The end of (some) UK B&Ms?

[RobBooth]

I was in my local B&M last weekend. It's a great shop if you're ever up this way - Cuban Cigar Club - Newcastle.
I really enjoy going in and smoking a cigar in their lounge as I don't permit myself to smoke in my own home. I'll ocasionally go in before a match if it's too cold to smoke outside, or a couple of times a year with a friend.

Anyway, I digress, I bought and smoked 2 cigars, a Davidoff Winston Churchill Robusto (?24) and a Partagas C3 (?27). Marque / LE aside the prices generally aren't cheap (Fonseca no 1 ~?19 IIRC). Their aged / interesting stock doesn't normally attract a premium which is good though the manager does keep his 'precious' hidden away.
Talking with him he was saying his lease is up in a couple of years and that got me thinking. With the ever increasing taxes etc. I wonder how much longer he'll be in business. He was busy on Sunday but it was just before New Year and the other times I'm in he's generally quiet.
I read on a FB forum that a shop had closed in York? this week and another shop recently closed somwhere else as the owner retired. As a kid I remember visiting the tobacconist in our local small town and loved the smell but they really are dying out and without a stream of more well-heeled customers maybe I'll soon have to travel further (a lot further) to enjoy a cigar in a lounge.

[Puro]

Hi Rob,

I love the CCC in Newcastle, I'm originally from that area and always go in for a smoke when I'm around. Thankfully it always seems busy in there.

My fear is that we will lose these establishments due to tobacco tax over here being exorbitant, pushing customers to purchase online or from abroad. There will always be a group of well paid individuals who can afford to use these places regularly but I'm not sure if there are enough to keep businesses like these afloat outside of the larger cities. Fortunately for the CCC they do have an online store so perhaps the company will continue to trade if they ever lose the shop.

If the taxes continue to rise this hobby will become increasingly difficult to access, I'm just fortunate to travel a lot with work and be able to purchase at favourable rates.

Just my opinion.

Regards,

Puro

(hopefully I've not broken forum rules with this post)



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[ha_banos]

Nah no rules broken there I think.

This is the way over here perhaps. Although apparently sales generally are up! Mitch has added a Lambo to his entourage I think I saw a Twitter post. Although they are the biggest retailer/online in the UK by far I guess.

Be interesting to keep our ears open to see. Anything new opening up anywhere?

[RobBooth]

CCC's online prices are cheaper than in-store maybe by about 10 / 15%. The store owner has another shop in Carlisle from what I remember.

I don't think Mitch will ever have a problem!

[ha_banos]

CCC's online prices are cheaper than in-store maybe by about 10 / 15%. The store owner has another shop in Carlisle from what I remember.

I don't think Mitch will ever have a problem!

lol his "problem" seems to be only how to kill off any remaining competition!

[Paul K]

That's a real shame, I visited Sautter's in Mayfair and was surprised to see a row full of chairs with cigar smokers in them. I would have loved to stay and smoke one with them joining in the friendly banter, but I had my son with me who was more interested in the cars he was seeing.

There is only one kinda smoking tent in Edinburgh that I know of, and no where else you can go except out your backdoor to enjoy a cigar with like minded people which is a bummer if you ask me.

I remember you could smoke anywhere you wanted to. No in Scotland ye cannae. Most of the Cigar shops have shut down except Robert Graham.

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[RobBooth]

That's a real shame, I visited Sautter's in Mayfair and was surprised to see a row full of chairs with cigar smokers in them. I would have loved to stay and smoke one with them joining in the friendly banter, but I had my son with me who was more interested in the cars he was seeing.

There is only one kinda smoking tent in Edinburgh that I know of, and no where else you can go except out your backdoor to enjoy a cigar with like minded people which is a bummer if you ask me.

I remember you could smoke anywhere you wanted to. No in Scotland ye cannae. Most of the Cigar shops have shut down except Robert Graham.

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Sad times indeed. I wonder if there'll be the cigar equivalent of speakeasies?

[ha_banos]

Sad times indeed. I wonder if there'll be the cigar equivalent of speakeasies?

There's been a lot of talk of [MENTION=13402615]PeeJay[/MENTION] s hut at the moment.

[Puro]

Personally I'd like to see us take a similar stance to mainland Europe and allow indoor smoking in segregated, well ventilated areas in pubs/bars. Lower taxes would obviously be nice too but a warm place to smoke and chat is more important to me.

I had the pleasure of smoking a CoRo in a bar in Belgium a couple of months ago in a cozy upstairs smoking room and I just sat there wishing I could do the same closer to home. There are no nearby lounges to me as far as I know and so I smoke alone in the garden mostly *tiny violin playing* haha

Puro


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[RobBooth]

Personally I'd like to see us take a similar stance to mainland Europe and allow indoor smoking in segregated, well ventilated areas in pubs/bars. Lower taxes would obviously be nice too but a warm place to smoke and chat is more important to me.

I had the pleasure of smoking a CoRo in a bar in Belgium a couple of months ago in a cozy upstairs smoking room and I just sat there wishing I could do the same closer to home. There are no nearby lounges to me as far as I know and so I smoke alone in the garden mostly *tiny violin playing* haha
Puro
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CCC is pretty close to me but not always convenient as I need to get home for my dog after work. Most of my smoking is done in the garden too which means I'm not smoking very little at the moment

[K444HEP]

Interesting topic; I saw a video on YouTube this week that may give a slightly different perspective. Shave and Coster over in Reading was purchased six months ago by Havana House, along with another independent tobacconists. Could it be that the larger companies out there might swoop in and buy out independent owners at a time when they would otherwise be looking at unmanageable/unsustainable profit/loss margins? On the plus side, I guess we retain some B&Ms if this happens, but there is something special about the smaller independent shops. Each one is different and has it's own quirks; the chains all tend to look and feel the same.

[grumpybaldy]

Shave & Coaster - nice little shop; family run, very friendly. Hope they got something out of it.

[grumpybaldy]

* Coster

[Shaun]

I expect they will survive in affluent areas, elsewhere they will die out.

[K444HEP]

Shave & Coaster - nice little shop; family run, very friendly. Hope they got something out of it.

From what I understand, the old proprietor is retiring having sold the business with the general staff staying on.