Inapub magazine november/december 2018 issue 82

inapub

Issue 82 November/December 2018 ÂŁ4.95 trade.inapub.co.uk

Party animals

How to host a doggy do

p01 cover.indd 1

08/11/2018 01:17

ad page2.indd 2

06/11/2018 12:31

o you gather customer feedback?

Having read our feature on this subject on p44-45, I’m concerned that even pubs that do go to the trouble of collating such data aren’t mining it for all the gold in there.

How often have you, for example, seen a questionnaire that offers you options such as “OK”, “good” or “excellent” when it comes to a question like “How was your experience with us today?” If you think about it, none of those answers are much use to you.

A question such as “Did you wait more than five minutes to get served? If yes, how long did it take? 10 minutes, 15 minutes, longer”, provides a seam of useful information that you can easily act on to improve.

The operating officer of a successful medium-sized pub group once told me his business worked on a “bottom third” principle – every year they would pinpoint the bottom third of their venues and concentrate efforts on improving them. Clearly this results in a constant cycle of rising standards.

It’s a great business principle and it all starts with boring down into good feedback data.

It’s hard to face criticism but, as Bill Gates is quoted as saying: “your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”.

D

35

p

5

this month Inapub Alternative Awards• Dog parties

18

drink How can we revive cask ale?• Soft drinks

28

eat Christmas snacks • Food trends for 2019

36

play Darts • Christmas with the kids

42

stay Fill your rooms during the quiet months

44

back-bar business Make your customer feedback work for you

p

p

p

p

p

p

46 time at the bar Pubs with views • Your work for charity

p

19

20

p

p

39

p

Editor Robyn Black 07909 251 231 • robynb@inapub.co.uk Multimedia journalist James Evison 07884 868 365 • james@inapub.co.uk

9

p

Contributors Matt Eley, Richard Molloy, Jo Bruce Production editor Ben Thrush 07810 620 169 • ben@inapub.co.uk Chief executive Barrie Poulter 07908 144 337 • barrie@inapub.co.uk

50

Sales manager Leah Gauthier 07884 868 364 • leah@inapub.co.uk

p

Visit us online at trade.inapub.co.uk p03 contents.indd 3

Subscriptions trade.inapub.co.uk/magazine 0800 160 1986 • subscriptions@inapub.co.uk 08/11/2018 01:08

ad page2.indd 4

06/11/2018 12:30

Pic: Lindsey Harris / www.m35photography.co.uk

POSTCARD from the pub frontline

Eyes on the prize: fourth-generation publican Charlie Newman weighs up a competitor at last month’s Pumpkin Festival outside the Square & Compass in Worth Matravers, Dorset.

The pub has been running the annual festival for around 25 years. This year’s heaviest pumpkin came up just short of the 100lb mark, well shy of some of the giant squashes of years gone by.

“It’s a bit of country nonsense over the weekend,” says Charlie. “We don’t take things too seriously. First prize is a bottle of nice whisky and the runners-up get some chocs and things. It got a bit more competitive a few years back.

A farm nearby brought a couple out that were the size of a double sofa, and the biggest one weighed in at 1,300lb.”

Other greengrocery gets in on the act too – the “vegetable monsters” competition attracts all kinds of bizarre creatures fashioned from everything from carrots to cabbages.

Vegetables aren’t the only draw though – the pub runs a beer festival on the same day. Charlie’s friend Kevin Hunt,

trade.inapub.co.uk

p5 postcard v7.indd 5

who looks after the day-to-day running of the pub, sources around 40 different beers to help lubricate the festivities.

Scarecrows constructed by people at the pub add to the harvest festival vibe. The festival was rescheduled from a Saturday to the next day in order to dodge the rain, and the decision paid off, with around 150-200 people coming to join in the fun.

It’s an event very much in keeping with the eccentric nature of The Square & Compass, which has a fossil museum but no bar, and is also known for its lively music nights.

“It makes for a great day. It’s just a humorous festival associated with the pub,” says Charlie.

And what happens to all the pumpkins once the festivities are over?

“Some stay at the pub as decorations, others disappear to schools and charities and the like,” says Charlie.

“And some of them do go misadventuring and get rolled down the hill by people who’ve been drinking the beers at the festival. But we try not to encourage that.”

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

5

08/11/2018 02:13

IN THE TRADE THIS MONTH Off the streets and into work in hospitality A new charity is hoping to ease Britain’s homelessness crisis by providing job opportunities in hospitality. Only A Pavement Away will connect homeless people, ex-offenders and ex-service personnel with potential employers, then offer ongoing support to help make the placements a success.

Best Bar None opens doors to more pubs Best Bar None, the Home Office-backed scheme aimed at promoting responsible drinking in local areas, is extending its reach. The move means individual pubs and bars not in one of the 70 areas covered by the programme at present can now join the scheme.

TOP STORIES ON TRADE.INAPUB.CO.UK Win free gin in our competition to find Britain’s best G&T Could scrapping the footy booze ban cause pub closures?

Trad v Modern: who wins the pub quiz?

Critics may not like it but plant-based food is here to stay

Beermat(es) take on male loneliness Pubs in Bristol are helping to tackle loneliness in older men with the help of beer mats after a study by the University of Bristol found men’s reasons for going to the pub were about more than alcohol: interaction with others and getting out of the house were the top reasons. The beer mats, dubbed Beermat(es), feature trivia questions and games.

Councils see benefit of night-time economy Ninety-two per cent of local councils in England believe the night-time economy has a vital role to play in preventing the decline of the British high street, according to a new study by the Local Government Information Unit and the Portman Group. Three-quarters of councils said they see developing their night-time economy as a key priority or important — yet only 22 per cent had a dedicated nighttime economy strategy.

5 winter warmers for your pub

Silver surfers welcome at Green Dragon A pub in Market Lavington, Wiltshire, has launched a free digital hub for local customers.

The Green Dragon, with the support of Pub is the Hub and the local council, has opened the service in its function room and skittle alley. It features a laptop, printer, big-screen TV and three tablets with free WiFi connection. Punters will be able to browse the internet, print documents and download books, among other things. All the pub’s food and drink offer will be available while using the hub.

The publicans behind the project, Steve and Nicky Wragg, have been running the pub for more than 15 years and were keen to offer the service to the community. Nicky said: “The age profile of Market Lavington is of an older population and we want to help some of the local residents to get online and improve their digital skills.”

6

p6-7 news.indd 6

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 08/11/2018 01:20

G&T

res?

stay

this month.inapub THE WAY I SEE IT JACKIE PARKER

TWEET ALL ABOUT IT

Budget fails to tackle real threats to pubs

Was the Budget good news for pubs?

We were all pleased to see the unexpected freeze in beer duty announced in the autumn Budget, together with business rate relief for some pubs.

The decision to freeze beer duty is very welcome and will no doubt go some way to keeping the British pubgoing tradition affordable.

However, the new business rate relief package will not benefit all pubs and pub-specific relief will end next year — we need wholesale reform of the system to tackle the grossly unfair tax burden placed on pubs.

And not all of the issues facing pubs are related to tax — more than two years after its introduction, the Pubs Code is failing and pubs are now under real threat of extinction.

The day after the budget, CAMRA members took part in a very successful Mass Lobby Day to launch our threepoint plan to save the Great British pub to MPs: 1. Introduce a preferential rate of duty for draught beer 2. Reform the business rates system to address the unfair burden on pubs.

3. Conduct an urgent review of the Pubs Code so the market rent only option becomes a genuine choice for tenants.

While the Budget has provided a lifeline for some pubs, it’s vital the government acts now to tackle the root causes of pub closures, rather than providing temporary sticking plasters each year when the chancellor steps up to the dispatch box.

By freezing Beer Duty & increasing Business Rate relief for smaller pubs at the budget @PhilipHammondUK has provided much-needed support for pubs and communities across the country, saving over 3,000 jobs as a result! Great news from the @hmtreasury. #longlivethelocal @LongLiveLocals Tax is way, WAY too high already on lagers, beers, wines and spirits @richsheff Rubbish. Aldi & co are killing local pubs. Beer duty set dearer in supermarkets might really work? @AdamGlebelands All we want now is to see pub prices coming down. @mickdowling007 Not taking any more is NOT supporting. A reduction would be helping. Why should I be grateful for not being robbed even more? @KenWhistance It’s no good if people can’t afford to go out though is it? @mikebennett636 Aye and put the living wage up. I can’t afford that so looks like pay-offs or taking young inexperienced staff on, either way service suffers and tenants struggle. @raypayne141

1 in 10

Jackie Parker is national chairman for the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA)

People would choose a pub or bar based on whether the Christmas decorations would be good for photos, according to a survey of 1,000 people for Christmas Tree World

Find us online every month at trade.inapub.co.uk

@inapub

Inapub

@inapub_

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 p6-7 news.indd 7

7

08/11/2018 01:20

McCain Crispers

With diners growing ever more adventurous, it might be time to offer them some choices beyond your standard chips.

McCains is billing its new Crispers, which come with ridged edges and the skin left on, as an upgrade option. The company is also launching Sweet Potato Rustics in response to the trend of customers looking for “healthy indulgence”. www.mccainfoodservice.co.uk/50ways

Stuff

Ciroc Black Raspberry

Christmas is a time when many drinkers like to push the boat out and treat themselves to something a bit different. We’d never even heard of a black raspberry but it sounds delicious even before you mix it up into a Black Raspberry Velvet Crush or Black Raspberry Royale. Go on, it’s Christmas.

0208 978 6000

What’s new in the pub this month

Aryzta Vegan Loaf

It’s nearly Veganuary again and no doubt there will be a surge of punters swearing off the dairy, at least while their new year’s resolutions hold up. Thankfully, Aryzta is on hand with this vegan lemon, chia seed and pistachio loaf cake, as well as a chocolate loaf cake, promising “zero compromise on taste”.

0844 499 3311

8

p8-9 stuff.indd 8

Franklin & Sons Infused Soda

Kids these days… as you may have read, they don’t get drunk like they used to. But the trend for teetotalism is an opportunity for pubs, with a host of upmarket soft drinks out there looking to offer the non-drinkers something special. Franklin & Sons Infused Sodas come in Fragrant Guava & Persian Lime with Root Ginger, Exotic Pineapple & Aromatic Cardamom with Cracked Cubeb Pepper, and Succulent Pomegranate & Floral Hibiscus with Delicate Rose. Soft drinks have certainly moved up in the world since the days of Happy Shopper Cola. globalbrands.co.uk

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 07/11/2018 00:21

this month.

Watneys Headliners

Watneys is a name from a different era of beer drinking, but you surely can’t get much more 2018 than a can of craft beer called Irony? The 4.6 per cent ABV beer is part of the Headliners range, which also includes brews named Sarcasm and Slapstick. “Drinkers appreciate a great beer as part of the experience of having a laugh and spending time with mates,” explains Nick Whitehurst, managing director of Brands Reunited, which resurrected the Watneys brand (if not the old Watneys taste) in 2016. www.watneys-beer.com

Bidfood Modern India Range

Exmoor Gold Gin

Your drinkers are liking golden ales at the moment, right? And they’re liking gin? They’re going to love Exmoor Gold Gin then, the first gin to incorporate a distillation of beer in its ingredients. The spirit is the lovechild of a tryst between Wicked Wolf Gin and Exmoor Ales, which has also spawned a juniper-infused ale. pat.patel@wickedwolfgin.com

Take on the curry houses at their own game with this innovative range that fuses classic British dishes with the flavours of South Asia. Fish & chips are given a twist with Amritsari MSC battered pollock goujons, while a cauliflower, chickpea and onion pasty could add some spice as a vegan option.

Pictured are Eggs Kejiriwal.

01494 555 900

The Curators beef jerky

With the craft revolution having made connoisseurs of the nation’s pub-goers, you’re going to need more than a few bags of peanuts in the beer munchies department. That’s why The Curators has launched artisan beef jerky in Sriracha, Espresso Kick, Sweet & Smoky and Teriyaki Spice flavours. The snacks are a worthy partner of craft lagers, IPAs and stouts, say the makers.

Brewer Meantime, which has been working on pairings with the brand, agrees. www.thecuratorsjerky.com

Doom Bar Extra Chilled

As we document on page 29, 70 per cent of people told this year’s Cask Report they wanted their beer served at a cooler temperature. Doom Bar didn’t become the leading cask ale in the UK by not listening to its customers, and it hopes this new variant, dispensed at 8˚C, will help revive flagging sales of cask beer in general. www.sharpsbrewery.co.uk

p8-9 stuff.indd 9

07/11/2018 00:22

THE INAPUB

2018

ALTERNATIVE AWARDS We don’t much go in for fancy awards ceremonies here at The Inapub Inn. We’re more pint down the pub, slap-on-the-back types, which is why our annual Alternative Awards are a tongue-in-cheek look back at what’s happened in the world of pubs over the last 12 months. Previously, we’ve only run these online but this year we wanted to give a shout out to the best in pub taxidermy, fragrances, TripAdvisor comments and even protests in print too. Well done to everyone included here and the many, many contenders who didn’t make the cut – guess you’ll never find out who we thought should get the gong for Best Naked Photo Taken in a Pub 2018 now*.

Best Pub Day of the Year

Saturday May 19 This could enter the history books as the best ever 24 hours for pubs – bumper bookings for bubbles with brunch to celebrate the marriage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, followed by a phalanx of footie fans for another big domestic tie, the FA Cup Final. Not all pubs saw it that way though. The Alexandra Hotel in Derby, declared itself a Royal Wedding Free Zone, fining any punters that dared to even mention the nuptials.

Fragrance of the Year

*if you’re that interested, get in touch and we’ll reveal all (not as much as the people in question though, obviously).

Mr Trotter’s beer candle What should a pub smell like, we asked in October’s issue. Perhaps the answer lies in this candle based on the smell of beer made by a pork scratching producer? It might sound like an idea that doesn’t quite work, but actually the results are rather impressive. How sow’prising.

10 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

p10-11-12 inpaub alternatives.indd 10

Snowman of the Year

The Tynemouth Lodge, Tyne & Wear Back in March the “Beast from the East” blanketed the UK in snow, and The Tynemouth Lodge’s showstopping snowman made the most of his brief time on Earth.

Leaning against the pub wall with pint in hand, he attracted a flurry of interest from the local paper and TV news, not to mention on social media and from passers-by.

“Everybody was stopping to take a picture,” pub manager Damian King told Inapub. “A police car stopped to see what was going on – the police ended up getting out of the car and having their picture taken with him.”

Crisis of the Year

C02 shortage It was exceptionally hot and there was a World Cup on, so Europe’s C02 producers decided to use the time to shut down en masse for maintenance, triggering beer rationing across Europe and fears of a shortage of crumpets in the UK. The phrase “as useless as a chocolate teapot” is usually used to denote incompetence, following this episode may we respectfully suggest that changes to, “as useless as a C02 producer in 2018”?

TripAdvisor complaint of the Year

Bar staff who are “far too enthusiastic” Every month 456 million people visit the dreaded TripAdvisor website – that’s about one in every 16 people on earth. Back in February last year one of them was a disgruntled customer of The Antelope in Surbiton, Surrey, who left a blistering onestar review of the boozer, complaining about the lack of Stella Artois and other “popular global beers”, the proliferation of local ales and a barman who was “far too excited and enthusiastic.” What next – loos too clean?

Crisps too crispy?

trade.inapub.co.uk 07/11/2018 00:48

Pic: Adrian Don / Electric Pics Photography / www.electricpics.com

this month.

Taxidermy of the Year

Rabbit-bat Back in January we took a look at some of the finest stuffed animals adorning pubs throughout the land. One in particular grabbed our attention. “That was a rabbit, then it got converted into a bat,” explained Charlie Newman, owner of The Square & Compass in Worth Matravers, Dorset, where the creature is displayed. “My friend Karen makes crazy things and this was one of them.”

Dress Code of the Year

No bikers, hi-vis jacketed workers, jogging pants, vest tops or trainers.

Oh, and if that weren’t strict enough, The Royal Oak in Ulley, Sheffield, also bans sitting on the wall outside and kids after 7pm. The rules have earned the Sam Smith’s pub some scathing TripAdvisor reviews, but it cares not a jot, it seems.

Flavour of the Year

Watermelon Watermelon water first hit UK shelves back in 2015 but this was the year that water-

trade.inapub.co.uk p10-11-12 inpaub alternatives.indd 11

melon moved from fad to favourite. Every cocktail joint worth its pink Himalayan rock salt was serving up watermelon martinis, watermelon daiquiris and the like. Nineteen thousand people also voted for it to become the next VK flavour, while frozen cocktail Fryst launched a Unicorn Sparkle variant made from gin and slush flavoured with, yup, you’ve got it, watermelon.

Pub Crawler of the Year

Ben Coombs March saw the conclusion of a truly epic pub crawl, as British adventurer Ben Coombs called time on an odyssey that had covered 20,000 miles and 21 countries. The final stop was something of an anticlimax, he reported; the bar in Tierra del Fuego offered plastic patio furniture inside, cheap whisky and Chilean line dancing.

Media Strategy of the Year

Wetherspoons gives up social media The pub trade’s favourite Brexit-backing, dog-dismissing silver surfer Tim Martin startled a nation in April by announcing the chain was quitting social media. “We are go-

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

11

07/11/2018 00:48

Heart-warming Act of the Year

The Alexandra, Wimbledon, London Just before Christmas last year a waiter clearing up at the end of his shift in this South London pub found an envelope containing £600. Rather than pocketing the money, he and the rest of the team mounted a search on social media for the money’s rightful owner, in posts shared by millions. Some weeks later a man walked into a bar and said “I’m Mariusz and I think you’ve got my money.” It’s a Christmas tale sure to warm the cockles of even Scrooge’s cold, cold heart.

Festive Pub of the Year

Pic: Simon Holliday www.simonholliday.com

ing against conventional wisdom that these platforms are a vital component of a successful business,” the mullet-haired one explained of the decision, which was announced on...er…Twitter.

Beer Name of the Year

Pobli Wobli Plenty of new brews were launched this year but none were so pleasingly named as this one from Welsh micro-brewer Bragdy Dinbych in Wrexham. There’s no direct translation but it roughly means “wobbly people”, and it instantly joined our list of favourite Welsh words and phrases - also featuring: smwddio (ironing) and popty ping (microwave).

Protest of the Year

The Surrey Vaults, Bristol The Surrey Vaults in Bristol had been a popular live music venue. But as 2018 dawned, its doors were closed following noise complaints from residents of the newly built luxury flats opposite. Angry at “the systematic starving of vital cultural spaces”, around 150 protestors gathered outside the pub for a “mass scream” at the flats in question. A few days later, housing and communities secretary Sajid Javid vowed to change planning regulations, to make developers responsible for soundproofing new housing built near established venues.

12

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

p10-11-12 inpaub alternatives.indd 12

The Air Balloon, Filton, Bristol Do you remember how hot it was in July?

We were all fighting over the last fans left in Argos and punters were taking a punt on there being some shade in the nation’s beer gardens but one licensee in Bristol was having none of that. This July Joanne Johnson, general manager of The Air Balloon in Filton, Bristol, thought it was the perfect time to put up the Christmas decs – tree and all.

You might think she’s away with the Christmas elves but the joke’s on you as, she told the Daily Mirror at the time, festive bookings were already flooding in.

Best-Laid Pub Plan

The Cefn Mably Arms, Michaelston-y-Fedw, Cardiff Wifi in the tiny Welsh village was terrible, the locals grumbled to each other in the pub. So they decided to do something about it. The locals themselves dug 15 miles of trenches and are now on track to create an ultra-fast internet network in the village. It never would have happened without the original social network - a.k.a the pub.

Lowest of the Low Award

The Admiral Wells, Holme, Cambridgeshire Not that there’s anything morally reprehensible about this pub – it’s just that it is quite literally the lowest pub in the country. Sited nine feet below sea level, the pub’s status was recognised this year with a plaque from the Fenland Trust. “Let’s face it – the only way is up,” landlord Dave Whittington told ITV News.

trade.inapub.co.uk 07/11/2018 00:49

WIN

6 BOTTLES OF GIN

Do you serve

Britain’s Best Gin & Tonic?

A G&T is a British classic and we want to find the nation’s best one.

We want to track down which pub serves the greatest gin & tonic of them all.

Perhaps you serve yours with a twist?

Maybe it’s the garnish that makes it, or the glassware or a combination of all three?

Maybe the secret’s in the ice, or that you keep things simple but do it so well you are sure it will be crowned Britain’s best.

However you make it, if you think it’s any good we want to hear about it.

In partnership with Diageo, we are offering a prize of six bottles of either Gordon’s Gin or Tanqueray to the winner.

HOW TO ENTER Send a picture of your gin & tonic to diageogin@inapub.co.uk or put it on social media using #DiageoGin and @Inapub for Twitter, or @Inapub_ on Instagram, by Friday November 30 2018.

Please also list its ingredients and let us know why it is a winner. Entries must be made using a Diageo gin – choose from the Gordon’s or Tanqueray ranges.

COMPETITION DETAILS Following the closing date of Friday, November 30, 2018 a shortlist of entrants will be compiled and Inapub will contact the finalists for more details about their drinks. The winning gin & tonic will feature in the January issue of Inapub, on our website and across our social media channels.

The winner will then be contacted by Diageo to arrange delivery of the prize.

Normal competition rules apply. For full T&Cs visit trade.inapub.co.uk p34 diageo comp.indd 34

27/09/2018 01:08

FAMOUS FOR DOG PARTIES

Jo Bruce checks out a venue that welcomes everyone and their dog

“

Dogs are a huge part of the family and more and more people are celebrating their dogs’ special occasions

Both those with two and four legs enjoy celebrating birthdays at Glasgow bar Van Winkle.

For an increasing number of dogs are celebrating their special occasions at the bourbon, beer and BBQ-focused bar, located in the city’s East End. “Pooch Pawties” were launched in August at Van Winkle, which opened a year ago, The venue now hosts a party on average once a week, with demand growing.

Derek Mallon, managing director of Clydeside Restaurants, which owns Van Winkle, says: “Dogs are a huge part of the family and more and more people are celebrating their dogs’ special occasion, from birthday parties, puppy graduations, puppy showers, get well soon parties and many more. Having the Pooch Pawties is offering an alternative to having the parties in people’s homes.”

He adds: “It was important for Van Winkle to be a dog-friendly venue given our proximity to Glasgow Green and the number of people out and about walking their dogs in the area. More and more people are looking for dog-friendly venues and with our hidden gem, ‘The Jack Daniels Tennessee Fire Garden’ [an undercover garden with fire pit] it made perfect sense to ensure our fourlegged friends are welcome at Van Winkle.”

The idea for the Pooch Pawties came about after a friend was looking for a venue to host his dog’s sixth birthday party.

Pawsitive response

Mallon adds: “We thought what a great idea to offer ‘Pooch Pawties’ to our customers, given we are a dog-friendly venue and

14 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

pxx famous for.indd 14

already offer a bespoke dog menu, created by a local vet. They have really taken off. We have had some great PR for the parties.”

Owners can choose to have their dog’s party inside or make use of the fully covered beer garden, which is the general preference. Around six dogs attend each celebration and the party area is decorated with paw print bunting and balloons.

For £19.95 the birthday dog’s guests get to enjoy “Pupcakes” made from dog-friendly ingredients by a Glasgow-based company called Pupcakes by Lilian. Water bowls are also provided for every dog guest. As part of this price the birthday dog also gets a “doggy dinner” selected from Van Winkle’s dog menu. Guests can also pay for any additional meals they require for their pets.

Any humans also dining pay for their food and drink on the day.

A birthday hamper is presented to the birthday dog featuring a doggy beer or Pawsecco, toys, dog-friendly home-made treats and a discount voucher for a local dog groomer.

Derek says: “The parties tend to last a few hours as the owners come along with friends and their dogs and enjoy some of the delights on offer at Van Winkle with our sharing plates, Bourbons and fine beers.”

Nutritious doggy menu

Although fit for a special occasion, the Van Winkle doggy menu is a hit with doggy diners any day of the week.

Created in partnership with Glasgow vet group Pets n Vets, the menu offers three dishes, with the menu descriptions asserting the health benefits of each dish to the dog.

trade.inapub.co.uk 07/11/2018 01:18

this month.

Van Winkle, Glasgow Food : Kentucky-style BBQ and Grill Dog party tips: Partner with local dog businesses, keep to a maximum of 6 dogs per party Online: www.vanwinkle.co.uk

Van Winkle currently sells around 20 dog meals a week, with the best-seller chicken, rice and veg. A mix & match option is also available, with the owner choosing from chicken, beef or white fish and matching it with either rice or pasta.

The meals come in three portion options to suit different dog sizes, with small costing £2 (for dogs under 10 kg in weight), medium (10-20kg) priced at £2.50 and large (over 2kg) for £3 .

A new initiative running on Mondays is also proving popular – canine guests eat for free when accompanied by a dining owner.

Derek adds: “All of our staff are animal lovers and customers know from the moment they step into Van Winkle that we are dog friendly.”

trade.inapub.co.uk pxx famous for.indd 15

07/11/2018 01:18

RICHARD MOLLOY Never discuss politics in pubs.

This is a general rule of thumb for the barstool chinwaggers, and with good reason, as this kind of subject is the worst mixer for a boozy environment; everybody has an opinion and the alcohol often amplifies one’s rhetoric. But how can we keep away from politics in today’s divisive climate?

The Brexit referendum split the country more or less down the middle. Families, workplaces and schools were all divided into two almost equal parts, and the local boozer was no exception. Suddenly everyone was an expert in economics, tariffs and quotas. Blokes who would normally pass the time of day by casually assessing the merits of Rachel Riley’s arse were, all of a sudden, keenly interested in trade deals and the single market. Out went Eastenders and Bake Off and in came Article 50. It was a tricky time for publicans. Rarely has opinion been so vehemently divided amongst people so seemingly similar, and as much as we should probably sit on the fence, it was impossible for us not to have an opinion.

Pubs are, by way of being a luxury, one of the first businesses to suffer in times of financial insecurity and many publicans have their livelihoods on the line at every dip in the economy, so of course we’re going to want to have our say. But we are also the clergy for those seeking sanctuary from what they consider to be a politically correct straitjacket of a society. As landlords and landladies we are not here to judge, at least not publicly. It’s not our job to define society – it’s our job to make society more bearable and get it drunk at weekends. Which is why I was so disappointed to hear Tim Martin be so outspokenly in favour of leaving the EU. Now Mr Martin is as entitled as anybody to his views and I’m sure that the publicity his company gained and the increase in revenue of his bargain drink showrooms had nothing to do with him pandering to the Brexiteers. And, heaven forbid, I’m not suggesting that his company would benefit

16

“

Out went Eastenders and and Bake Off and in came Article 50.

But you can’t keep the local boozer politically charged for long

Richard Molloy is director of four-strong pubco White Rose Taverns and the microbrewery Platform Five. Read more of his work on trade.inapub.co.uk

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

p16 Rich Molloy.indd 16

from people having less money and looking to drink in cheaper venues, even though his company was already showing an increase in trade by March 2009 after the financial crash of 2008. But operators of small businesses that have been affected by the big companies should be wary of who they are really campaigning for. In my opinion it’s rarely us.

But everything remarkable eventually becomes the norm. British drinkers are now getting back to the good old ways: all politicians are egotistical, crooked bastards; the weather is crap; the local council can’t even manage to keep public toilets open and Ian Beale is up to his old tricks again.

You can’t keep the local boozer politically charged for long because nobody goes to the pub to talk about politics, and most drinkers are annoyed that they were forced into talking about it for so long. They’re pissed off with falling out with friends and family when all they want to do is have a beer and forget the important stuff for an hour or two. So the pubs settle down and tick to the usual rhythm of alcoholic geniality. The conversation gradually recedes to its gloriously banal best. Laughter and piss-taking replace the arguments and the only question that really matters is “Messi or Ronaldo?”

There were times when I feared for the drinking classes and what the Brexit vote would do to us. But in the end we were forced to test that rule about talking politics in pubs and it turns out we were right all along.

trade.inapub.co.uk 07/11/2018 01:22

COC1047 Designated Driver_IN A PUB_V5.pdf

1

24/10/2018

16:40

A FREE SECOND DRINK FOR

Designated Drivers.

IT MUST BE CHRISTMAS!

Cheers for being a hero and helping to keep your customers safe on the road this festive season with our designated driver scheme From the 1st of December you can reward customers who choose not to drink alcohol, by giving them a second soft drink absolutely free when they purchase a Coca-Cola original taste, Coca-Cola zero sugar or Diet Coke. Remember, happy drivers increase the dwell time of all party guests, keeping tills ringing for longer. To drive footfall into your pub or bar, the Designated Driver campaign will also be supported by national radio and an online pub ďŹ nder app.

Get in touch To receive your activation kit including posters, table talkers, coasters, a Coke back bar display, social media assets and a free case of Coca-Cola zero sugar* to kick start your offer to customers just call 0808 1 000 000 or get in touch via www.cokecustomerhub.co.uk *Whilst stocks last GB age 18+. Promotion opens 13/11/2018. Promotion closes 01/01/2019. Buy any Coca-Cola, Diet Coke or Coca-Cola Zero Sugar and get another one free, whilst stock lasts.

Promoter: Coca-Cola European Partners GB Limited, Pemberton House, Uxbridge, UB8 1EZ. Š2018 The Coca-Cola Company. All Rights Reserved. All brand names are registered trade marks of their respective owners.

ad page2.indd 17

08/11/2018 01:24

drink Gin will be the drink of Christmas 2018, according to Charles Ireland, the boss of Diageo GB. In an exclusive interview with Inapub earlier this autumn he predicted a season of gindulgence this December, adding the business was not forecasting a downturn in the popularity of gin any time soon.

He points to the boom in pink gin (Diageo’s Gordon’s Premium Pink Distilled Gin has been one of the company’s most successful new product launches in recent years) and small batch and niche gins as drivers of further growth in the category as we head into 2019.

As Charles has a wealth of insight at his fingertips and a good nose for the UK market to boot, if I were a licensee I’d be preparing for a bumper season of gin.

There’s no shortage of festive gin cocktails (French 75, Negroni, pink gin & Prosecco) but most would agree you can’t go wrong with a well-made G&T. Speaking of which, we’re running a competition in partnership with

with ROBYN BLACK

Diageo to find Britain’s best one. Full details can be found on page X but suffice to say you could win free gin stock (Gordon’s or Tanqueray) just in time for the party season.

To enter all you need to do is tag us on social media (either @Inapub on Twitter; @Inapub_ on Instagram or find our Facebook page) using #DiageoGin with a picture of your G&T. Or you can email us at diageogin@inapub.co.uk.

The best G&Ts in my book keep it simple with quality ingredients, so don’t think because your signature version isn’t all fancy pants you won’t be in with a chance. The garnish can often be what makes one stand out, however, so do check out our website for some ideas from Diageo Bar Academy trainer Kris Jadach.

The closing date is Friday, November 30, so you’ve still got some time to get your entry in — after all, what could be better in these gin-tastic times than to be able to legitimately boast you serve Britain’s best G&T? We’ll even give you a certificate to prove it.

Diageo’s Charles Ireland points to the boom in pink gin and small batch and niche gins as drivers of further growth in the category

COMMERCIAL BREAKDOWN

FRUIT SHOOT • It’s my thing Britvic has invested in a £2.5m TV campaign to support its newest Fruit HAIG CLUB • Make your own rules Shoot variant: Juiced. “In the first six David Beckham again stars in the ads for months following its launch, Juiced the whisky brand he owns with Diageo. The climbed to be the number one kids campaign challenges common myths about drinking Scotch, showing it as a tipple for a night out and even around the pool. drink launch over the last year,” said the company’s commercial director for food MARSTON’s • Beer Town Film Festival service and Following the success of the inaugural competition this year, Beer Town will return to Burton Upon Trent in 2019. Entries are now open licensed, Russell for budding film-makers and the event will culminate on May 18 with an outdoor cinema, beer and food festival held at the brewery. Goldman.

18 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 p18-19 drink intro.indd 18

trade.inapub.co.uk 07/11/2018 01:36

DRINK

Joshua Tetley & Son Tetley’s has launched its first bottled beers in four years. The Carlsbergowned Leeds brewery launched two new cask ales earlier in the year and has now made them available in 500ml bottles. Tetley’s No.3 Pale Ale and Tetley’s Golden Ale were both inspired by a 19th century recipe and are made with the brewer’s unique yeast strain. carlsberg wedelivermore.co.uk

No 1 Kombucha

Jonny Wilkinson of England rugby fame has launched his Kombucha range to pubs and bars. Kombucha, made by fermenting green tea, is full of good bacteria, probiotics and antioxidants, Jonny says. The range is aimed at the £281m UK adult socialising soft drinks market. no1kombucha.com

Look out for...

ProsEcho Falls

Just in time for the party season, Accolade Wines has popped a cork on a Prosecco to join its Echo Falls range — with a claim that it is the largest top-10 wine brand to launch a Prosecco variant. The 11 per cent ABV sparkling wine is available in both 750ml and 200ml bottles and can be enjoyed on its own or mixed with the brand’s Echo Falls summer berries flavoured vodka for a “unique cocktail”.

01932 428 600

trade.inapub.co.uk p18-19 drink intro.indd 19

Funkin Dried Fruit Garnishes

In what it claims is a first for the UK cocktail market, Funkin is launching a range of dried garnishes for pubs and bars. To make the orange, lemon, strawberry and citrus garnishes, the fresh fruit is sliced before being dehydrated. “A key issue with fruit garnishes is the amount of waste,” Ben Anderson, head of marketing, says. “By introducing our dried fruit garnishes, outlets will be able to be save costs and reduce their impact on the environment.”

020 7328 4440

NOVEMBER/DE-

19 08/11/2018 01:27

Santa’s softies

by ROBYN BLACK

You know what Santa says — “Take care of the non-drinkers and the drinkers will take care of themselves.” Alright, he doesn’t say that really but it’s true nonetheless, so here’s 11 drinks to help keep your designated drivers, tee-totallers, myliver-needs-a-night-off party people and sensible drinkers happy in this season of over-indulgence.

Pepsi Max

Earlier this year Britvic re-ran its infamous Pepsi Max Taste Challenge in the UK, pitting the sugar-free cola against another in 24,000 consumer blind tastings across the country. Sixty-one per cent of participants chose Pepsi Max, which “clearly demonstrates the potential revenue power of Pepsi Max as part of a complete retail soft drinks offer,” said marketing director, Bruce Dallas.

Schweppes 1783 Muscovado

This new addition to the posh Schweppes 1783 range (it was launched in July) is full of Christmassy flavours such as vanilla, caramel and butterscotch.

It was designed to be mixed with dark spirits such as rum and Bourbon but Inapub can confirm, having tested its theory on

20

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

pxx soft drinks.indd 20

several occasions, it makes a super-tasty and sophisticated tipple all by itself.

Bottlegreen

There are 10 sparkling pressés available in the Bottlegreen range, alongside nine different cordials, so there’s no shortage of options for grown-ups looking for a non-alcoholic tipple that’s also a treat. You could offer a winter warmer in the form of Aromatic Ginger & Lemongrass, or something a touch more unusual with the Blood Orange with a Hint of Bergamot variant. It’s the classic Handpicked Elderflower flavour that has won the nation’s hearts for special occasions though. Serve chilled and in a Champagne flute to help the non-drinkers feel as special as the drinkers this Christmas.

Coca-Cola Original

The arrival of the Coca-Cola truck signals the start of Christmas for many people but for those of us in the pub trade it’s surely the launch of Coke’s Designated

trade.inapub.co.uk 07/11/2018 11:09

Driver campaign that marks the start of the season? This year it’s running again, giving you the chance to drive footfall and reward abstinent pub-goers with a second drink that’s absolutely free. Full details can be found on page 17.

Franklin & Sons

The latest addition to this grown-up soft drink brand is a selection of Infused Sodas, as featured on page 8, but there’s a number of sophisticated flavoured tonics too (rosemary & black olive, for example), as well as the main soft drink range, several of which contain warming winter flavours. Think Brewed Ginger Beer with Malted Barley & a Squeeze of Lemon, or British Dandelion with Handpicked Burdock & Star Anise.

J20 Glitterberry

▲

Launched in time for the party season, in 2017 this limited edition “took the market by storm”, reports owner Britvic. It became the third best-selling adult soft drink over the festive period, according to Nielsen figures. This year there’s also limited-edition glassware featuring a snapcode giving access to a Snapchat filter, to further add to the festive fun.

trade.inapub.co.uk pxx soft drinks.indd 21

07/11/2018 11:10

Starslush

Who said slushies are just for kids? Not us!

This version, from Vimto Out Of Home, is made with vitamin-packed real fruit juice and no artificial ingredients. We are particularly feeling the Blood Orange version this winter (originally launched as a Halloween limited edition in 2017 but now here to stay), though others might plump for the Mint flavour, Vimto or even Unicorn.

Fentimans Oriental Yuzu Tonic Water

From the aforementioned Oriental Yuzu Tonic Water to Rose Lemonade and Curiosity Cola, there are plenty of kooky and quirky Fentimans flavours to choose from. All are still made by botanical brewing, a process which produces “crafted beverages that have a rich and complex taste,” according to company boss Eldon Robson, grandson of the very Thomas Fentiman who founded the business in 1905.

Red Bull

If ever there was a month in which we all need some wings, the hectic pace of December must surely be it? Cue Red Bull.

22

pxx soft drinks.indd 22

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

This year the company has developed a range of mocktails to help even more pub goers take flight. Recipes include Forest Cup Twist (20ml lime juice, 20ml apple juice, six blackberries, 20ml sugar syrup and one can of Red Bull Original) or the Tropical Crush Twist (30ml sour mix, 30ml pineapple juice, eight mint leaves and one can of Red Bull Tropical).

Snapple Iced Tea

Pub customers looking for something a little different this Christmas might be tempted by this classic range of iced-teas distributed by Barr Soft Drinks.

Available in lemon, peach or raspberry, each 473ml glass bottle comes in at just 10 calories, for those of us trying to curb the Christmas effect on our waistlines.

Peter Spanton No. 1“3

If people’s palates have shifted towards less sugary drinks, as Peter Spanton, founder of the eponymous craft soft drink and mixer firm claims, then offering drinks such as this mix of grapefruit juice, sea salt & lime could be just the ticket. “It is made as a mixer for tequila or mezcal but is popular as a non-alcoholic drink on its own too,” Peter says.

trade.inapub.co.uk 08/11/2018 01:29

[D]1783 Bottlegreen Inapub Full Page ad Hi Res CMYK.pdf

1

24/10/2018

16:34

Discover the

UK's No.1

Elderflower brand*

Email at info@bottlegreen.co.uk or visit www.bottlegreendrinks.com

* Source: Bestselling Total Elderflower; Nielsen UK, Value Sales MAT w/e 19.5.18

ad page2.indd 23

07/11/2018 11:13

Pay-per-view boxing now live on BT Sport Don’t miss this blockbuster fight, available to commercial premises for £150 (ex VAT).

Call now 0800 678 1135

BT Sport customers early bird offer £120(ex VAT) when bought before 16th November

WBC WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

WILDER v FURY SATURDAY 1 ST DECEMBER

Purchasing this fight enables the recipient to show the Pay Per View Deontay Wilder v Tyson Fury fight and associated programming, repeats & undercard on BT Sport Box Office on channel 490 in their Premises using their Sky Satellite Receiver Box between 2200hrs on Saturday 1st December to Monday 3rd December for £150 (+VAT). Recipients will need a Sky Satellite HD Receiver Box in their Premises to show the fight. 20% discount offer is only applicable for purchases made before Friday 16th November and only available to existing BT Sport commercial customers. All information and scheduling correct at time of print. Terms and conditions apply, see our terms and conditions at btsportbusiness.com

ad page2.indd 24

07/11/2018 11:28

drink.

The cask conundrum Inapub’s former editor Matt Eley pulled together this year’s Cask Report and found that all is not rosy for the pub staple. Here’s a look at some of the findings, and what pubs can do to address them.

Can a pub really call itself a proper pub if it doesn’t have cask ale? Well, we might be on the way to finding out, if the category doesn’t pick up soon.

The Cask Report gives an overview of the market and shows what is going well, and not so well, in the world of cask.

And it seems that there are a few wrongs that need to be put right if our national tipple is to thrive once more in the bars of Britain.

Sliding down the sales chart

“

This is the worrying bit. It used to be that cask ale sales outperformed the rest of the

beer market. This was great for pubs because cask drinkers tend to spend a little bit more at the bar. However, British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) data shows that cask sales are falling sharply – down 6.8 per cent in volume in the year to July 2018.

The rate of decline is greater than that of the overall on-trade beer market.

This is concerning news, but all is not lost.

Golden ales are in growth (this includes cask and keg products) and cask remains a big seller. One in seven pints of beer sold is cask and at £1.6bn, sales of cask are worth double those of gin to the on-trade.

Doom Bar Extra Chilled is an exciting opportunity for us to respond to changing consumer trends

pxx cask.indd 25

07/11/2018 11:24

What’s gone wrong?

Where do we begin? The report highlights many problem areas for cask: its image, perceptions of flavour, lack of standout on the bar, quality and consistency issues, and many customers just not knowing enough about cask to feel confident ordering it.

The majority of cask drinkers are men aged over 50, and the category has done little to appeal to different demographics or to capitalise on the buzz around craft beer.

Jane Jones, director of marketing at Fuller’s, says it is vital for the cask category to appeal to a younger crowd.

“If we don’t recruit younger consumers into this market, our consumers are effectively dying off,” she says, adding that the industry needs to address the way it talks to customers about the product.

“We haven’t worked hard enough as an industry to present the brands in a more innovative way. If you look to lager, they have definitely done that. As an industry we need to think about how we communicate to consumers not just about why cask is special but about how we define all beer.”

“From a guest point of view the image is wrong, it is seen as the old man drink,” he says. “It is badly merchandised. We put our casks on a bronze plinth and give them real reverence, but if you look at any bar cask is always the dark, plastic, boring, handpull , low down, right under the customer’s nose and not in their eyeline. It doesn’t get presented well enough in the market.”

Can cask be cool? (Part II)

One of the headline findings in this year’s Cask Report is that temperature is a major issue. Research by Cask Marque in July and August found that 69 per cent of pubs were serving cask above 13˚C. The recommended serving guideline is between 11-13˚C. Further to that, 64 per cent of the 1,000 consumers asked by the Cask Report said they would like their cask served cooler than 11˚C anyway.

So, it’s coming out too warm and people

Can cask be cool? (Part I)

Cask’s image is clearly a barrier. Focus groups of non-cask drinkers revealed that they were put off cask because it is “old-fashioned, bitter and brown.” Basically, something that the old guy with the beard and the beer gut guzzles.

The good news is that when people drink it, they tend to like it.

But there are barriers to overcome to get to that point.

Kris Gumbrell is the co-owner of the 22-strong Brewhouse & Kitchen chain. Each pub has an on-site brewery that produces a range of cask and keg beers for sale on the bar. He says that, generally, cask is not presented in a way that catches the eye.

Recommended serving temperatures for cask ale are 1113˚C, the Cask Report reveals 64 per cent of drinkers want it colder

trade.inapub.co.uk pxx cask.indd 26

07/11/2018 11:25

Encouraging tastings and samplings has been suggested as one way to keep cask relevant

“

mended

ratures are 11-

Report

cent of colder

I wonder if serving greatquality cask that has been kept well in the cellar at the right temperature is enough.

Do we need to go colder?

want it cooler. A few days after the report was published, Sharp’s revealed that it is trialling Doom Bar Extra Chilled in selected pubs with a dispense temperature of 8˚C. James Nicholls, senior brand manager at Sharp’s, says: “Doom Bar Extra Chilled is an exciting opportunity for us to respond to changing consumer trends, and appeal to traditional ale drinkers as well as new audiences.”

Jane Jones says Fuller’s will be keeping an eye on the trials but stresses that the first challenge for pubs to overcome is getting the temperature down to recommended levels.

“I wonder if serving great-quality cask that has been kept well in the cellar at the right temperature is enough,” she says. “Do we need to go colder? It is a big challenge for us as an industry and something we will be thinking about.”

And the answer is?

So, lots of issues but what, beyond chilling cask, are the answers?

Kris said he remains positive about cask: “Cask is still very important to us, we built

our business on cask. Cask is not a ship of doom.” However, he adds that there needs to be staff and customer education around cask. “It needs to be qualified, you need to encourage tastings and samplings,” he says. He adds that getting the range right is also essential for pubs.

Jane agrees, adding that as well as educating people, the category needs to be bold. “There needs to be product innovation through flavour profile and diversification through ABV, she says.

“There also needs to be innovation through serve and glassware and cellar management systems to make sure the product is served at optimum temperature and optimum condition.”

Will such efforts be enough to save the drink that has stood for centuries as a symbol of the pub? Time will tell. But if the chance is there to breathe life back into a major point of difference for pubs, it’s got to be worth a try.

•

To view the full Cask Report visit https://cask-marque.co.uk/ cask-report-2018-19/

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 pxx cask.indd 27

27

07/11/2018 11:25

eat

Have we finally hit peak burger? The news one in five Gourmet Burger Kitchens will be closing could suggest so — as would a brief stroll down any high street. It always amazed me how a town can absorb Byron, GBK, Five Guys, TGI Fridays and so on, as well as McDonalds, KFC and Burger King. Of course, they cant, hence the current crisis.

But what does this mean for pubs? As illustrated by Inapub’s inaugural pub burger competition with Shipyard a couple of months back, there is a fantastic variety of burgers available for punters across this nation’s boozers.

Pubs have upped their game since the burger brands appeared on the high street and I wouldn’t want to see that change. But perhaps it is equally important to realise focusing

Five winter warmers The nights have drawn in, the fires are lit and it is time to put some warming grub on the menu. Inapub offers five winter dishes for you.

Beef & ale stew A classic for the winter months that should be a staple of any pub menu. Find a rich local ale to add to the gravy and fill with seasonal veg, then slow cook the meat for hours to get gorgeous, unctuous umami tastiness.

Fish pie Potato, creamy sauce, some locally sourced fish… what’s not to like? This is also a great way of using any vegetables in the fridges before they turn. The potential combinations of fish and veg are endless but best to keep it simple with peas, sweetcorn, cod, salmon, smoked haddock and mounds of steaming Maris Piper potato mash layered on top.

28 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

pxx-xx eat intro.indd 28

with JAMES EVISON

on just one trend or dish can be a dangerous game to play.

Check out our feature on next year’s food trends (p31-32) to make sure you are ahead of the curve when it comes to dishes and ingredients. There is no reason why pubs can’t be trend setters. The launch of vegan pubs, gluten-free pubs, even alcohol-free pubs, would suggest the sector can be creative enough to overcome the chaos that can swirl around the overall hospitality sector.

It is a scary time, but pubs are in a great position not just to survive but thrive. Where else can you enjoy a drink, shoot some pool or watch some sport, eat some food or meet for an informal chat? Their diversity is their strength — unlike burger chains. Cheers to that.

Parsnip soup Soups are a great light lunchtime option for punters and the rich, warming flavour of parsnip makes this a winner. A great option for healthy eaters, too, as it is low in fat, cholesterol and sodium, but chock full of vitamins and minerals, plus high in fibre, folic acid and potassium.

Beef hotpot A sister dish to the beef stew, this is another classic pub staple for the winter months. Red wine, beef stock, braising steak, carrots and thinly sliced potatoes… a match made in heaven. Up-sell with veggie fries such as sweet potato, parsnip, or carrot seasoned with salt and warming spices. Yum. Mushroom & leek pie A great vegetarian — even vegan — option: a couple of sliced leeks and a bowlful of button mushrooms should do the trick, with mixed herbs and garlic. To go full vegan use dairyfree butter and milk in the sauce and vegan puff pastry.

trade.inapub.co.uk 08/11/2018 01:33

RICH MAN, POOR MAN OYSTERS Matthew Leivers, head chef, The Star Inn The Harbour, Whitby, North Yorkshire

Oysters

Fennel pollen Apple

“To finish off the dish, we add a pinch of fennel pollen.”

“The black pudding discs are crisscrossed with batons made from Granny Smith or another good-quality apple.”

“Open and clean 12 Irish oysters, then chill them, ready for the other ingredients.

The beer batter for the oysters is made using 200ml of stout — we use Guinness.”

Apple purée Remoulade

“The celeriac and apple remoulade is made in advance and refrigerated. This is spooned on to the black pudding discs when they have been cooked, making a pile approximately 3cm wide.”

pxx-xx eat intro.indd 29

Black pudding

“The black pudding is cut into discs 5cm in diameter by 2.5cm thick, which are then fried, with two placed on to each plate portion.”

“Put 15ml of apple purée, made with 5g Ultratex or arrowroot, on the plate.

We dot the apple purée in and around the plate and grate a little fresh horseradish over it, then garnish with celery cress.”

08/11/2018 01:33

Add some crunch to your snacking sales Double your snacking sales, by introducing carded snacks at your bar1

Single Serve Snacks and Nuts account for over 90% of snacking sales in pubs2

Two thirds of Publicans

see the role of snacking as an additional revenue driver for their business3

Stock up on your carded snacks now 1. The Plough, Staining: ROS sales data, difference over two weeks after stocking Walkers crisps, September 2018 2. SalesOut Data, 2017. 3. CGA & PepsiCo Research, Summer 2017

ad page2.indd 30 PEPSICO_INAPUB_CARD_SNACKS_OCT18_ADVERT_FINAL.indd 1

07/11/2018 16:45 11:44 01/11/2018

eat.

5

food trends for 2019

by JAMES EVISON

1

Vegan and veggie

The continuing trend for vegan and veggie options shows no sign of abating.

The meat alternative market is seeing annual growth of 15 per cent with the number of vegan dishes available out of home up by 237 per cent, according to the Meatless Farm Co. “We will see diners eating less meat in 2019”, Richard Harrison, commercial director at the company explains. “There is a global shift in the way people eat and the meat alternative market is expected to be worth £3.9bn by 2020.”

Richard says the biggest challenge is taste and texture.

He says: “For established brands, the challenge will be how they stay fresh and current, responding to consumers’ evolving tastes. For start-ups, the challenge is to create a truly unique product that delivers against expectations.”

The rising popularity of Veganuary is also a driver of the vegan food trend, says Richard. In 2018, a total of 168,542 people signed up to go vegan for a month and this figure is set to rise in January 2019.

47 per cent of those who did sign up were meat-eating omnivores, a testament to the growing trend of the flexitarian – basically, someone who is a part-time vegetarian.

p31-32 food trends.indd 31

2

Sustainable protein

The rising popularity of meat-free and healthy options means pub diners increasingly recognise they can get protein from sources other than meat or fish. Phil Thornborrow, Head of Foodservice at Quorn, says: “Sustainability is influencing consumer choice more than ever before as people recognise the impact of intensive meat production on the planet.

“We’re addressing the challenge head-on, working with pubs to help them meet the needs of the growing number of customers who are reducing their meat consumption and switching to alternative sources of protein.”

Phil is confident that publicans can embrace the trend.

“We know pub menu planners have their finger on the pulse,” he says, “and, quite rightly, expect products that are on-trend, innovative and good for their customers.

07/11/2018 12:01

3 Indulgence… or not?

The desire for both indulgent and healthy dining when eating out continues to grow and operators are constantly looking for ways to keep their menus fresh and interesting for the so-called ‘weekend millionaires’, who buy big on nights out.

Aimee Davidson, channel marketing manager for Ajinomoto Foods Europe, says: “Having fully embraced tapas-style dining, consumers expect experiences where they can experiment with new formats and flavours.

“Operators are currently challenged by two opposing food trends, one driven by the health-conscious looking for ways to enjoy flavoursome food, while the second demands indulgence.

“Sharing platters also help ease the guilt of over-indulgence by offering a little bit of everything.”

4 Tea parties for ‘tea-totallers’

The growing numbers of teetotallers demand new menu options. Fortunately, the Great British Afternoon Tea is a great way to offer them something exciting.

Patrick Berwald, Benchmark’s vice president of food and beverage, said that three cups of tea are consumed worldwide for every cup of coffee, and craft tea blending, ‘nitro’ tea on tap, and even tea cocktails will become mainstream.

One good example of a pub making the most of afternoon teas is The Rose in Norwich, Norfolk, which is serving a Gin &

32 NOVEMBER /DECEMBER 2018

p31-32 food trends.indd 32

Tonic afternoon tea in November. The pub describes it as “the Mad Hatter’s tea party with gin” with small sandwiches and slices of cake with G&Ts. It also hosted a ‘Crafternoon Tea’ in October, which it first ran during Norwich Craft Beer Week. Artisan food including home-made savoury pies and pastries, chutneys and pickles, local cheeses and breads was served alongside craft beer.

Publican Dawn Hopkins says it was “a great way to sample some of the brilliant craft beers we have available” alongside home-made food. She adds that there was “no rush – take your time and enjoy your afternoon.”

5

Fermented products

According to a report by Nestlé, millennial diners aged 16 to 34 years old in particular seek out new flavours, and enjoy food that has a story and offers a culinary adventure – and fermented produce ticks all these boxes.

Fermented tea kombucha (see page 19, is probably the big global on-trend drink at the moment (see page 19), but it is being matched by fermented ambitions in the food market too.

Expect to see all manner of both artisanally produced and big-brand fermented foods hit pubs in the next year with more kimchi, pickles, sauerkraut, tempeh and kefir being offered by suppliers and foodservice firms.

Also, ingredients such as carrots and cream will be fermented and offered to customers who are looking for more probiotics on the menu.

You can even get in on the act yourself. There are numerous starter culture kits available to ferment your own vegetables and more online advice articles, videos and books than you can shake a fermented stick at.

trade.inapub.co.uk 07/11/2018 12:01

Start your order on one device, and complete it on another, anywhere, any time…

It’s just what the industry ordered upgrade your wholesaler.

The ONLINE

EXPERIENCE you’ve been waiting for…

Download the NEW BB foodservice app or visit our NEW website to place your order.

ad page2.indd 33

www.bbfoodservice.co.uk

08/11/2018 01:38

Stuff the turkey

by JAMES EVISON

The focus on doing a Christmas roast menu can often mean pubs miss another obvious opportunity: festive bar snacks.

James Scott, who is the executive chef for the multi-award-winning New World Trading Company, has a few tricks up his sleeve that can help you create a great festive snacks menu.

James stresses it is a good idea to get ahead of the game and plan your pub’s festive snacks early. He says: “We find customers are making enquiries for Christmas parties a lot earlier than previous years, so it makes sense to be ready.

“The process all begins as soon as one Christmas ends and we start collecting feedback in preparation for the following year. This way it is still fresh in our minds and we start getting some ideas and inspiration down on paper around January/February.”

Simple snacks

If you keep things simple and use a template similar to your existing snacks menu you can avoid making too much extra work for yourself.

“The price points for the Christmas nibbles are based on our current menu price points for bar snacks,” James continues, “just with a festive theme. The key is to make them affordable to guests.

“We used our normal suppliers — we asked them if they had any ideas for the nibbles. Christmas pudding sausage

meat was intriguing to us, so we played around with it and decided to do it as a sausage roll.”

So when he sat down to put together the Christmas snack menu, where did he start?

“We haven’t previously done a Christmas nibbles menu,” James says, “so we wanted to have a bit of fun with it. If you are in the bar having a drink rather than a sit-down meal, these are the perfect Christmasthemed snack for that.

“We took this as our focus, alongside the wider feedback we received on Christmas, what has worked in the past and what we believe guests want.”

Getting the look

Presentation of snacks is central to their success and for delivering the wow factor for people — although practicality plays a part as well. James says: “The dishes are presented in small cast iron pots — they are the perfect size for nibbles and are robust enough for the wear and tear of a busy period.”

Another vital element is to make sure the new menu does not have a negative impact on the back-of-house team.

“It will mean a little extra work for the kitchen team,” James says, “but we use some of the ingredients or recipes in the main menu anyway.

“Training will be given to the chefs and general managers over November to ensure it is fresh in their minds and they will get to sit down and have a pre-Christmas meal where they will be served the menu and nibbles to get them into the festive spirit,” he adds And do not forget to push the menu out to your customers when you are ready to share it — after all, you will need to drive footfall to make it a success.

New World’s festive menu will be

trade.inapub.co.uk pxx xmas snacks.indd 34

07/11/2018 12:08

93x266.qxp_Layout 1 17/10/2018 09:49 Page 1

Think beyond the bird: instead of getting hung up on offering a Christmas roast, pubs can deliver something different with a festive snacks menu

presented to local punters before being rolled out across the company’s pubs.

James continues: “We will also be including it in our email marketing, pointof-sale and shared with members of our new loyalty scheme ‘My New World’.

“Once we get in the festive period, these will also form a key part of our Christmas and social media campaigns.”

Meet your match

It pays to think about what beers you are going to match with the snacks too, says, Jonathan Lloyd from pub company JW Lees, which also produces a special festive snacks menu.

“We serve our Christmas snack collection with a pint of our Plum Pudding Christmas Ale. Plum Pudding is so popular we even have Plum Pudding Day in around 50 of our pubs, when we celebrate the start of Christmas and this special cask ale,” Jonathan says.

James agrees: “Menus are always created to complement the wider offering and this will be largely led on a local level, based on audience and local suppliers.”

Both Jonathan and James have perhaps the quintessential festive snack for pubs — pigs in blankets — on their menus, which again is perfect to show off a pub’s drinks menu and its condiments.

Jonathan says: “It is the top trump of all Christmas snacks. Ours is dipped into a Manchester Star Ale chutney. We’ve been making chutney out of our award-winning 7.5 per cent ABV ale for about five years — it pairs perfectly with sausage and bacon.”

THE DEFINITIVE EVENT FOR PUBS IS BACK Book your FREE trade ticket at www.casualdiningshow.co.uk using priority code CD16 “There’s a reason I’ve been every year and will continue to do so...

I love Casual Dining! It’s the essential date in the calendar!”

BRIAN KEELEY-WHITING, MD, WHITING & HAMMOND @CasDiningShow #CasDining19

trade.inapub.co.uk pxx xmas snacks.indd 35

07/11/2018 12:08

play

By now you should be just about ready for the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas is obviously a great opportunity to make a few quid but it is also a chance to get some extra exposure for your business.

Virtually everyone who comes through your doors will have a smartphone in their pocket and the ability to take photos of your business that they can share with the world.

So, you need to look your best.

A survey by online retailer Christmas Tree World, which admittedly has a vested interest here, found that one in three people will use a Christmas tree in a pub as the backdrop to photos when they are out. One in nine people take selfies

with MATT ELEY

in front of Christmas trees and 19 per cent take photos of friends or family in such a spot.

Perhaps most amazingly of all, one in 10 people said that they choose a venue simply based on whether the tree and decorations are good for photos.

But most importantly, one in five said they will share the pictures with their social networks.

It just goes to emphasise how people are living their lives through the lens. They want to make memories that they can share to show people just what a wonderful time they are having. Getting the right look, and becoming instantly Instagrammable, is one way to make sure they do that with you.

Opening batsman: Mike Gatting welcomes cricket fans back to The Pavilion Former England cricket skipper Mike Gatting was on hand to re-open London pub The Pavilion End after an extensive refurbishment by owner Fuller’s.

And he would have felt in comfortable surroundings with customers who turned up in full whites receiving a free drink and a meal. Guests who went in a cricket top were given a free pint.

The pub is the only one in the City of London dedicated to cricket and features memorabilia throughout.

General manager Garth Warren said: “We are proud to be the City’s only cricket pub –many people are surprised to find us so far away from a cricket pitch. The Pavilion End is looking superb after its refurbishment and my team and I cannot wait to welcome in both old customers and new.

Mike Gatting said: “It’s great to see a pub celebrating cricket in this way. Cricket is such a social sport and The Pavilion End really embraces this – I know where

36 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

pxx play intro.indd 36

I’ll be watching the next England Test Match if nobody gives me a ticket.”

trade.inapub.co.uk 07/11/2018 12:15

play.

New Year’s Eve did you know?

Pic: Getty

Pic: Getty

Autumn Internationals

This autumn gives the home nations the chance to see where they stand against the rest of the world ahead of next year’s World Cup. November 24 sees England face Australia, Wales take on South Africa and Scotland play Argentina.

Saturday, November 24, Sky and BBC

Happening this year Pic: Getty

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

He’s already been crowned F1 champion for a fifth time but can Lewis Hamilton finish the season in the style at Abu Dhabi? Probably.

Sunday, November 25, Sky Sports

NBA

Basketball fans will know that the NBA season is now well under way. Sky recently signed a four-year rights deal to broadcast 170 games a year, including more than ever before at 8.30pm on weekends.

Sky Sports

Liverpool v Manchester United

They may not be the very best teams in the country but this remains the biggest fixture.

December 16, 4pm, Sky Sports

Champions League

The group stages will be concluded with some crackers including Spurs heading to the Nou Camp. Not the place you want to go to if you need a point to progress.

December 11/12 BT Sport

Pic: Getty

Christmas

We’re confident that you know the date, but do you know the day? Christmas is on a Tuesday this year, which should give you a nice weekend in the run-up to both that and New Year’s Eve. Tuesday, December 25

Pic: Getty

trade.inapub.co.uk pxx play intro.indd 37

It could be your busiest night of the year and, if you find a spare minute, here are a few facts that you can wow your New Year’s Eve revellers with.

Auld Lang Syne was penned by Robert Burns in 1788. Auld Lang Syne means “times gone by”.

Black eyed peas, ham and cabbage are considered good luck to eat on New Year’s Eve. It may be less lucky for your friends and family on New Year’s Day. Fizz sales are always high on December 31 but two years ago Prosecco sales outstripped Champagne for the first time. The Italian fizz made up 18 per cent off all wet sales in the on-trade between 11.30pm and 12.30am on NYE 2016, compared with 17 per cent for Champagne.

Newcastle is one of the best places for pubs on New Year’s Eve. Sales were up 11 per cent in 2017 compared to the year before – higher than anywhere else in the country. Brighton (up nine per cent) was next in line according to research from technology supplier Epos Now. New Year celebrations can be traced back as far as 2000BC. In 1582, the Gregorian calendar reform restored January 1 as New Year’s Day.

07/11/2018 12:15

Arrows of outrageous fortune

by MATT ELEY

“

A bit of planning, preparation and creative thinking can really bring the tournament to life in a venue

It’s Christmas, the drinks are flowing and that means it’s time for the heroes of the oche to step up to take centre stage.

The PDC World Darts Championship gets under way at London’s Alexandra Palace on December 13.

Not only does the event give countless stag dos and office parties the chance to dress up, sink a few jars and occasionally pay attention to the sporting action, but it can also have a positive impact on business for UK pubs.

The tournament will be shown live on Sky Sports, right up until the final itself on New Year’s Day. For many it may feel like a new era is beginning with 16-time world champion

Phil Taylor not in the draw. He decided to retire after his defeat in last year’s final to newcomer Rob Cross. One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is that darts can provide great entertainment in the pub.

David Vaira, Sky Sports marketing controller, says: “The atmosphere of watching darts live from the Ally Pally can be replicated in the pub, giving licensees the perfect opportunity to make their businesses the next best spot to watch the competition.

Get your game on

“A bit of planning, preparation and creative thinking can really bring the tournament to life in a venue. Encourage customers to don fancy dress or wear a Christmas jumper and hand out prizes to the best dressed — perhaps making the prize something that encourages a repeat visit in January, traditionally a quiet time in the trade.”

He adds that foam fingers and placards for customers to scribble messages on will further enhance the feel of actually of being

League darts games can drive trade on quieter mid-week nights, as they do for Nick Marchant at The Crown

38

pxx darts.indd 38

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

trade.inapub.co.uk 07/11/2018 22:54

play. the years and it still retains a special place in the public’s affections. The event will run from January 5 to 13 and will be broadcast on Eurosport.

Of course, the pull of darts in the pub goes way beyond being a TV sport.

Pubs across the UK rely on darts teams to bring in that important early to mid-week trade. In fact, darts has also followed the same path as beer and tattoos by being “hipsterised” by a new generation of fan.

Landlords and their boards The link between pubs and darts goes way beyond a few locals chucking the tungsten. Here are a few pros who have had a hand in the trade.

Eric Bristow One of the game’s most colourful characters died in April. He won five world titles and was mentor to Phil Taylor. The pair met at Bristow’s Stoke pub, The Crafty Cockney.

Gary Anderson The back-to-back world champion used to run The Wellington Arms in Rooksbridge, Somerset.

Arrers for all

Scott Waites Scotty “Too Hotty” won the BDO title back in 2016. But when he turned up to play for his pub, The Commercial in Golcar, West Yorkshire, the very next day, he found he hadn’t been selected.

Phil Taylor The legend of darts learned the game in the pub and he went on to buy his own, The Cricketers in Stoke-on-Trent.

at Ally Pally — as will deals on lager pitchers, hot dogs and burgers.

Promotional assets to help pubs let customers know about the darts both in venue and on social media are available to Sky customers at MySkySports.com.

The PDC isn’t the only show in town.

Darts purists will know that the BDO tournament is coming up too.

The Lakeside-based event has seen champions such as Taylor, Eric Bristow and Jocky Wilson rise to prominence over

trade.inapub.co.uk pxx darts.indd 39

The bar chain Flight Club, which has multiple venues in London and Manchester, has brought the game to a new audience by creating darts experiences and teambuilding events alongside its beer and food offer. For example, its Brunch Social features Prosecco on arrival, bottomless pizza, a DJ and a little bit of social darts thrown in for good measure.

Meanwhile, traditional venues, such as The Crown in Seaford, East Sussex, create trade by welcoming their home side and their opponents for fixtures.

Nick Marchant, licensee at the free-of-tie wet-led pub, says darts plays an important role at the venue.

“We have two teams and we run the Seaford League out of here and on Thursdays we have the Newhaven, Peacehaven and Seaford League,” he says.

“There are various games and you get nine home players and the same for away. They drink a fair bit and it is the main thing that keeps me going in the week.”

He compares it to Champions League football for the way it can drive trade on those quieter nights, which shows the value a couple of dartboards can bring to a community business that is reliant on drink sales.

november/december 2018

39

07/11/2018 22:54

Festive family fun

by MATT ELEY

One of The Keel Row’s event flyers and right, the mini bus that provides free transport on New Year’s Eve

40

For many people Christmas is about spending time with the family. So how do you ensure at least some of that time is spent with you?

Award-winning family pub The Keel Row in Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, prides itself on its festive family events.

It holds an annual Christmas market in the expansive pub car park, where parents can shop at a variety of stalls and children can feed the reindeer – with money for food being donated to charity.

It also hosts a number of events in the runup to Christmas that families can enjoy. This year includes special screenings of the film Elf – with kids and parents invited to watch in their onesies – and a princess Christmas ball.

Sharon Herron, landlady at the Ei pub, said the events, which can hold up to about

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

pxx xmas with kids.indd 40

50 people at a time, sell out almost instantly.

“This year we are also having two breakfasts with Santa and three teas with Santa. Everything has been sold out since October,” she says. “The events are posted on our Facebook page and we only ticket them to make sure the numbers are right.

We have 9,000 friends on Facebook, so people see the post and come to the pub to buy tickets. For one event we sold 50 tickets in three minutes.”

Tickets are priced at £2 and customers get that back in the form of items such as a hot chocolate and a present at the event.

Sharon, who has been at the helm of the pub for more than a decade, said the Christmas family theme is an extension of how the pub is run for the rest of the year.

“It’s a family pub and we are dog-friendly,” she continues. “Everyone brings their children. It’s the same on New Year’s Eve, people bring their older children to the pub to see the new year in. It’s nice for the children to be able to come out.”

And the pub makes sure everyone gets home too with its 13-seater minibus providing free lifts on a night when it is notoriously tricky – and expensive – to get a taxi.

Similarly, The Top Monkey in Mold,

trade.inapub.co.uk 07/11/2018 23:46

Feeding reindeer at The Keel Row’s annual Christmas market and there are opportunities to meet Santa at breakfast or afternoon tea

“

We run the pub as a family for other families to enjoy

Flintshire, is also a family-friendly pub for 12 months of the year.

Licensee Deeanne Rothwell, herself a mother of two, runs a host of events including Halloween parties and activities for children with conditions such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

She explains: “We run the pub as a family for other families to enjoy. I remember wanting to go to pubs and they were not welcoming to families so we ensure ours is.”

Christmas giving

One of the focuses at Christmas at the Marston’s pub is to help disadvantaged children. The pub supports the charity North Wales Superkids.

Deeanne continues: “We believe Christmas is about ensuring everyone is included so we ask our customers to donate presents. These are given to disadvantaged children and their carers, who are often the ones who miss out at Christmas.”

Last year Top Monkey customers donated more than 150 gifts.

Another licensee who knows about helping out others at Christmas is Ashley McCarthy, who runs Ye Old Sun Inn in Colton, North Yorkshire with his wife Kelly.

Each year Ashley creates a chocolate masterpiece that is displayed in the pub to raise funds for Martin House Hospice for young children with life shortening illnesses. It is then given to the hospice on New Year’s Eve.

trade.inapub.co.uk pxx xmas with kids.indd 41

Going soft for Christmas If you want to attract families at Christmas it will be essential to get the soft drinks options right. If you do, sales should fly, says Russell Goldman, commercial director at Britvic.

He adds: “Busy parents are likely to be out and about with the kids doing the Christmas shopping and festive activities, so make sure you’re offering a welcome break from the festive rush during the day and ensure your range includes plenty of options for the little ones.”

And it isn’t just the kids who will be choosing soft drinks.

He continues: “Christmas is the biggest sales period for soft drinks with 25 litres sold every second [CGA], and consumers typically spend more on soft drinks than usual thanks to the higher number of social occasions.

“Last year we undertook research into the importance of soft drinks at Christmas which revealed almost half of consumers, 45 per cent, were set to buy more soft drinks at Christmas as figures showed that over a fifth, 21 per cent, planned to drink less alcohol.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

41

07/11/2018 23:46

stay 11

Winter warmers

Those long winter nights can feel even longer if you’re struggling to occupy your overnight rooms.

So how can you attract customers at those quieter times of year? Matt Eley got some tips from the top.

Do them a deal

A room deal can be a great way of getting people in and spending at the bar. Claire Alexander owns Cotswolds pubs The Ebrington Arms and The Killingworth Castle, which both have accommodation. She says: “We do three nights for the price of two, which works in the week and at weekends because you can get people who decide they will stay for the Sunday as well.”

Paul Nunny, of pub rooms website Stay in a Pub, adds that dinner, bed and breakfast deals are another way of building trade around quieter days of the week.

•

Let them know about it

Your own website and social media are great platforms to let people know if you have availability, because you can avoid the fees of the big booking agents. Claire says Instagram is an ideal tool for her because it helps show off the pubs in their picturesque glory. She also uses it to promote last-minute 25 per cent discount deals. However, she urges caution when it comes to doing deals, as too many can cheapen your overall offer.

42 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

pxx stay.indd 42

Sell vouchers

Paul and Claire agree that pubs can fill rooms in those quieter months by selling vouchers in advance that can be redeemed.

Claire says: “People like ‘experiences’ these days, so we find our vouchers are really popular. If someone is given a £100 voucher they are more likely to book a room or have a big meal. It isn’t brilliant for cashflow, because people buy them before Christmas, but it gets people in afterwards.” Paul adds: “Between now and Christmas, give a voucher out to people who stay to encourage them to return in January, also listing things to do in the area.”

Be direct

Don’t wait for them to come for you, use your database. Paul says: “Develop a mailing list of customers so you can email special offers, activities and create events that sell rooms, such as Burns Night.”

Target repeat business

Try to encourage repeat business from the customers who come to stay with you in the busier months. Paul says: “Market these January offers to all those visiting the pub in the lead-up to Christmas –postcards in rooms with offer details work.”

trade.inapub.co.uk 07/11/2018 23:59

stay.

“

Between now and Christmas, give a voucher out to people who stay to encourage them to return in January A room at The Ebrington Arms in the Cotswolds. The pub promotes accommodation deals through Instagram

Book direct too

Having your own website set up so customers can book direct means you can capture customer details and follow up at later dates. Paul adds: “Make sure your website is appealing and booking easy, as 70 per cent of people book accommodation online. It also needs to be mobile-friendly as people use mobiles more than tablets.”

Pay for search listings

•

If people are searching for “pubs with rooms in January”, you want to be found. But it’s getting even harder to get noticed on search engines due to big companies putting large budgets towards this. Claire says: “We are on the first page of Google but we have spent on Google AdWords to get there.”

Plan well ahead

If you want people in the rooms in January, you should be planning for this months in advance. Claire says: “It’s a long game with accommodation. People might see you then book eight or nine months down the line.”

Be the best at what you do

Ultimately, having high standards and

providing a great offer is what will drive people back to you time and time again.

Having established The Ebrington Arms over 11 years, and The Killingworth Castle over six, with both winning several awards, Claire now benefits from regular repeat business. She says: “You have to be on top of your game because it is really competitive out there. We are lucky that the Cotswolds is busy all year round, but you have to keep on top of refurbishments, redecorating every three years. For us, it is about getting the atmosphere just right.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 43 pxx stay.indd 43

07/11/2018 23:59

back-bar business

Work your feedback

by JAMES EVISON

You’ve gathered a massive Excel spreadsheet of customer feedback. Now what?

It’s time to spend some effort looking through it.

According to Harvard Business Review, it costs five to 25 times more money to get new customers than it does to keep existing ones happy. Also, highly engaged punters (for pubs this means punters you talk to regularly, or keep in touch with via a mailing list, social media etc) buy 90 per cent more often and spend 60 per cent more per transaction than unknown people (the walk-in customers you’ve never seen before), according to Rosetta Consulting.

The feedback loop

To deal with customer feedback effectively you need to understand the

“ACAF feedback loop”: Ask, Categorise, Act, Follow up. Let’s take a look at these points one by one.

Look at the questions

Firstly, take a step back and look at what has been asked, otherwise feedback is useless. As leading guest feedback firm GuestRevu points out: “If all of those guests are simply telling you that their stay was OK, without going into any detail, it will be hard to pinpoint how you could improve and turn an “OK” stay into an excellent one.”

Bill Gates says, “your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”, so don’t be afraid to find out if people dislike your business. Instead, ensure you get a comparative data set that enables you to improve your pub.

A good question may look like this: “Did you wait more than five minutes to get served? If yes, how long did it take? (tick box) 10 minutes, 15 minutes, Longer.”

Here, you are assuming that waiting more than five minutes is unacceptable, and discovering how long wait times were at the bar. At the top or end of the questionnaire, ask what time the punter went to the pub.

Such detailed time data can offer a detailed breakdown of pressure points throughout the week, and it is easy to create graphs illustrating staff pinch points. Much more useful than asking “how was your service?” and receiving an “OK”.

Categorise

When faced with a flood of information, the first instinct is to feel overwhelmed by thousands of lines of data. But actually this is rather like a deck of cards – you simply have to sift through and find the ace.

Put the feedback into different buckets such as front of house, back of house, furniture, toilets, bedrooms, bathrooms etc.

44 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

pxx BBB.indd 44

trade.inapub.co.uk 08/11/2018 00:07

“

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.

Don’t be afraid to find out if people dislike your business trade.inapub.co.uk

pxx BBB.indd 45

Some of these pots may have little information in them, but that’s fine, it’s just about organising your data.

Once you have created the pots, take a look at what the feedback looks like. Does it feel detailed enough to take forward?

Do you need to go back and ask more – or different – questions?

If a lot of people say they were unhappy with the toilets – why? Did a lot of people say the rooms felt “outdated” or didn’t like the design – in what way? Did they dislike the cask ale – why?

Take action

This naturally leads onto how you act once you have the answers. Take the above issues. Firstly, give the information to the relevant area and staff in your business. Go back to the people who said they didn’t like the toilets – ask them whether they were dirty, or was it something else?

You may find that nothing is wrong with cleanliness of the toilets, just there aren’t enough of them. Or they didn’t like the soap or hand dryer, but this was just a personal preference rather than a problem.

Without this level of data, it is impossible to act. Once it has been obtained, you can

then change products, contact the people who complained about them, and ask them if they would like to come back, and maybe give them a special offer too.

Also, look on customer review websites to see if people have mentioned the issue that arose in the survey.

If it came up in feedback, chances are it’s out there on the internet. If you have acted, make sure to post as the pub owner saying it has been resolved.

Follow up

This final point about commenting on actions taken is crucial. Don’t simply ask, act and then finish your engagement with the complaining punters.

It is as important to keep a spreadsheet of actions and who you have followed up with as much as gathering information in the first place. Keep a file of the journey around actions. Tell the people what has happened and ask whether they are happy with this response. Remember that basic point – it is much easier to keep current customers than get new ones.

It’s actually pretty simple: keep your punters engaged, and chances are they will return happy.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 45 08/11/2018 00:07

time at the bar

PLATE OR SLATE? Where the nation’s publicans stand on the really big questions Calvin Dow The Castle Inn, Skipton, North Yorkshire Calvin took over as the licensee of The Castle at the tender age of 23. He introduced food, events and even a dedicated spirits and cocktail bar to the pub, turning around its fortunes and bagging himself several industry awards in the process.

He recently penned a poem, called Life Behind Bars taking on TripAdvisor complainers and difficult customers, which went viral.

Plate or slate?

Plate! Slates are for the roof. What next, soup served in a satellite dish!?

Background music or silence is golden?

Wear what you like or uniform for the staff?

Staff uniform. With the pub name, so they can find their way to work when they’re hungover (or not, allegedly!)

Background music. Simply to drown out the cries of “how much?”

Family friendly or keep the kids at home?

Brass or chrome fittings?

Families allowed, not friendly. All unsupervised children will be given cigarettes and taught how to swear.

Brass, only because I love the smell of Brasso and the regulars don’t.

Menus online or on paper?

Dogs allowed or only animals are on the menu?

On paper, we don’t have a website.

And it’s something for the kids to draw on, apparently.

Dogs allowed, begrudgingly. If they spent money as well as their owners, I’d be a lot happier.

Karaoke or pub quiz?

Pub quiz. I love watching the squabbles between teams regarding cheating accusations!

Dress up or dress down?

Dress down. A pub is for everybody, no matter what their walk of life. But I would draw the line at mankinis

Packet of scratchings or Michelin Stars?

Packet of scratchings every time. I don’t appreciate extortionate prices for a tiny amount of food, served on a wooden board, garnished with shaved unicorn’s horn and a strawberry in the shape of a swan... with jus.

Live sport or big screen ban?

Big screen ban. You come to a pub to talk.

Go to the match if you want to watch it live.

On the tab or no credit here?

When banks start serving pints, I’ll start giving credit.

46 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

p46 plate or slate.indd 46

08/11/2018 00:27

Turn a cocktail into a concert

Turn it up!

Discover how TheMusicLicence is helping businesses find their mojo.

0800 0868 803 Quote ‘In a Pub Magazine’

pplprs.co.uk/themusiclicence ad page2.indd 47 PPL_PRS_INAPUB_ADVERT_FULL_PAGE_26102018.indd 1

08/11/2018 00:30 26/10/2018 13:22:37

A pub in Portsmouth, Devon, has supported a fundraising walk to raise money for research into brain tumours. The Still and West made a “Mocktail of Hope” in support of the Portsmouth Walk of Hope, which set off from the pub and saw 200 supporters taking part in the event for the Brain Tumour Research charity. It was the first time a Walk of Hope, which occur nationwide in September, had taken place in the South West. Debbie Bowden, events manager at the pub, said: “The Mocktails of Hope went down a treat and it was very moving to hear the stories of those involved, many of whom had been affected by a brain tumour. It was a really special event.”

THE COLLECTION TIN What pubs around the country are doing to help good causes Pubco Ei Group has donated a defibrillator to Old Yardleians Rugby Club in Shirley, the West Midlands. Several years ago, a player died during a match at the club. Committee member Tristram Oliver said: “To have this advanced piece of medical kit available at the club is more than appreciated.”

Sussex brewer and pub operator Dark Star has teamed up with comedians and Radio X DJs Elis James and John Robins to create a 3.5 per cent ABV session pale ale. The beer celebrates the launch of their book The Holy Vible, and profits will go to The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

Henley-based pub operator and brewer Brakspear has raised more than £42,000 for the terminal illness charity Marie Curie in a year-and-a-half. Many pubs raised cash for the charity by suggesting people donated 50p for a carafe of tap water. Brakspear presented a final cheque to Marie Curie at the Chequers in Berrick Salome, Oxfordshire.

A Norwich pub group has created a raspberry beer to support a local breast cancer charity. Norwich Inns teamed up with Fakenham brewery The Norfolk Brewhouse, and cancer charity Keeping Abreast to make Abreast Bitter.

The beer will be served in pubs across Norfolk to raise awareness of the disease and the charity’s work.

LANDLORD OF THE MONTH Sue and Po Cole of The Six Bells in Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire, have been named Prostate Cancer UK’s Landlords of the Month for November after hosting a musical evening and raising money for the charity to help save men’s lives. Sue and Po raised more than £1,000 by hosting a music event with three local bands. They also provided sausages and chips to any people who wanted food, and a raffle with prizes from local people and businesses. Po said: “We decided to support Prostate Cancer UK to raise awareness of this disease as many of our regulars are affected by it. The event went really well and we are thrilled that we were able to raise awareness of a disease that affects one in eight men in the UK.”

James Beeby, director of fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “It is with landlords like Sue & Po that we are able to start more conversations in pubs about prostate cancer and make more men aware of their health”.

To sign up for a fundraising pack or receive more information visit prostatecanceruk.org/menunitedarms

Are you raising funds for a great cause? Let us know at editorial@inapub.co.uk

48

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

p48 collection tin Oct 18.indd 48

trade.inapub.co.uk 08/11/2018 00:46

TOP

10

PUBS WITH VIEWS

Pub panoramas serving up a feast for the eyes 1. The Warren House Inn 2

Postbridge, Dartmoor Said to be the highest (at 1,425ft above sea level) and loneliest pub in Southern England, it has no mains facilities at all.

Even the water has to be gravity fed from an underground spring. On the upside it has a roaring fire, said to have been burning continuously since 1845, and extensive views all over the famous moors.

2. Ye Olde Ferrie Inn

Pic: Robin Baker

4

Symonds Yat West, Herefordshire.

The Wye valley was recognised as an Area of Outstanding Beauty in 1971 but this pub, situated in a prime picturesque plot on the banks of the River Wye, has been around a little longer than that. Punters have been drinking in their pints and the stunning views from here since 1473, in fact.

3. The Scott Arms Pic: Marathon

7

Kingston, Dorset Looking over the rolling Purbeck countryside to Corfe Castle, the pub is famous for its quintessentially English view, but recently it’s become just as well known for its Caribbean food. That’s right, Jamaican-born co-owner Nicky Coppack has brought a little bit of Kingston to Kingston.

4. The White Swan 9

Twickenham, London This pub is not just on the river but sometimes in the river – at high tide the Thames often floods the garden. Wet or dry though, the pub provides sumptuous views over Eel Pie Island and the grounds of Ham House.

5. Oyster Catcher Drunken Duck pic: DS Pugh

p49 top 10.indd 49

10

Otter Ferry, Argyle and Bute Often referred to as Argyle’s “secret coast” this part of Scotland might only be an hourand-a-half’s drive from Glasgow but it’s a million miles from the hustle and bustle of a big city. Sit back and relax right on the beach of Loch Fyne’s east bank at this pub, gaze out over the water and breathe.

6. The Stein Inn

Stein, Isle of Skye At night the skies in this part of Skye are some of the darkest in Europe and on a clear evening, pint in hand, you may be lucky enough to see the Aurora Borealis. In the daytime you can soak in the equally breathtaking sight of the Waternish peninsula.

7. The Tan Hill Inn

Richmond, Yorkshire Atop the Pennines, this pub offers 360˚ views of the North Yorkshire countryside. There’s a price to pay for such sights, however – the pub has been cut off in bad weather several times. Though we’d argue getting stuck in one of the most famous pubs in the UK enjoying a pie and a pint while the blizzards raged outside is hardly a high price.

8. The Old Coastguard

Mousehole, Cornwall Tropical garden views aren’t what you expect from a traditional British boozer but that’s exactly what you get in this seaside pub. Peek between the palm trees for a glimpse of St Michael’s Mount and the Lizard among the glistening Cornish inland waters as you sup on your pint of ale.

9. Ty Coch Inn

Porthdinllaen, Gwynedd Named one of the top 10 beach bars in the world a few years back, this Welsh gem can only be reached by walking a mile across the beach, across the headland or by boat. When the weather is kind views stretch across the Irish sea to the The Rivals. If you can’t get there in person, a webcam feed on the pub’s website will show you what you are missing.

10. The Drunken Duck

Ambleside, Cumbria On a crossroads between the Lake District tourist hotspots of Windermere and Beatrix Potter’s Hawkshead. Its food, drink, accommodation rooms and views have won it rave reviews over the years.

08/11/2018 00:54

time at the bar

HAIR OF THE DOG Tales of the unexpected from the wonderful world of pubs t the win Medieval scrummagers ge

Haxey, where the Lincolnshire village of Heartwarming news from way for ke to be demolished to ma The Duke William was set bulldozers the t hal to Councillors voted a housing development. would pub the of s los the ced them after campaigners convin beautiful game. threaten the future of the rugby , that is – a kind of mass Ho The game of Haxey od day of lfth twe the on y 14th centur played annually since the Arms, The gs Kin The , liam Wil ke The Du Christmas. Punters from scrum ous rm Loco pile into an eno Carpenters Arms and The it ere wh , pub ir tube back to the and try to push a leather not ed opt l nci cou the , ely tch. Wis remains until the next ma melée. to stand in the way of the ned up to tur ple “Three hundred peo d they do sai and y xle a meeting in Ha mittee not want this,” planning com BBC. the member Mick Grant told m?” the h wit ue arg “Who are we to graph.org

Pic: Richard Croft / Geo

Time for a festive tipple Will you make it through Christmas morning?

The average Brit doesn’t quite without a drink, a survey has revealed.

The research, commissioned by Masons Yorkshire Gin, found 11.54am is the time the average Brit reaches for their first alcoholic drink on Christmas Day. Nearly a quarter of respondents kicked things off with some bubbles, in the form of Champagne, Prosecco or Buck’s Fizz.

Londoners were the keenest to start the merrymaking, popping the corks at 11.03 am, while in Northern Ireland, one in eight starts the day’s boozing with a mulled wine.

The survey also uncovered a North/South divide over G&T, with Northerners drinking it after dinner, while Southerners preferred it as an aperitif.

No figures are available on what time the nation’s festive drinkers pass out on the sofa.

p51 hair of the dog.indd 50

Toast on the side We’re sophisticated types here at Inapub. That’s why we were delighted to read an article in New York magazine on which wines are the best to drink with breakfast.

Citing the city’s famed breakfast sandwiches as a dish deserving a proper complement, the article suggests wines from Santorini as the perfect match, “thanks to their ripe citrus and fruit flavors cutting nicely against the processed cheese, while the savory bacon will find a companion in the saline minerality that is a classic characteristic of these wines.”

With more and more pubs offering breakfast evolving into all-day venues, this is surely a trend to be welcomed.

Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have a breakfast meeting to attend…

Letting it all hang out

As mentioned ab ove, we’re sophist icated types here That’s why, with at Inapub. the nights drawin g in and the tem plummeting, we peratures were intrigued to hear about the la Scandinavian we test llness trend.

No, not hygge, th at’s soooo 2017 . The noise over few months has the past all been about Pä ntsdrunk – the Fi art of drinking at nnish home, alone, in your underwear.

This is a lifestyle with its own refe rence work, set way into stockin to find its gs this Christmas . It has also been by the Finnish go endorsed vernment, which in 2015 released emojis of a man and wo man drinking in their underwear to re present Finnish culture.

We find much to admire about th is approach to pers onal developmen t. But all things considered , we’d prefer to do our drinking in the pu b, with some mat es, and with our trouser s on.

trade.inapub.co.uk 08/11/2018 00:58

XXXXXXXXXXXX 10 TOP

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 1. Xxxxxxx Xxxx

1

2

4

6

9

7

10 8

trade.inapub.co.uk ad page 2.indd 55

XXXXXXXX 2016 55 23/04/2018 09:10

A D IF F ER EN T BR EED

TO STOCK, C A L L 01 7 6 5 6 8 0 70 1 O R EMAI L TEL E S A L E S @ B LAC K S H E E P. CO . U K BLACKSHE E P B R E W E R Y.CO. U K

ad page2.indd 52

06/11/2018 13:09