Calis Bar and Reataurant Association News Article

[farmer]

I have just read an article in the Aegean Independent newspaper entitled "Price Fixing In Calis Beach".
It would seem that some organisation called the Calis Bar and Restaurant Association  has, through its chairman, issued a decree as of May this year that ALL Calis Bars will adopt a common pricing policy with regards to the cost of Efes beer and bottled Water. And it would seem also to call for a general across the board increase of 15% for food items.

The unidentified source of this information ( or, this being Calis, rumour ) goes on to intimate that Anybody in that association selling for less will suffer the consequences [whatever they are] and Anybody not in the association will be reported to the association who will challenge that bar and "ensure they comply".

I once in the past challenged the ethics of a similar diktat from this Cabal, mainly with regard to the price of Efes, and it engendered a very lively and protracted debate on this site. Keith will remember it well, I'm sure!

I  did not subscribe to the previously stated arguments from this Cabal that an imposed increase in prices would automatically result in higher standards of service and conditions in Calis bars,  and  have not changed my mind since.

I know perfectly well who the leading light behind the Calis Bar and Restaurant Association is. I sincerely hope he does not get his own way in forcing or enforcing their demands.

As an Ex-Pat I realise that I cannot realistically challenge his efforts. Except of course, by affecting his business. And this would have to be done in a perfectly legal and proper manner, without " bad-mouthing" him or his business ethics.

Before I go into detail I would very much like to hear other CBF Forum's members thoughts on the Aegean Independent article.

[Highlander]

Adopting any common pricing policy (price fixing) is wrong in my view.

[Scunner]

quote:Originally posted by farmer

Keith will remember it well, I'm sure!

I most certainly do, I can't imagine CBF without these debates  

My opinion remains unchanged, I am against price fixing or cartels but when idiotic Brits put £20,000 or more into a bar that is gone within a year, things are seriously wrong. And there are more than a few examples of that. Competition is so fierce that people aren't making any money. How that is good for Calis is beyond me.

[Old Daffodil]

There are problems opening the Aegean Independant. Maybe it is me but I read someone else was having problems too.There was also a site which gave details on the Turkish Economy in English which was on the forum and that will not open either.

[milorni]

Yes Daffodil, that was me, i still can't open it to read it :-(

[lance]

Perhaps if we knew who it was we could stop going there,

[stoop]

Or maybe we should all support the ones who are not members - if there are any that dare stay out.

[Robw]

Isn't the problem that some bars etc charge to little for beer? Anywhere not making at least 50% GP is surely using the price as a lost leader which is detrimental to all others concerned!?

[farmer]

I would suspect that the only businesses in Calis that operate on a genuine 50% GP are those of the itinerant Sunglasses an Fake Perfume sellers. And at that, on a very low turnover.

I entirely agree with Keith that when idiot Brits put £20,000 or more into a bar that is gone within a year, things are seriously wrong. And in some cases competition is so fierce that people aren't making any money.  Well, in some cases that is.

It does seem to me to be that there are certainly no fewer Bars on Calis prom and main street area than there were some 5 or 6 years ago, and there has not been a great increase in the number of visitors. There has been a significant increase in the number of bars in the nether regions for example Baris Manco Bulvari and the Sunday Market area, and these newish business all seem to be prospering nicely. Probably due to good management practises.

Maybe the number of Bars in the Calis area now exceeds saturation point, and some of those on the prom and Calis centre area are not effectively managed, so go broke.





As I have said before - relating to prices - and not neccessarily just of Efes:D

When faced with equally convenient Petrol Stations in the UK, do you deliberately go to the one that charges the most per litre, so as to prevent the alternative from going out of business due to being " undercut ". ?

I just might use a filling station  in the UK which has dearer prices if I got a better service, say the sort of service you get here in Turkey where all the garages give attended service and offer a free car wash whenever you have a £10 or £20 fill up:
But in the light of the fact that this does not happen in the UK, I simply go for the cheapest price.

But in Bars here in Calis not all standards of service and "ambience" are the same. Which may, as well as in cases of poor management, account for why some Bars, charging almost identical prices for drinks and food, and in very similar locations, go out of business quite quickly.

[Piscoe]

Like most on here I do not condone price fixing by a "cartel" but if a well intentioned organisation was to offer price fixing as a solution to bars all to quickly going out of business then in theory that would work. All the bars and restaurants would be forced to concentrate on the whole experience and not just the cost. Those bars not giving the same level of experience would start losing money due to lack of custom so would be forced to break rank and reduce prices in the hope of gaining a bigger share of the market.

I personally would rather pay a few lira more and go to a place that works that little bit harder on ensuring I have a great time. From what I can tell most holiday makers are generally of the same mind. I guess the ex-pat fraternity might have a different view however.