play with MATT ELEY At the risk of sounding like The Fast Show’s Swiss Toni, running a great pub is very much like being in charge of a top-class football team. First, you must put in the research and preparation to ensure you are in shape for the big event and have the best chance of success. Hopefully you have already done this and are ready for the World Cup kick-off on June 14 (check out the full fixture programme on pages 52-53). You have a month and more (England pay friendlies against Nigeria and Costa Rica before the tournament starts) to really cash in on the opportunities the World Cup offers.
You should be thinking beyond football too. The tournament might draw people into your venue but how do you make them stay for longer and come back again? Pre- and post-match entertainment will help, as will keeping a close eye on all the other sport you can screen (see Happening this month opposite) over the summer. You also need to be on top of your game when it comes to hospitality. You could have hundreds of new people walking through the doors. Give them a reason to come back, even if it is as simple as a smile and serving them in turn. Perform and you will be rewarded. Hopefully England can do the same.
Get hitched by The King this summer down at The Queen of Hoxton Not sure what to do with your outside space this summer? You could take inspiration from London venue The Queen of Hoxton, which has created a Lost Vegas theme on its rooftop bar for the next five months. The premise of the bar’s makeover is based on a future where “eco-warriors and neo-hippies have spearheaded the collapse of the old ways and the advent of a brand-new future”. It features an overgrown Little Vegas wedding chapel, where you can meet and be married by Elvis, a McVegan burger van based in an abandoned yellow school bus and a vending machine that stocks everything from craft beers to wedding rings and divorce certificates. The venue is also hosting a range of events to complement the theme. These include a talk on the history of environmental activism in music and a sustainable beauty workshop.
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trade.inapub.co.uk 29/05/2018 01:21