The Chang Thai on Market Street is a Ludlow institution. There is no where like it in Ludlow for its eclectic art, great food and loads of events. It plays to the mature customers in Ludlow but also, for those awake after nine at night at weekends, for younger people. One young woman I spoke to today said, “It was always our ambition as Ludlow kids. Get old enough for ID and go to the Thai.” It is a venue for our age. From mid-summer it will be a venue no more. The Thai is to close in a few months’ time.
We love this place. Adam Tutt and his team have worked so hard to make Chang Thai work. To combine good food, fun and art. To make the venue unique to Ludlow.
The closure is bad news for Adam, Emily and all the staff there. They worked flat out to create a venue that was comfortable, a little bit odd and served great Thai food. I am really sad as I have always enjoyed the Thai when it is busy and when it is quiet. Adam Tutt said:
Formerly a Wem Ales pub, the Globe, the Chang Thai created a new venue. We have enjoyed it ever since.
Punch Taverns will seek new managers. Punch is a company that seems to prioritise running spreadsheets for shareholder profit not running pubs for community benefit. It would be so much better if the Thai was purchased by people who wanted to run it as an independent business. The overheads from the major pub chains make running eclectic venues in small towns unprofitable.
We need places in Ludlow that are a bit off the wall. We would be a dull town if we become just like everywhere else.
The good news is that Adam and his team will still be at the helm at the Blue Boar.
What a terrible shame. This eclectic venue is part of Ludlow. As usual profit over something which is at the heart of what makes Ludlow unique.
This is terrible news Ludlow seems to be being set up to fail, by all at the moment.
All in the name of tourism.
Surely an increase in tourism would be very helpful for food and entertainment venues? In this occasion it appears to have more to do with pub chain greed though?
Very sad to hear this. Even though I moved away from Ludlow a few years ago, this is a definite ‘go-to’ every time I’m back. And yes, it’s a great place for all ages. My fondest memory is sitting in the garden during a summer monsoon, three ladies of a certain age, on the Espresso Martinis. We drank and laughed all night. In fact, it was such a good night, I took a pic of the receipt ‘Three Ladies: Espresso Martinis’ and turned it into three beer mats. Thanks for the good times, guys!
This follows on the closing recently of Golden Moments, another splendid and high quality restaurant. Both serve/served food from the east rather than “chain pub grub” and both will close as a consequence of unsympathetic landlords. Ludlow is heading for the bottom with regard to dining excellence, we need a Shaun Hill clone back to start another revival. We also need for the town to take over and “own” properties for the benefit of the community rather than allow “speculators/investors” to call the tune.
I entirely agree with everything you say, Andy. It’s rare enough for any pub operator to have some original vision, and Adam never stopped looking at new ways of presenting the Thai bar. He did amazingly well, especially considering the awful constraints of a Punch Taverns lease. Punch Taverns are an evil bunch who have done more to destroy the British pub than anything else.
I urge everyone to go to the Globe as much as possible before it closes and support the Blue Boar after that.
Very good luck to Adam, Emily and the gang.
great pub and venue, it will be a great loss to the town. Thanks to Adam Tut and staff for creating something uniquely creative and fun. The Chang Thai will be sorely missed.
Very sad. Well done Adam for creating a bit of interest and diversity in Ludlow’s ‘scene’, and keeping it alive for so long against the odds. Referring to one of the above comments – the good news is that I understand Golden Moments – a truly excellent Indian restaurant – will be reopening on Corve Street shortly. A ray of light …..
What great news that Golden Moments is opening again. Lovely people serving excellent food and it was really sad that they were made to leave. We will certainly support them when they re-open and also continue to visit the Blue Boar. What is happening to Ludlow?