QUICK VERDICT
Opportunity Type Amber Taverns Tied Tenancy Pubco Amber Taverns Google Rating 4.2 stars (19 reviews) Ingoing Cost £5,000–£15,000 estimated Working Capital Needed £15,000–£20,000 minimum Trade Character Elliott Street Tyldesley M29, hours to be confirmed, near-zero review base, new or recently rebranded Best Suited To Greater Manchester community operator with Tyldesley knowledge; Skenning Bobs is a highly distinctive pub name suggesting specific local cultural identity Shaun\’s Rating \[ \] Watch Out For DATA CORRECTION: The draft assigns this to \’Manchester M29 — Major northern city, Finance, media.\’ M29 is Tyldesley — a town of approximately 20,000 people west of Manchester in the Leigh area of Wigan Borough. It is not Manchester city centre in any sense. HOURS UNCONFIRMED: Operating hours are listed as \’to be confirmed\’ — this is a hard blocker. Do not sign without confirmed operating hours.
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This independent assessment was prepared by SmartPubTools using the following publicly available sources:
- Pub listing data: Amber Taverns published listings — availability, agreement type and rent figures sourced directly from the pub company's own website
- Google rating & reviews: Google Places API — ratings and review counts retrieved programmatically from Google Maps data
- Local population & demographics: ONS Census 2021 — population figures, age profiles and household data
- Local employment data: NOMIS Official Labour Market Statistics — employment rates and major local employer data
- Pubs Code information: Pubs Code Adjudicator (UK Government) — tied tenant rights and MRO entitlements
- Operator perspective: SmartPubTools is operated by a working pub landlord under a Marston's Community Retail Partnership at Teal Farm Pub, Washington NE38 — assessments reflect genuine first-hand operator experience
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THE LOCAL PICTURE
Skenning Bobs is at 166 Elliott Street, Tyldesley M29. Elliott Street is in Tyldesley town centre. Tyldesley is a small Greater Manchester town in the Leigh area of Wigan Borough — approximately 10 miles west of Manchester city centre, close to the East Lancs Road. The town has a post-industrial character shaped by coal mining and textile manufacturing.
\’Skenning Bobs\’ is an unusual name — it almost certainly has specific local cultural significance. \’Sken\’ or \’skenning\’ is Northern English dialect for \’looking\’ or \’squinting\’; \’Bobs\’ could reference a local character or place. The name is worth researching locally before opening — it may create a strong community identity connection or it may mean nothing to anyone. Either way, it\’s a memorable name that will attract curiosity.
19 reviews with no confirmed hours makes this difficult to assess. Build all projections from near-zero and do not commit without operating hours confirmed.
WHAT THE PUB IS
Operating hours are unconfirmed. This is a hard blocker for financial modelling. At 19 reviews with 4.2 stars this is either a very new pub or a recently rebranded one. The single available photo shows the interior suggesting a basic community pub fit-out on Elliott Street.
Do not sign without confirmed operating hours from Amber Taverns. Revenue projection, staffing model, and break-even analysis are all impossible without them.
THE AMBER TAVERNS DEAL
Amber Taverns tied tenancy. Request operating hours confirmation, the full tied price list, and P&L projections from Amber Taverns before any other assessment. Tyldesley\’s community market is price-sensitive; model honestly against achievable M29 retail prices.
FINANCIAL REALITY
Metric Estimate Ingoing Cost £5,000–£15,000 estimated Working Capital Required £15,000–£20,000 (building from near-zero) Agreement Type Amber Taverns Tied Tenancy Tied Supplies Yes — request full price list Break-Even Timeline 12–24 months building from near-zero HARD BLOCKER Operating hours unconfirmed — DO NOT SIGN without hours confirmed by Amber Taverns DATA CORRECTION M29 is Tyldesley near Leigh — NOT Manchester city; different market entirely
PUBS CODE RIGHTS — KNOW BEFORE YOU SIGN
PUBS CODE RIGHTS — KNOW BEFORE YOU SIGN
- Independent rent assessment — exercise your Pubs Code right before signing
- Request full P&L projections from Amber Taverns before committing
- Obtain Schedule of Condition at entry — protects you on dilapidations
- Get the full tied product price list before you agree terms
- Complete Amber Taverns pre-entry training (required)
- Right to a free Market Rent Only option assessment
- Right to independent legal and financial advice before signing
WHO THIS SUITS
A Greater Manchester community operator with Tyldesley or Leigh area knowledge once the operating hours are confirmed. The distinctive name may create genuine community identity opportunity. Minimum £15,000 liquid capital.
WHAT WORKS / WHAT DOESN\’T
WHAT WORKS
- The distinctive \’Skenning Bobs\’ name — memorable and likely locally significant
- Building from 19 reviews in a community that will respond to genuine local engagement
WHAT DOESN\’T WORK
- Signing without confirmed operating hours — this is a non-negotiable prerequisite
WHAT YOU NEED ON DAY ONE
Confirmed operating hours from Amber Taverns before signing. Then: EPOS configured, professional stocktaking from week two, community engagement from opening day.
GET YOUR NUMBERS RIGHT BEFORE YOU SIGN
Before you sign anything, know your numbers.
Pub Command Centre gives you real-time labour %, VAT and cash position from day one. £97 once.
https://smartpubtools.com/5684-2/