, we can also provide assistance to all expat who needs to buy / rents a place, and because we are a club, the owners / agents won't be able to play punk / over charge...etc (Nak's post)(for a fee of course).

Also, provide counseling services to those who have been infected by the Asian Jungle fever.

What do you think guys........ will this community club idea "The Forum" work?

[ecureilx]

What do you think guys........ will this community club idea "The Forum" work?

Start with a new name Forum ?? HPL / Mr Ong Beng Seng will not be happy .. ha ha .. how about 'e-forum' ??

You know, copyrights and such things which are beyond my brain's capability ..

[ev-disinfection]

What do you think guys........ will this community club idea "The Forum" work?

Start with a new name Forum ?? HPL / Mr Ong Beng Seng will not be happy .. ha ha .. how about 'e-forum' ??

You know, copyrights and such things which are beyond my brain's capability ..

Well, since you posted, it got me thinking.... we should call it as it is.....
"Foreign Talent club" (Always reminds me of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout) or Culture Club or Expats Home or Expats, Singapore Chapter (afterwich we will start more chapters in every major city)
We can find a good name.... no problems with that.

Also, if all the registered people here each contributed, say SGD 100.00,
we can start looking for a place, talking to designers... next week.

SMS can be in charge of Overall direction and Finances, and start collecting the funds from the "Founding Members"

[seattle]

hmmm.. maybe something a clubbing site online might work better.. i have an idea! we can partner up!

[sundaymorningstaple]