Why do I need £699,000? Too buy a Bradford institution, the New Beehive public house, on White Abbey that's why. It is the last great pub left in the vicinity of the city centre, an Edwardian jewel, that retains it's early 20th century interior, right down to the gas lighting. It is by far my favourite boozer in the local Metropolitan, and it has been put up for sale. Of course, as you would expect of a business that also boasts 15 rooms to let, and a cellar/night club facility that can accommodate up to 450 punters, it isn't cheap, but to be honest it isn't that expensive, if you consider that it is a freehold, and that one would take ownership of the whole building, it's outside beer garden, and car park. In fact, it is probably a bit of a bargain. That of course is down to it's major drawback. Location. There is, quite literally bugger all near it. Yes it is close enough to warrant passing trade on match days at Bradford City, and with regular soul and comedy nights in the cellar, plus a fairly loyal clientele, it is not a basket case either. It advertises a turnover of £450k a year, of which just over a £150,000 is net profit, but is this a figure that will dwindle, with the slow death of Bradford City Centre? I fear it could be. Apart from a few theme bars near the university, and a couple of bars near Centenary Square, my home town is not a destination that attracts many. The more you look into it, and think pragmatically about what could be achieved by buying the place, as to investing in another area, it makes absolutely no sense what so ever. In fact, anybody with a modicum of business acumen would run a mile from this kind of venture.
But I am not a person possessed of such traits. A die hard romantic day dreamer is what I am, and a more worthy endeavour, as to save a slice of true Yorkshire culture, does not spring readily to mind. Whilst the loopy council conspire to tear down another Bradford land mark (the Odeon) and replace it with yet another faceless concrete office block, destined to remain empty, which will be in turn demolished twenty to thirty years hence, and a preposterous city centre lake that only they want to see built, my wish is to preserve something that can never be replicated. Something worthwhile, and something that folk want kept. Sure making a few quid along the way would be nice, but let's be honest, running this place would not make me millions. What it would make me is happy, and if, with a bit of luck, and ton of hard graft, proud that just maybe I might have done something to be remembered by, when my time in this life is up. I know it is a pipe dream, but if by some miracle, some geezer out there has several hundred grand spare, and stumbles across this post, feel free to get in touch. Failing that, a miracle lottery win would come in nice.
