Not really working though, Les. It seems a reasonable business plan. There comes a point however when you might as well sit at home with a bunch of cans and get pissed (reminds me of that great song that Maggie sings :)!!). What is happening is that Sams are attracting a small hardcore of drinkers who go to drink rather than anything else and losing the people who want something more than cheap beer and talking to the same handful of people each day.

Playing more music in a range of pubs this year has been interesting. Surprising how many people will venture out for something different. I spoke to a chap who used to run a Sams pub and now works in a pub near where I work. They put the right band for the pub on recently and tripled the turnover on that night. He will do it again - not every night but now and again and it will help build his trade. Sams managers don't have that option along with many other options they don't have.

Coupled with much of this is that they are also having problems attracting good managers. One local pub has a fantastic manager and he is attracting business and transforming stuff because of who he is. Another is struggling like mad because the manager has all the charisma of a dead mackerel.

Nice back of the head shot. I recently came across a recording of everyone singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' from some part of that weekend with many harmonies and it was rather good (including semitone key change for the last verse)