Scream (formerly known as It's A Scream) was a student-oriented
pub chain
A pub chain is a group of pubs or bars operating under a unified brand image. Pubs within a chain are tied houses and can, generally, only sell products which the chain owner sanctions. Pubs in a chain normally display their chain branding prom ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
owned by the
Stonegate Pub Company
Stonegate Pub Company is the largest pub company in the UK, operating around 4,800 managed, leased and tenanted pubs . It is owned by TDR Capital. The head office is based in Solihull, UK, and the company is registered in the Cayman Islands.
Hi ...
. The chain began in October 1995.
History
![The Scream](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/The_Scream.jpg)
The pub chain was set up by brewers
Bass, who called it, It's a Scream. The pubs were all within relatively short walking distance of a university.
Bass's retail arm became
Mitchells & Butlers
Mitchells & Butlers plc (also referred to as "M&B") runs circa 1,784 managed pubs, bars and restaurants throughout the United Kingdom. The company's headquarters are in Birmingham, England. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange an ...
in April 2003.
Scream was disposed of by Mitchells and Butlers on 20 August 2010, along with around 300 other Mitchells and Butlers pubs for £373m to Stonegate (owned by
TDR Capital
TDR Capital is a British private equity firm headquartered in London, England.
History
TDR Capital was co-founded in 2002 by Manjit Dale, Stephen Robertson, and Tudor Capital. ).
Theme
Scream pubs were aimed at the student market, and mostly found near to universities. They claimed to be 'the number one choice of students'. Its chief competitor was
Varsity, owned at the time by the
Barracuda Group
Varsity was a student-focused pub chain operating in the United Kingdom. The name originates from annual university sports competitions. It entered administration in 2013. Coventry is the only remaining pub bearing the name Varsity which is now ...
, although Varsity had a more mainstream market – often concentrating on football matches on
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is a group of British subscription sports channels operated by the satellite pay television company Sky Group (a division of Comcast), and is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It ...
and located closer to town centres. Varsity became part of Stonegate in 2013.
The original name came from the 1893 painting ''
The Scream
''The Scream'' is a composition created by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch in 1893. The agonized face in the painting has become one of the most iconic images of art, seen as symbolizing the anxiety of the human condition. Munch's work, including ...
'', by the Norwegian artist
Edvard Munch, which is a popular poster image with many students. The painting was formerly shown on some pub signs of the former ''It's A Scream'' chain.
The pubs each had individual items, for example a giant monkey mural (Horn in Hand), a talking moose's head (White Harte, Bristol), an aardvark costume (The Aardvark, Coventry) or a large painting of a
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
(The Phoenix, Coventry) and their own sign relating to their name. Some went further, such as the
Dry Dock in
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
and
Leicester which were built inside an old grounded ship.
Scream pubs had a
loyalty card scheme known as The Yellow Card. It was available to students annually for £1 (originally free) and entitled them to discounts on selected food and drink. In November 2006, selected Scream Pubs had been chosen to run a trial wherein they did not sell Yellow Cards.
With the introduction of the new Scottish Licensing Laws on 1 September 2009, Yellow Cards purchased in Scream pubs in Scotland would not be valid until 72 hours after purchase.
In the Summer of 2003, Scream introduced the "Yellow Card For Life" – costing £5, with the promise that it will never expire.
Former locations
There were 50 Scream pubs spread around the UK when Stonegate took over the chain, with the vast majority being in towns and cities with a significant student population.
![The Bobbin - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/The_Bobbin_-_geograph.org.uk_-_970465.jpg)
; Scotland:
*
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
(2)
:The Bobbin
:Triplekirks
*
Dundee (1)
:The Nether Inn
*
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
(1)
:The Tron
*
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
(3)
:The Ark
:The Hall
:Curlers
![Keystones, Monk Bar - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Keystones%2C_Monk_Bar_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1110752.jpg)
; North-East:
*
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area.
Until the early 1800s, the a ...
(3)
:The Southfield
:The Camel's Hump
:The Crown
*
Durham Durham most commonly refers to:
*Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham
*County Durham, an English county
* Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States
*Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...
:The New Inn
![Beverley Road - Haworth Arms - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Beverley_Road_-_Haworth_Arms_-_geograph.org.uk_-_39701.jpg)
; Yorkshire:
*
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
(1)
:The Warehouse
*
Hull (2)
:Piper Club
:The Haworth Arms
*
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
(2)
:The Dry Dock
:The Library
*
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire a ...
(2)
:The Cavendish
:The Globe
*
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
(1)
:The Keystones
*
Bradford (1)
:Delius
*
Grimsby
Grimsby or Great Grimsby is a port town and the administrative centre of North East Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire, England. Grimsby adjoins the town of Cleethorpes directly to the south-east forming a conurbation. Grimsby is north-east of L ...
(1)
:The Wheatsheaf
![The Adelphi - Adelphi Street - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/The_Adelphi_-_Adelphi_Street_-_geograph.org.uk_-_529653.jpg)
; North-West:
*
Lancaster (2)
:Keystones
:The Friary
*
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
(2)
:The Brookhouse
:The Hope and Anchor
*
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
(2)
:
The Footage
:The Pub/Zoo
*
Preston (2)
:Roper Hall
:The Adelphi
![Horn in Hand, Goldsmith Street - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Horn_in_Hand%2C_Goldsmith_Street_-_geograph.org.uk_-_790013.jpg)
; East Midlands:
*
Derby
Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby g ...
(1)
:The Friary
*
Leicester (4)
:POLAR BEAR
:The Dry Dock
:The Loaded Dog
:Soar Point
*
Loughborough
Loughborough ( ) is a market town in the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England, the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and Loughborough University. At the 2011 census the town's built-up area had a population of 59,932 , the second large ...
(1)
:The Phantom
*
Northampton (1)
:The Penny Whistle
*
Nottingham
Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robi ...
(1)
:The Horn in Hand
; West Midlands:
*
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...
(3)
:The Bristol Pear
:The Gosta Green
:The Hare of the Dog
*
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a city in the West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its city status until the Middle Ages. The city is governed b ...
(2)
:The Aardvark
:The Phoenix
*
Leamington Spa (1)
:Robbins Well
*
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton () is a city, metropolitan borough and administrative centre in the West Midlands, England. The population size has increased by 5.7%, from around 249,500 in 2011 to 263,700 in 2021. People from the city are called "Wulfrunians ...
(1)
:The Royal London
![The Alex - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/The_Alex_-_geograph.org.uk_-_333633.jpg)
; East of England:
*
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...
(1)
:The Alex
* London (1)
:The Auctioneer
; South-East:
*
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...
(1)
:The Penny Theatre
*
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
(1)
:The City Arms
*
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spelling ...
(2)
:Pavlovs Dog
:Upin Arms
![Buildings at Drake Circus, Plymouth - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Buildings_at_Drake_Circus%2C_Plymouth_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1043197.jpg)
*
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
(1)
:The Avondale
; South-West:
*
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
(2)
:The Cider Press (previously The Rising Sun)
:The White Harte
*
Bournemouth (1)
:The Inferno
*
Cheltenham (1)
:The Pulpit
*
Plymouth (1)
:The Roundabout
![The Woodville - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/The_Woodville_-_geograph.org.uk_-_557495.jpg)
; Wales:
*
Bangor (1)
:The Old Glan
*
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
(2)
:The George
:The Woodville
:Gassy Jacks
Closures
One of the first scream bars to close was "The India Arms" in
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
during the early 2000s, the pub was sold to
Enterprise Inns
Ei Group plc, formerly known as Enterprise Inns plc, is the largest pub company in the UK, with around 5,000 properties, predominantly run as leased and tenanted pubs. Ei Group plc is headquartered in Solihull, West Midlands. It was listed on ...
where it currently trades as "The Italian Bar and Grill". Another scream bar in Portsmouth, ''The Registry'' closed at the end of March 2010. It was renamed ''
The Kraken Wakes'' as part of an ongoing partnership between independent pub operator
Fiveeightzero and the owner,
Mitchells & Butlers
Mitchells & Butlers plc (also referred to as "M&B") runs circa 1,784 managed pubs, bars and restaurants throughout the United Kingdom. The company's headquarters are in Birmingham, England. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange an ...
. It opened at the end of April 2010 following a refurbishment. The new name was short lived, as the establishment reverted to the original name of ''The Registry'' in March 2011. However, It closed once again on 1 June 2014 and was converted into student halls of residence, which opened in September 2015.
'The Queen of Hearts' and 'The Cheshire Cat' in Fallowfield, Manchester, were never sold by Mitchells and Butlers in late 2010. They still operated as Scream Pub, but all branding had to be removed. As of 15 April 2011, The pub has been sold to
Hydes Pub Company, and is now a Hydes pub.
'Robinskis' in Fallowfield was taken over by Stonegate in late 2010. Due to various disputes within the company regarding profits and poor management remained for sale from its purchase by Stonegate until 6 May 2011, when the pub was finally sold to an independent owner, and was reopened as Nayaab Indian Restaurant.
Scream had 67 pubs under its name at the time of Sale. Stonegate bought 62 of these pubs. The other five stayed under Michells and Butlers until they were sold on to other buyers. Since Stonegate have taken over, the following 14 pubs have been sold by Stonegate:
![Rocket, Euston, NW1 in 2008](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Rocket%2C_Euston%2C_NW1_in_2008.jpg)
* The Junction in Harrow
* The Kinston Mill in Kingston upon Thames
* The Robbins Well in Leamington Spa
* The Quayside in Lincoln
* The Park in Luton
* Robinskis in Manchester
* The Phoenix in Manchester
* The Queen of Hearts and The Cheshire Cat in Manchester
* The Lot in Richmond
Common Room
Starting with the Southfield, Stonegate began converting existing Scream sites to a new 'Common Room' brand, rather than branding each site as a uniform segment, instead brands each site individually.
The sites focus more on casual dining and an emerging interest in craft beer. Typically sites having converted to the new brand saw an increase in sales of roughly 60%, with success based on a change to multiple visits by customers during the day.
References
External links
Stonegate Pub Company
{{UK Food
British companies established in 1995
Companies based in Luton
Companies based in Birmingham, West Midlands
Restaurants established in 1995
Pub chains
Stonegate Pub Company
Student culture