Inapub magazine march 2018 issue 74 by inapub

inapub

Issue 74 March 2018 ÂŁ4.95 trade.inapub.co.uk

Friends of the family

Publicans who are seriously down with the kids p01 cover.indd 1

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this month Taking on the dating apps • Catering to families

drink Category Insights • The sound of a good wine

eat Art of the Upsell: desserts • Roast dinners

play Women’s sport • Spring events

stay Glamping and other outdoor accommodation

back-bar business When social media goes bad

time at the bar Terms from the Drinktionary • Beer in space

Cheers,

Editor Robyn Black 07909 251 231 • robynb@inapub.co.uk Contributors Matt Eley, Richard Molloy, Michelle Perrett, John Porter, Paul Convery

Find these foxes in the mag and win a barrel of Old Speckled Hen! p

Production editor Ben Thrush 07810 620 169 • ben@inapub.co.uk Chief executive Barrie Poulter 07908 144 337 • barrie@inapub.co.uk

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

e all love pubs, of course, but are people still finding love in the pub? Not only do we go out less these days, but when we do there’s a myriad of different things we might choose to do rather than pop to the pub – a night market, Secret Cinema, a coffee shop, the gym. And there’s online dating now too, of course. Tinder, Plenty of Fish, Bumble, Happn, not to mention the more “traditional” Match.com and its ilk are all now places it’s possible to meet The One. Fortunately, my own days of being on MySingleFriend (yielding several disastrous dates, including the one involving the £1 bagel and a copy of Horse & Hound) are over. However, the days of finding love in the pub are not, and canny licensees are even turning romance into revenue these days. Find out more on p10-13. Once you’ve found love, you might start a family, just like Graham Anderson and Sharon Stanton, who run award-winning family pub The Eastfield Inn in Bristol. We popped in to find out just how they do it. Elsewhere, we look at how to deal with a backlash on social media and how to offer accommodation even if you haven’t got any rooms.

Sales manager Leah Gauthier 07884 868 364 • leah@inapub.co.uk Subscriptions trade.inapub.co.uk/magazine 0800 160 1986 • subscriptions@inapub.co.uk

Printed by Warners Midlands

26/02/2018 12:29

A Fresh Start. After 50 years, it’s time to change your kegs.

Todays consumers have developed a growing thirst for choice at the bar and DraughtMaster’s revolutionary system let’s you meet that demand. Welcome to Fresh Pressed Beer.

Better Returns - The profit flows as smoothly as the beer. With less chance of beer going to waste, you can offer a greater variety of beers – and refresh your returns, too. Lasting Quality - Fresh beer, time and time and time again. Our sealed-in system keeps beer fresh from the first drop to the last, for a minimum of 31 days. Calling for more variety - The growing demand for a greater choice of beers. With our beer staying fresher for 6x longer than standard, you can offer customers a wider choice of beers on tap, without the worry of it going to waste.

DraughtMaster is an innovative dispense solution that uses compressed air and recyclable PET single skin kegs to serve fresh pressed beer direct from the brewery.

For more information on how DraughtMaster can transform your beer sales call 0845 604 0294 carlsbergwedelivermore.co.uk

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BARSTOOL EXPERT all you ever needed to know about MOTHER’S DAY Can’t lend me £58, can you? Blimey, the beer’s got expensive in here!

No, it’s not for a round. Mother’s Day is soon and I need to get a card and present for the old dear. Fifty-eight quid! I’ll lend you £1.50 for a card and that’s your lot.

But £58 is the average each person spends on mummy dearest for Mother’s Day in the UK. If we’re going to talk about this, can you at least get it right? It’s not Mother’s Day, it’s Mothering Sunday.

Same, same but different Not at all, dear boy. Mothering Sunday stems from the Christian tradition of visiting your “mother church” – that is, the one you were Christened in.

What’s Mother’s Day then? Mother’s Day is an American construct, created by a woman called Anna Jarvis in 1908 so that people could celebrate their own mothers. Note the apostrophe – Anna specified it was to be a singular possessive, for each family to honour their mother.

Yes, a bit of grammatical pedantry is such a nice way to celebrate the woman who sacrificed time, money, dignity and sleep to give you life. Bet you think it’s all too commercial these days as well? Indeed I do, as did Anna herself, who berated the flower and card industries

as far back as the 1920s for making money out of the celebration.

How do you celebrate Mothering Sunday then? My siblings and I tie up my mother until she gives us enough sweets to release her.

Errrrr, what?! It’s a Serbian tradition we’ve taken up. They celebrate Mother’s Day in December though, so I don’t have to worry for now.

Mother’s Day is March 11, is it not? Ahem – if you could please get it right. Mothering Sunday is on March 11 in the UK this year, indeed. Mother’s Day in the US is usually in May, while countries around the world celebrate it on a myriad of other dates.

Wait, if it’s on March 11 ‘this year’, when is it in other years? It changes as it is linked to Easter, which varies annually according to the lunar calendar. Mothering Sunday always falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent.

The mother lode: According to the 2016 Carlsberg Consumer Insights report, more than half of UK families head to the pub for food on Mothering Sunday. That makes it bigger than Christmas for pubs, so get prepared and promote as early as possible.

Mother’s ruin: If your Sunday lunch trade is already good, you may want to think about how you are going to turn those tables over. Research shows dwell time on Mothering Sunday tends to be longer, so if you want to capitalise on the day you are going to have to move people on – especially if you want to take advantage of walk-in trade to boost profits further.

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IN THE TRADE THIS MONTH Pub toilets plumb the depths Four out of 10 people consider pubs and bars to have the worst toilets, according to a new report from the Formica Group — only train loos were considered worse. Pubs were also among the places to have the longest queues to use the facilities, alongside nightclubs and stadiums — 58 per cent of women report waiting up to two minutes.

Looking for next generation of Pub Pros Six Ei Group licensees are working with six local schools to persuade pupils to develop a career in the pub trade as part of a new campaign called Pub Pros. In collaboration with Stride, which styles itself as an “education enrichment” organisation, the programme allows up to 12 pupils from each school to take part in a series of half-day workshops, a meet-the-publican session and a taster day working in the pub.

TOP STORIES ON TRADE.INAPUB.CO.UK Beer sales are up but not in pubs How to make 675 per cent profit on puds Oldham landlord wins Prostate Cancer award Stop everything there’s a World Nutella Day

Lord Kennedy takes Pubwatch presidency National Pubwatch has a new president. Lord Roy Kennedy of Southwark has previously worked closely with the hospitality trade in his role as a Labour vice-chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group.

Plymouth lands Best Bar None accolade The pubs and bars of Plymouth came out on top in this year’s National Best Bar None Awards, with the area scooping Best Overall Scheme. It was praised for accrediting 17 of the 25 town centre venues and for managing a 33 per cent reduction in violent offences committed in licensed premises in its first nine months.

Why you shouldn’t ignore the millennial market

City of Ale looks to go nationwide Following their success with Norwich City of Ale, its two founders — Dawn Leeder of PintPicker and Phil Cutter of The Murderers, Norwich — are looking to expand the concept. They’ve joined forces with Frances Brace, a director of the British Guild of Beer Writers, and have been awarded a Brewers’ Education & Research Fund grant to hold the first British Beer Cities’ National Forum. “We can share experiences and learn from each other,” Dawn said. “If we work together to promote Britain as a beer nation and our cities as beer cities, the impact could be enormous.” The Beer Cities’ National Forum will take place on October 8-9, 2018. Check out what Frances Brace has to say about it opposite (The Way I See It).

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this month.inapub THE WAY I SEE IT FRANCES BRACE

TWEET ALL ABOUT IT

Beer Tourism can help save the pub trade

When a dissatisfied customer left a one-star Google review for The Antelope in Surbiton, Surrey, criticising (among other things) the “far too enthusiastic” bar staff and lack of global beer brands, the pub team tweeted out their thoughts and got some top feedback…

Pubs and beer make a huge economic and social contribution to life in Britain. We want to celebrate this contribution, reinforce and increase it by facilitating a collaboration between cites, breweries and pubs to create the British Beer Cities initiative (See “In the trade this month”, left). Beer tourism is already a thing but, with the collaborative approach of the British Beer Cities, it could become much, much bigger. British Beer Cities can help build the reputation of our country as a great destination for beer-lovers from abroad and can stimulate domestic tourism. The idea is to generate footfall into pubs, bars and high streets, not to limit benefit to single venues as many beer festivals do. Pubs are hubs of social activity, holders of stories, convergences of history. And they are worth supporting and celebrating. The results in Norwich, which has been holding a citywide beer festival since 2011, provide compelling reasons for pubs in each of the different Beer Cities to get active. For example, 95 per cent of pubs involved in Norwich City of Ale saw an increase in footfall during the event and 82 per cent expect to get more business throughout the year as a result of their participation. As with anything, those who put the most into it tend to get the most out of it.

Frances Brace is the director of Red Flame Communications, director of The British Guild of Beer Writers and involved in the British Beer Cities initiative. For more information go to www.beercities.org.uk

Happy to be a one star pub if this person’s idea of a 5-star pub is anything to go by. @theantelopeKT6 Working on a recipe for a new Beer called ‘Popular Global Beer’. Don’t get too excited. @bigsmokebrew Can you let them know not to come here please? @Geese_ Fountain Hope you’ve given the excited barman a good talking to! ;) @tabamatu Staff receiving emergency training in Being Less Enthusiastic and Excited. @theantelopeKT6

60,000

New workers needed to plug the skills gap in the hospitality trade, post-Brexit British Hospitality Association

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

Inapub

@inapub_

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Barista Milk

Does the service in your pub leave customers foaming at the mouth? It will do, but in a good way, with this nextgeneration milk from Lakeland Dairies. Promising a dense and long-lasting froth, the product aims to help publicans whip up quality coffees quickly without the need for expert baristas or fancy equipment. www.pritchitts.com/baristamilk

Artis vintage crystal glassware Punters looking for inspiration in the bottom of a glass could do worse than these luxury cocktail receptacles, which Artis will be exhibiting at Hotelympia this month. Harking back to a classier age, yet alive to the demands of the modern era, they are totally dishwasher-safe. 0118 987 6780

Stuff

What’s new in the pub this month

Aryzta sourdough breads

They might be supplied frozen and partbaked, but there’s nothing half-baked about the concept behind these four breads, which aim to put provenance at the top of your menu. Made using traditional artisan methods with flour sourced from southern France, they are available in XL white sourdough, bloomer, baguette and spiced fruit & nut varieties. 0844 499 3311

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MARCH 2018

Fentimans Connoisseurs Tonic Water

It’s all very well having a premium gin with a delicate balance of botanicals, but if you’re just going to top it up with the post-mix gun then what’s the point? Luckily, Fentiman’s has developed a premium mixer designed to amplify the flavours of premium spirits, in response to customers’ increasingly heightened quality expectations. www.fentimans.com

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this month. Country Range mango, lime & chilli dressing

Chef lamb stock

Did you know that mangos have natural tenderising properties, making them a perfect ingredient for marinades? Or that they can be enjoyed with lime and chilli for a unique flavour experience? It’s amazing what you can find out on mango.org. The folks at Country Range must have been googling it too, because they have just released this zingy concoction, which they say is perfect as a glaze for fish, chicken or pork, a condiment for sandwiches, or on salads. www.countryrange.co.uk

As the song almost went, it’s all about that base. This liquid stock flavour any chef would be proud of, without the need to source a load of lamb bones and spend hours boiling them. Made with 3kg of bones per litre of stock, plus vegetables and herbs, it can be ready in minutes and delivers consistent results every time. 0800 745 845

Beefeater London Pink Gin

“Gineration X” – Beefeater’s term for those crazy millennials – will be tickled pink with this natural strawberry-flavoured vibrant variant. Aiming to capitalise on the current gin boom by offering something modern and different, the brand suggests serving it on the rocks in a goblet with chopped fresh strawberries. 020 8538 4406

Funkin batched draught cocktails

Want to sell more cocktails but put off by the spectre of throngs of impatient punters waiting for your barstaff to finish jiggering about with the muddling spoon? Looks like Funkin may have the answer, with four of the UK’s most popular cocktails available in keg ready to lock and load. What the format lacks in flair, it makes up for in consistency and wastage reduction, says the cocktail specialist, with the reduced strain on bartenders also freeing them up to interact more with customers. www.funkinPRO.co.uk

Nourish seasoned beef ribs

It seems like the whole world is going vegan these days, but for any punters still clinging to their inner cavemen, New Zealand supplier Anzco is offering these ribs of grass-fed, free-range beef. Slow-cooked for six hours, they are then frozen in portioned packs to provide guaranteed tenderness with minimum effort. 01708 371 803

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Love at first pint by MATT ELEY

£70

The amount men say they are likely to spend on a first date. Women say they will pay a more careful £47 Happn

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Love never goes out of fashion, but the way we find it is changing. The pub used to be the place where romances would begin. Can it be again? Back in the analogue days, eyes would meet across a crowded bar, then that same room, or another where you were less likely to be seen by overly curious friends, would become the setting for the first date. Nowadays, people seem more likely to check out crowded dating apps on their smartphones in the pursuit of love. Love never goes out of fashion, but the way we find it is changing. Does this mean that the pub’s days as a matchmaker are over and that people prefer the anonymity of ‘swiping right’ rather than approaching a crush in person? If not, what can pubs do to get those seeking love through the doors? We asked some old romantics, and some new ones.

The traditional romantic

Gordon Dickens runs The Holly Bush in Redbourn, Hertfordshire, with his son Graeme. They recently hired a barbershop quartet to serenade couples enjoying dinner on Valentine’s Day. He says it was well received and added to a great atmosphere on the night. “I am of a generation where we see the internet as a tool rather than the be-all and end-all to life, and I believe it is possible to find friends and partners in a safe public environment,” he says. His pub’s clientele is primarily aged 40 and above and he accepts that younger customers are more likely to make romantic connections elsewhere. However, he adds

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A dessert from The White Hart, which runs private dating events for 25 to 55-year-olds

£620m

The amount loved-up Brits spent on Valentine’s Day this year – up from £575m in 2017. Mintel

quartet to serenade diners

“

People might be finding dates online but plenty of lasting relationships still start in the pub trade.inapub.co.uk

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The romantic pubco

Gordon recently saw a couple who met at his pub return to pick up a prize as part of a competition run by landlord Brakspear. Ahead of Valentine’s Day, the pubco offered Champagne and other gifts to customers in return for their stories of meeting at one of its venues. There were more than 20 winners, showing the role pubs play in bringing people together. Emma Sweet, Brakspear marketing manager, says: “People might be finding dates online through websites and apps these days, but in our experience, plenty of lasting relationships still start in the pub. People who meet online still need a place for a first date and the pub is a perfect and safe place to meet.”

The love Hart

The White Hart in Weston in Gordano, Bristol, recently took on Tinder by running

private events for 25 to 55-year-olds looking for love. Guests were asked to fill out compatibility tests before attending to see if they could find that perfect someone. Mike Yeatman, who runs the pub and another restaurant with his wife Chris, said it was a success and something they would be repeating. “It went well and, like anything we do, we will build on it. People hear you have done it and then they want to get involved in the next one. “Some of these dating apps are like the TV show Take Me Out, where people turn their lights out before someone has even said a word. We are happy that people still meet to talk in our venues.”

36 things I ‘might’ like about you

What’s the recipe for love? 36 specific questions and four minutes of sustained eye-contact. That was the theory of whitecoat-wearing boffins in New York. The research inspired the essay To Fall in Love, which in turn inspired London’s Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen. They asked customers to fill out an online survey before inviting people to meet and ask each other the 36 questions. If you want to give it a go, the questions are widely available online. Since you’re kindly reading this, given the choice of anyone in the world, who would you like as a dinner guest? ▼

Gordon and Graeme Dickens recently hired a barbershop

that the pub is a great place for people to meet. “I believe very strongly that the pub has an important role to play in social engagement. We try different ideas to bring people in and things like the barbershop quartet are well received,” he says. It seems to be working, because at least three couples met at the pub and still regularly visit.

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Valentine’s Day can disrupt what is happening in the pub. We have tried speed dating in the past and people were really interested but when it came to it we had all women turn up and no men. We had to cancel the event. It would be nice to think that the oldfashioned days where you meet in a pub still happen. It must do but it often starts online first these days.”

The dating expert

Dating disaster

David Sturrock, licensee at The Pennyweight in Darlington, says customers at his town centre pub are more likely to search for love online. “We have so much going on that doing something specific for something like

Claire Certain (pictured, facing page) is head of trends at dating app Happn, which uses geolocation to help people discover potential matches they have already crossed paths with in real life. Thankfully, she believes that the world of pubs is beautifully linked with online dating. Claire explains: “I believe that most dating app users are actually very comfortable meeting people in real life and right away but of course dating apps make meeting people so much easier and takes away that embarrassment of physically going up to someone in a

BRITAIN’S #1 SOFT DRINK**

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Pubs are a great first date option because, with lots of people around, they create a safe atmosphere

bar and asking them questions.” She adds: “Happn research has revealed that a dinner is the top choice for a first date, followed by drinks so it’s important for pubs to capitalise on this and set the tone. “They’re a great first date option because they are obviously public with lots of people around, creating a safe atmosphere.” And what’s more, if you get it right, you will always have a very special place in their hearts. “Make it casual, make them feel comfortable and try to make this a memorable place for them where they had their first date so that they’ll be tempted to come back. It would be their place!” she says.

A helping hand Loud Music – This is a no-no for intimacy and a sure-fire way of putting people off using your pub to get to know each other better Light the moment – Strong lighting is another passion killer. Keep them low, like the music. Drinks deals – Nothing says I love you like a BOGOF, but in these price sensitive times many people will be looking for some support on a first date. Use what you’ve already got – quizzes and comedy nights can be great for first dates because they break the ice and help the conversation flow.

Tips from Claire Certain, Happn

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*OnePulse Real-Time Digital Market Research, 500 respondents, M&F, 18-65 in GB, 16.02.17. **CGA w/e 17.06.17 GB Licensed. ©2018 The Coca-Cola Company. COCA-COLA and the CONTOUR BOTTLE design are registered trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company. All rights reserved.

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FAMOUS FOR

BEING FAMILY-FRIENDLY

Robyn Black visits a pub where the kids are all right, as are the grown-ups

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Families will create business during the day for you, but they will all be gone by 7pm, so you need to create custom in the evening as well

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Family-friendly pubs – fish finger-fuelled soft-play pandemonium or calm, welcoming haven for a post work pint? You may think the two are mutually exclusive propositions, but a visit to the Eastfield Inn, Bristol will prove you wrong. The Star Pubs & Bars venue has won several national awards for its family-friendly business model, including being crowned Most Family Friendly Pub for the third time at the most recent Star Pub Awards, yet just 50 per cent of its business comes from families with children. Landlord Graham Anderson and his partner Sharon Stanton run the pub alongside bringing up their two young sons Dainton and Quinn. But they put the success down to a business model that takes into account that family doesn’t have to mean 2.4 young children. “A family pub doesn’t just mean bring the kids. It also means a place you’d be happy to bring your dad for a pint in the evening,” Graham says. “Families will create business during the day for you, but by 7pm they will all be gone – bar the odd group with an older teenager – so you need to create custom in the evening as well.” Large groups of drinkers on a big night out would jar with the family vibe though, and so Graham and Sharon don’t set out to attract this crowd, aiming instead at smaller groups of older diners and couples. “We are very careful about the promotions we do in order to achieve that,” he explains. “For example, we wouldn’t do a burger and a pint deal but we do run a popular ‘Two main courses and a bottle of wine for £30’ promotion during the week.” There’s also Wine Wednesday, a Cask Ale Club and pub staples such as a pub quiz every Monday, regular live jazz nights

and comedy evenings. The old skittle alley, which acts as the soft play area for most of the time, also gets reconverted back into its original form for the pub’s skittle clubs.

Self-segregation

“Using the space as flexibly as we can is something we realised we needed to do early on,” Graham says. “The front of the pub is intended as a more grown-up space, so we’ve no toys or high-chairs visible there. As you move into the back you’ll see more child-friendly areas, culminating in the soft play space. That means people are naturally drawn to an area without us having to enforce segregated spaces.” Within the child-friendly spaces there’s plenty going on – music classes run by Sharon, as well as arts and crafts, a parent choir and an after-school drama club during daytime hours. There are also jigsaws, puzzles, books and toys to keep kids entertained over a meal and rabbits, chickens, ducks and play equipment in the garden. “We want to create a nice, calm atmosphere,” says Graham. “This isn’t somewhere that kids run around screaming – the emphasis is keeping them seated with their families and for that, they need to be occupied. That makes it more welcoming for everyone.” It’s not just a case of investing in a random selection of toys, however. “We have learned that some toys just don’t work. We invested in a Lego table, for example, but the pieces went everywhere and the really good bits went missing quickly. The other mistake we made early on was to think that we could get away with buying domestic-grade play equipment. For example, we went through several climbing frames before we invested in a proper

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commercial one, which was a much more expensive way of doing it than just spending the money in the first place.” As part of the drive to keep kids calm, The Eastfield Inn doesn’t sell some of the more sugary kids’ drinks, offering instead cartons of apple or orange juice (“we used to sell a wider range of flavours but those are the two best sellers by far,” Graham explains) and there is an emphasis on healthier kids’ meals. “We’ve found there’s no point doing anything too unusual on the kids’ menu,” he says. “The best sellers are always fish & chips and the burger. But we make sure it’s all made fresh from the same ingredients as adult meals and each meal comes with at least one vegetable – peas with the fish and carrot sticks with the burger. They don’t always get eaten, but the parents appreciate it.”

The Eastfield Inn, Bristol Best-selling kids food: Beef burger £6, mini chocolate brownie with vanilla icecream £3 Most popular kids class: Happy Hands, music & movement for the 0-4s www.theeastfieldinn.co.uk

Fun for all the family

The result is a pub that all generations can enjoy at the same time, a proposition that has been so successful Graham and Sharon were able to open a second site a year ago. “It’s only a mile away but there’s such a glaring gap in the market for this kind of pub that we are able to run both using the same model,” says Graham. “When we are fully booked here we can direct people there, and it also gives our regulars a change of scenery. So far it’s working really well.”

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RICHARD MOLLOY “Evening, Mike. Pint of Smooth?” We like Smooth Mike. We also like Foster’s Steve, Pinot Annie, Cider Bob and Whisky Bern. They’re dependable, gloriously predictable and invaluable to your average boozer. You can serve them with a nod and a raise of a branded glass and, for the most part, you can set your watch by them. They generally just want routine and an easy life. They know who’ll be in at the times that they drink and strong bonds are formed by the most unlikely of pairings merely by regularly being in the same place, at the same time for the same reason. These are the people that get the best value for money out of pubs by garnering comfort, belonging and friendships. Calling them regulars doesn’t do them justice and yet calling them mates misjudges the relationship. It’s all too easy to take them for granted and, as with many facets of life, it takes a common foe to make us appreciate what we have – The Amateur Drinker. The Amateur Drinker is a creature who never operates alone. They hide themselves within crowds or large groups. Christmas and New Year’s Eve are the obvious call to arms for these annoying occasionals, but there are plenty of other scenarios too. Stag/hen nights; birthdays; World Cup matches, and that live band that everyone’s been talking about. At first, within their comfort zone of near-sobriety, they can be tricky to spot. You may get an inkling when you see a 30-year-old bloke nursing a Baileys or a girl with her nails painted in The George Cross asking a stressed barmaid if she does cocktails five minutes into an England match, but it’s when the alcohol takes hold that they really catch your eye. They shed the shackles of suburban boredom and act as they think everybody does when they’re smashed, just like they saw on that Channel 5 documentary. In short, they become a pain in the arse and we just know that this high-maintenance punter is going to wake up in the morning groaning

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Amateur drinkers shed the shackles of suburban boredom and act as they think everybody does when they’re smashed, just like they saw on that Channel 5 documentary 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

“never again” and we won’t see them until next Christmas when they’ll do exactly the f*cking same. It’s not entirely their fault. They don’t use pubs regularly and so are hard pushed to understand the etiquette and social nuances that shape pub culture. To them it’s just a room, a bar and a vehicle for selfies. It’s not a pub; at least not the pub that we and Smooth Mike know. Smooth Mike knows when amateur hour cometh. He’s seen the posters for the band. He knows what time the cup final kicks off and he hates New Year’s Eve. Smooth Mike will be nowhere near the place when The Amateur Drinkers march. And therein lies the quandary: these packed nights fill the pub and the till, but at what cost? Smooth Mike will understand the occasional upheaval of his routine, but if it happens too often, then he will find another bar to lean on. So ask yourself this: would you rather be serving Mike or that bloke stood on the table with a straw up each nostril pretending he’s a walrus? I know which I prefer.

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The BT Sport Pub Cup 2018. Register now. Take your pub team from Sunday League to Premier League. Search BT Sport Pub Cup

Be There

The Liver Vaults of Liverpool. 2017 BT Sport Pub Cup Champions.

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drink I’m quietly fascinated by the importance of sound to what we drink. Studies have shown, for example, that when French music is played in the background, people are far more likely to plump for a French wine off a wine list. I’ve even partaken in experiments to see how sound can affect our perception of how wine tastes — who knew rock music can make a Cabernet Sauvignon seem more robust and meaty? The same wine drunk with some country music playing seems (unsurprisingly) smoother and rounder. It’s not particular to wine, either. I’ve interviewed marketeers talking about how important the “sonic signature” is to their brand — Dutch lager Grolsch, for example, has made much of the popping sound made when those familiar swing-top bottles are opened. They call it “The Plop” (fnarr, fnarr). And now we find out even the sound of a cork popping can have a significant effect on our perception of the quality of the wine. Professor Charles Spence, from the impressive-

with ROBYN BLACK

sounding Crossmodal Research Laboratory at Oxford University, ran an experiment, the findings of which suggest hearing the pop of a cork can make us think the wine inside the bottle is of better quality. Participants were asked to taste the same wines and give them a rating once after they had been played the sound of a cork popping and again after hearing a screwcap being opened. The “cork” group of wines were rated 15 per cent better quality, as well as “more appropriate for celebration”. Think about how you can use this for your own business. I’m not talking about ditching all screwcaps for corks, but perhaps investing in some quality stemware — the delicate chink of a good wine glass will go a long way to making your customers think their wine is of better quality (and therefore greater value for money). Similarly, if you’ve got a glut of Rioja cluttering up the shelves, then stick the overplayed but still popular Despacito on the sound system… if your ears can take it.

The delicate chink of a good wine glass will go a long way to making your customers think their wine is of better quality

COMMERCIAL BREAKDOWN

STELLA ARTOIS • Water.org Stella Artois brewer AB InBev donated one month of clean water to someone MARSTON’S • Beer Town Film Festival in the developing world for every pint Marston’s is on the hunt for budding film makers to of the lager purchased in pubs and enter its Beer Town Film Festival competition. Short bars last month. The initiative forms films set in or around pubs are to be encouraged. part of its Full details on www.beertownfilmfestival.co.uk four-year partnerTHATCHERS • Hot air balloon Thatchers will be running a series of short video ads ship with on on-demand TV channels through this spring and Water.org summer to remind fans “what cider’s supposed to taste like” as the warmer cider-drinking weather hits.

20 MARCH 2018

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trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2018 00:01

drink. Vita Vodka

Siren Old Fashioned

Created to tap into the trend for sugar-free and healthier drinks, Vita Vodka is made with no additives, gluten or sugar and is specifically designed to be mixed with water. It was launched in Mexico and parts of Europe last year and is now coming to the UK. www.vitaspirits.com

Berkshire craft brewer Siren has fused beer and cocktails with this 11 per cent ABV beer, made by aging beer — a barley wine — in bourbon barrels for a year. The resulting brew is said to be well-rounded, with vanilla and caramel sweetness. Serve with a citrus garnish and a splash of bitters — just like an Old Fashioned. www.sirencraftbrew.com

On the bar Nick Whitby, New World Trading Company

Look out for... Empress 1908

Micro-distilled in small-batch copper pot stills, this indigo gin changes colour when mixed with tonic. Butterfly pea blossom, one of the eight botanicals in the spirit, reacts with the tonic to change from purple to pink. It was launched in its native Canada last year and has since won several awards. marvin@empressgin.com

Stiegl Columbus 1492

Taking its name from the year Christopher Columbus set out on his first voyage to America, this 4.7 per cent ABV pale ale from Austrian brewer Stiegl is said to “showcase the best of European brewing and New World hops”. It is available in the UK via Euroboozer in both bottle and keg. 01923 263 335

Dead Man’s Fingers

The founders of the Rum & Crab Shack in St Ives, Cornwall, created this spiced rum from a blend of Caribbean rums in 2015 and it has since built a cult following locally. From this month it is available nationally via Halewood Wines & Spirits, which hopes it will tap into the trends for premium rums and modern Tiki cocktails. www.halewood-int.com

In this Instagram age detail is so important, so for our new venture, The Florist in Bristol, which opened last month, we created a list of 25 floralinspired cocktails using fresh flowers as a garnish. The idea is they look like vases full of flowers. We’ve also divided the cocktail list into three sections, each inspired by one of the main styles of floristry: modern contemporary, English summer garden and Ikebana. Ikebana is a Japanesestyle of floristry, so we’ve kept those cocktails clean and simple and they all come with bamboo straws. The modern contemporary cocktails are brighter with more tropical flavours, while English summer garden use more rose and violet flavours. In total we have 25 signature cocktails on the menu, selling for between £8 and £9.25.”

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26/02/2018 12:33

In the third of our annual series we delve into the performance of six drinks categories, using analyst insight, expert opinion and lots and lots of research to help you get the most out of your drinks sales

CATEGORY INSIGHTS Mixers are key in a category with a youthful bias “Drinking with mixers is a key entry point for dark spirits,” says Alice Baker, a research analyst at Mintel. “Half (53 per cent) of drinkers say that they got into dark spirits through drinking them with a mixer. Promoting serves with a mixer thus comes across as a key means to bring new users into the category.” Dark spirits is currently an attracProportion of drinkers who got into dark spirits tive category for drinkers, with 49 per cent of UK adults partaking. Single malt through drinking with whisky is the most popular dark spirit, a mixer with 34 per cent of adults buying, followed by Scotch (29 per cent) and Bourbon (28 per cent). Mintel research shows, “perhaps surprisingly” that fans of various whiskies overlap – therefore 78 per cent of people who drink single malt also drink blended whisky, while 67 per cent drink Bourbon too. Another surprise is the category’s decided youth bias – 53 per cent of under35s enjoy dark spirits (compared with that 49 per cent average), while usage of dark spirits and liqueurs is lowest among the over-55s, perhaps reflecting the tendency to drink less as we get older, Alice suggests. Youthful fans are also common in white spirits (perhaps less surprisingly) with the number of drinkers being highest among the under-35s, according to Mintel. Vodka remains the most popular white spirit but gin has posted the most impressive growth, with volumes up 56 per cent between 2012 and 2017. Bartenders are key for brand owners wanting to increase market share in this category – 39 per cent of white spirits buyers have tried a new spirit following a recommendation from a bartender, Mintel research suggests. Licensees will be hoping that this will lead to more support from brand owners in the future.

53%

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SPIR

ITS

SUPPLIER’S EYE VIEW “We have identified similar trends emerging within dark spirits that led to the rise in premium gin consumption, these include ‘premiumisation’, the growth of cocktail culture and the rise of craft distilleries. Globally premium dark spirits including whiskeys, rums and brandies are the most consumed premium spirits, making up 60 per cent of the total premium spirits consumption compared to gin at just 6 per cent so the long-term opportunity within this sector is huge. In autumn 2017, Fever-Tree initiated the launch of Smoky Ginger Ale and Spiced Orange Ginger Ale to join an existing dark spirits mixers range of Madagascan Cola, Ginger Ale, Ginger Beer and Soda Water into key on-trade accounts and we have been delighted with the initial response. Taking the same expertise applied to our range of flavoured tonics, these two new launches have been crafted to perfectly complement the delicate flavour characteristics of premium dark spirits. In addition, Fever-Tree is partnering with leading dark spirits brands to promote great tasting, simple long mixed drinks to a new generation of consumers, placing these mixers at the forefront of an increasingly popular trend. Once again Fever-Tree find themselves at the forefront of drinks innovation, paving the way for a renaissance in the consumption of dark spirit-based drinks.” Fergus Franks, on-trade marketing manager, Fever-Tree

26/02/2018 00:23

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26/02/2018 12:40

CATEGORY INSIGHTS Opportunities are there to fight migration to the off-trade In 2017 beer sales fell in the on-trade for the 17th year in a row – down 2.4 per cent, according to recent figures from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA). The annual drop in on-trade beer sales is the biggest since 2013 and equates to 88 million fewer pints being sold in pubs and bars, and all this despite beer sales overall rising by 55 million pints during the forecast volume decline in same period. beer sales between now Why are beer drinkers migrating to the and 2021 off-trade? The BBPA blames the on-trade decline on the 3.9 per cent duty increase in the Spring Budget last March and hikes in business rates and operating costs pushing up the price of a pint in pubs.

0.4%

MARCH 2018

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BEE

This is significant because beer remains hugely important to pubs – on average 70 per cent of alcohol sales in community pubs is beer, for example – and so it is important we identify some opportunities where pubs can claw back some of those beer sales. Emma Clifford, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel, suggests pushing beer and food, for example, which she says has “gained traction” among UK consumers. “Beer appreciation is now not a million miles away from that of wine,” she says. “Linked to this is the high level of interest in finding out more about pairing food and beer. Brands and retailers should be far more active in this respect to capitalise on this.” Mintel research also points to local beers as an opportunity for the category, with 41 per cent of beer drinkers interested in trying locally brewed beer, according to its figures. Interest is highest among men and the over45s, peaking at 58 per cent in men over 65. “There remains plenty of appetite for more innovation in beer,” Emma adds. “Locally brewed and barrel-aged beer can help generate more interest among the older generation. Meanwhile, more flavour innovation can maintain the already keen interest of millennials, particularly 25 to 34-year-olds.” Licensees should be wary, however, of offering too esoteric a beer range. A mix of smaller local and more interesting brews alongside big brands will be a winning selection, as brand still has the most influence over customers’ choice when they buy beer, Emma points out. With long term Mintel forecasts showing the beer category will experience a “negligible” decline in volumes of 0.4 per cent by 2021, the challenge for us in the pub market is to ensure that we don’t lose an ever increasing proportion of what’s left to supermarkets and off-licences.

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2018 00:42

drink.

Sparklers still fizzing but image is a tricky problem

WIN

Over 60 per cent of adults buy some type of wine are set to result in rising prices, further wine in the UK, with still wines remaining the undermining wine’s value image.” Licensees unwilling to risk losing out most popular, Mintel statistics show. therefore need to ensure they have an Within that, white wine remains the appealing and navigable range – wine’s favourite for most drinkers, followed by red complexity is one of the key reasons it has and rosé, with volumes remaining stable struggled to raise prices significantly. over recent years. Unsurprisingly, though, Getting past the on-trade’s reluctance to it’s sparkling wine where we’ve seen activity stock big-brand wines will be one way of and growth in that period, mainly thanks to achieving this, as a favourite brand is the top the rise of Prosecco. consideration for wine drinkers when Mintel’s senior food and drink analyst buying wine. Favourite grape folAmy Price suggests this is due to lows at some distance, Mintel the idea that Prosecco, Cava research shows – one in four and other sparkling wines buyers versus one in eight put are more “fun”. In addition, those considerations first. “as well as [having] an Brand owners and easier-drinking taste profile licensees may also wish to than Champagne, Prosecco re-appraise wine in terms of appeals to those who enjoy of UK adults buy its versatility, suggests Amy. making purchases they see as wine “Almost a third of UK adults see it savvy,” she says. as suitable for a variety of occasions, “This should continue to buoy the more so than other drinks. Wine could do sector even as incomes are expected to more, however, reminding consumers how come under renewed pressure.” suitable it is on its own, for use in cooking, This expected pressure on household or for pairing with different meals.” expenditure is significant for the wine catRecent NPD, including fruit fusion wines, egory, as it is a particularly price-sensitive low calorie and low alcohol wines, could one – “just one in four UK adults see wine help to further promote this message, as will as offering value for money,” Amy explains. a move to use wine as a cocktail ingredient In addition, “the drop in the strength of the or in mixed drinks such as spritzers. pound and the UK’s reliance on imported

60%

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26/02/2018 00:42

CATEGORY INSIGHTS DRSIONFT The incoming Sugar Tax is guaranteed to shake things up

As more and more people cut down on alcohol – or indeed cut it out altogether the soft drinks market has the potential to experience significant growth. With the Soft Drinks Levy, or Sugar Tax as it has become known, due to come into play next month, however, it is a market not without its challenges. It is also, almost certainly, a market that will look rather different a few years from now, in terms of brands and variants on offer in pubs. For example, Mintel research suggests that 35 per cent of people will switch to low or no sugar variants as the result of price rises prompted by the levy. This means more diet and no-sugar soft drinks need to be available and visible to pub customers – thankfully this is a move which will be all the easier for licensees thanks to the work soft drinks manufacturers have already put in to reformulate existing recipes. Other people say they will switch to “healthier” drinks such as juices and smoothies (41 per cent). This means licensees will need to look carefully at their non-alcoholic range to ensure it caters for the changing needs of their punters. Combined with the burgeoning local and craft brands in the market, all this means the soft drinks range on the average back-bar is likely to start looking very different. Mixers are the other significant soft drink category for pubs and bars – even more so following the rise of the G&T. Premium brands have been the growth driver here, with the likes of Fever Tree and Franklin & Sons emerging victorious. There is opportunity for existing brands to grab a slice of this market, however, highlighted by the recent rebrand of Schweppes and launch of a premium Schweppes range, Schweppes 1783, by Coca-Cola European Partners. Mintel research backs this up.

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35%

of people say they will switch to low or no-sugar variants as a result of the levy

â&#x20AC;&#x153;That a premium offering from a popular brand would appeal to nearly half of carbonated soft drink drinkers suggests there are opportunities for established players to expand their ranges into a segment where numerous brands are enjoying growth,â&#x20AC;? says research analyst Alyson Parkes. In summary, while growing concerns around sugar consumption continue to dog the category, a shift away from alcohol and to more premium and healthier drinks, means there is plenty for soft drinks manufacturers to be positive about. There is still work to be done in getting some of this reflected in the soft drinks range on offer in most pubs, however. Licensees take note.

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CATEGORY INSIGHTS Big brands retain their appeal amid all the innovation

£52.5m Value of VK in the on-trade last year

A third of UK adults drink RTDs, numbers from Mintel show and volume sales, after many years in decline, picked up in 2016 and 2017. This shows that there is still a place in pubs and bars for traditional RTDs such as VK, which last year (2017) became the on-trade’s biggest RTD in both volume and value for the first time in its 20 years, according to CGA stats. Brand owner Global Brands puts this down to “a combination of innovative pack formats and a range of flavours that resonates with the audience”. By targeting core RTD consumers – 18 to 25-year-olds – and particularly the student market with online and social media activity, the brand grew 11 per cent in both volume and value in the on-trade last year to £52.5m (CGA). “By engaging with our consumers on social platforms we have raised our profile and built a devoted fan base of die-hard VK lovers who are real brand advocates in both the on- and off-trade” says Global Brands’ head of marketing, Jen Draper. To maintain this positive performance in years to come, the category should look at developing new low- or no-sugar variants and less sweet-tasting drinks to stay relevant as its fans age, suggests Mintel research analyst Alice Baker. “Older consumers are generally more health conscious and have less preference for sweet tastes,” she explains. Premium RTDS, which are currently rare in the sector, will also be an opportunity for brands looking to grab a share of this market, she says.

RTD

SUPPLIER’S EYE VIEW

Worth £203m in the UK on-trade1, RTDs are back on people’s radar. As RTD Category Champion2 we have been at the forefront of its reinvigoration. Once viewed as sweet, sugary and usually blue liquids, the range of RTDs available today is what makes it such an exciting category. Diversity is a key term for RTDs and we see this in many areas. Flavours; VK Orange and Passionfruit is up 51 per cent. Outlet; although still massive, it’s not just about late night – VK in the pub sector is seeing 23 per cent growth3. Occasion; we encourage operators to pair our Hooper’s Dandelion & Burdock with fish & chips – it’s a classic. Format is also a key trend. As with beer, we’ve seen cans grow in popularity and provide a perfect canvas for interesting, eye-catching designs that are “Instagrammable”. We reinvented the cult classic Hooch with innovative 440ml can designs which is seeing triple-digit growth4. Consumers are also demanding craft. This led us to launch the UK’s first alcoholic craft soda, Crooked Beverage Co. In specially designed 330ml cans, with half the sugar of traditional RTDs and all-natural ingredients and flavours, it attracts consumers looking for a more premium RTD.Finally, the meteoric rise of cocktails has also driven RTDs. Ready to serve in under 15 seconds, London Road Cocktails provide a fast and consistent way to serve highquality cocktails. Consumer tastes and trends are at the heart of everything we do and that will continue to be the case – 2018 is going to be an exciting year for Global Brands and RTDs as a whole. Jen Draper Head of Marketing, Global Brands 1. CGA P10 On Trade 2018 2. CGA MAT P04 2017 3. CGA P10 On Trade 2018 4. GBL Data MAT to Feb 2017 vs MAT to Feb 2016 (On Trade)

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RTDs are back in growth and driving significant value for retailers*. No longer just sweet and sugary liquids, the breadth and depth of the category means it is more exciting and innovative than ever before. As Category Champion we have worked tirelessly since the advent of VK nearly 20 years ago to ensure we remain at the forefront. Today we take on the charge of reinvigorating the category; ensuring it remains relevant and consumers view RTDs in a different way. Our portfolio is built on the latest trends and market insight. To learn more or to stock our range, call 01246 216 016 or email info@globalbrands.co.uk or visit www.globalbrands.co.uk

* RTDs are worth £239m in the Total Off Trade, growing +4.6% Nielsen 52 we 09.09.17”

The UK’s leading independent drinks supplier To learn more or to stock the Global Brands range call 01246 216000 or email: info@globalbrands.co.uk www.globalbrands.co.uk

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CATEGORY INSIGHTS The boom continues but innovation is needed all year round Cider continues to boom in the UK on-trade, where just over 505 million pints of cider and perry were drunk last year, according to CGA stats. That equates to a 1.2 per cent rise in volumes over 2016. In value terms the news is even better, with CGA figures showing £1.4bn was spent on cider and perry in 2017 an increase of 2.8 per cent versus 2016. Some of this stellar performance is down to last year’s spell of

£1.4bn spent on cider in the ontrade in 2017

CID ER

decent summer weather – there were higher than average temperatures and hours of sunshine between May and July, if you can remember it. As cider remains a weatherdependent category, this will have had a significant impact. Of course we can’t rely on a good summer this year as well (although miracles sometimes happen), which means cider producers need to find more ways of making the category less summer-centric. “Rotating seasonal flavours should allow companies to tap into the continuing appeal of new flavours in cider buying, while also encouraging year-round usage,” suggests Alice Baker, a research analyst at Mintel. “A more detailed focus on provenance would also allow companies to better differentiate themselves and is even enough to persuade some shoppers to pay more.” Getting drinkers to spend more is a key challenge for cider, as it is perceived as a relatively cheap tipple and brand loyalty is low in the category – just 18 per cent of people stick to the same brand, according to Mintel. The emergence of craft ciders may be one way to counteract this. While they are currently rather niche, with a mere 18 per cent of cider fans partaking (Mintel), there is a “significant” overlap between craft and standard cider drinkers, Alice points out. “Sixty-three per cent of people who drink the former also drink the latter,” she says. Most of what is sold through the on-trade is draught cider – 68 per cent according to CGA – but smaller cans and bottle formats could also present an opportunity for licensees looking to grow cider sales. “These appeal to the health-conscious though lower alcohol units and also financially through a lower item price,” says Alice. “This latter is arguably especially needed, given the pressure on household incomes.”

Pic: Westons Old Rosie

MARCH 2018

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trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2018 01:16

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18/12/2017 18:23

Find the foxes and win a keg of Old Speckled Hen! Old Speckled Hen is launching its biggest ever media campaign this month, and to celebrate we’re offering prizes to three lucky Inapub readers. Over the next three editions, two lucky readers will win a cask or keg for their pub, plus one reader will win the chance to ‘Seek a Richer Life’ with £200 worth of experience vouchers to treat themselves! All you need to do is find the foxes we’ve cunningly hidden among the Inapub pages… Old Speckled Hen is the UK’s No.1 premium ale, and the new campaign encourages drinkers to follow their curiosity to “Seek a Richer Life”, injecting new energy and distinctiveness into this already popular brand. Greene King has worked with an Oscarwinning visual effects agency to bring the iconic fox to life on screen. The heavy investment into TV, print, online and social media will see the brand reaching in excess of 7.5 million drinkers. The brand has been given a distinctive new look on the bar to increase standout and ensure consumers can easily find their favourite ale. This includes a new pump clip design, bespoke fox tail cask/tap handles and premium point-of-sale. With the great-tasting, rich and distinctive beer at the heart of the campaign, the beer itself has been optimised to bring the smoothness and easy drinking cues of Greene King’s leading bottled ale to the on trade. There’s simply no better time to make sure Old Speckled Hen is on your bar! To mark this new chapter in the life of Old Speckled Hen, we are offering prizes to three crafty-as-a-fox Inapub readers, as follows: • March: a free cask/keg of Old Speckled Hen. • April: a free cask/keg of Old Speckled Hen. • May: £200 worth of experience vouchers, to Seek a Richer Life!

The competition is only open to UK licensees who are eligible to stock Greene King products. Entrants must be aged over 18. The winning pub will be informed after the closing date of the competition. Usual terms and conditions apply, for full T&Cs visit trade.inapub.co.uk. Promoter: Inapub, P.O. Box 4793, Iver, SL1 0DG

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Find these foxes!

HOW TO ENTER Email: • our ans er the total nu ber o o es you e spotted hidden in the pages of Inapub) • our pub na e • Your contact details to oldspeckledhen@inapub.co.uk by Saturday, March 31, 2018 And if you don’t win this time around, don’t worry. There’ll be another chance to win a cask or keg of beer by finding the foxes in April’s edition, and in May the chance to Seek a Richer Life by winning the experience vouchers by spotting those foxes in our pages again.

26/02/2018 01:37

SEEK A RICHER LIFE Exciting new TV campaign Distinctive new premium point of sale From the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s No.1 Premium Ale*

*CGA Brand Index MAT to 2/12/2017 & Nielsen Scantrack MAT to 27/1/2018

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26/02/2018 00:59

eat How’s business – everything pukka? Hopefully you’re doing better than Jamie Oliver’s flagship Barbecoa restaurants, two of which went into administration last month. Oliver’s empire also closed six Jamie’s Italian restaurants in January, citing uncertainties caused by Brexit and a “tough” market. And it’s not just Jamie – January also saw burger chain Byron announce the closure of up to 20 restaurants, as the sector in general enters choppy waters. Last year, many commentators were predicting 2018 would be a brutal year for the restaurant trade, and these gloomy forecasts appear to be coming true. Food prices rising ahead of general inflation, combined with a shortage of staff from abroad, increased business rates, a saturated

with BEN THRUSH eating-out market and a rapidly evolving dining scene driven by social media, have created a seriously tough trading environment that looks set to drive many more foodservice businesses to the wall. So far, so depressing. But on these pages we are always urging you to “make the most” of any given situation, and the current crisis is an opportunity. Look at what has happened in the pub landscape over the past 15 years – when businesses are folding left, right and centre, everything gets thrown up in the air and gaps in the market appear. Smart operators who can find a way to to take advantage will emerge the winners, and the strongest will survive to create a new kind of scene. What will you do to weather the storm?

Get your cheeseboard Instagrammed Get fruity Fill the board with a range of colours and shapes. Adding fresh and dried fruit is effortless but looks impressive. Add some savoury touches Include items such as balsamic onions, olives and roasted nuts – walnuts with stilton makes for a classic combination.

Spring into spring 5 foods for your seasonal menu 1. Spring greens 2. Spring lamb

Match condiments A drizzle of honey goes with blue cheese, strawberry & black pepper jam with brie.

3. Spring onions

Flower it up Sprinkle edible flowers, dried vine leaves or herb sprigs on the cheeseboard.

4. Spring chicken

Tips from Adam Woolven, head chef at Island Grill

5. Spring rolls Also coming into season Get cracking with crabs and rockin’ the rocket towards the beginning of spring. As we head into late May and June asparagus, garden peas, watercress, radishes and chicory will be at their best.

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TANDOORI SALMON WITH ROSTI POTATO AND MINTED YOGHURT Mark Dillon The Birds, Leytonstone, London

Samphire

“We garnish the plate with samphire and a bit of fresh parsley to add some colour. Most of our seafood comes from R Green Fisheries but this is from a great place called Five Star Fishmongers, which is just three doors down from the pub.”

Salmon

“This is marinated in a tandoori style with fresh herbs, dry spices, Greek yoghurt and plenty of lime juice. It’s left in the marinade for at least 30 mins, though it’s usually an overnight thing, then roasted in the oven for eight minutes till the skin is nice and crispy.”

Tiger prawns

“These go straight on the barbecue until they’ve got that nice blackened finish to them. We add a bit of salt at the end.”

Spinach “Just simple buttered spinach.”

Yoghurt

“This is seasoned with mint and lime.”

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Red onion

“This is pickled in our own pickling liquor, which we make in-house. It’s a standard pickling liquor made with water, vinegar, salt and sugar and all that stuff.”

Charred lime

“It goes straight onto a pan or a grill, and it makes a bit of difference to the flavour when you squeeze it over.”

Cucumber

“A ribbon of fresh cucumber adds a bit of extra colour.”

26/02/2018 01:46

In the first of a three-part series looking at raising food sales and profits in your pub, we highlight how to make more from your dessert menu.

PART 1: DESSERTS

by JO BRUCE

ways to boost pudding sales 1

Stick to the classics

Offer mini treats

Tim Bird, owner and operator of Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars, says: “We are continually introducing different puddings but it is still the old classics that keep selling and chocolate brownie and sticky toffee pudding are our best-sellers. We also offer regional alternatives to Eton Mess – we do a Mobberley Mess which changes flavour with the seasons – rhubarb and custard mess, for example.”

The growth of healthier lifestyles means it is important for pub operators to offer lighter options or reduced portion sizes

Callebaut’s chocolate orange cheesecake costs £5.80 to make and can be sold for £4.80 a portion, delivering 675 per cent profit

to help convince customers to buy a pud, so offering mini or sharing desserts can be effective. Among ideas from chocolate supplier Callebaut is a sharing chocolate orange cheesecake costing £5.80 to make. With a suggested selling price of £4.80 per portion, it works out at a whopping 675 per cent profit opportunity. Anna Sentance, Callebaut UK’s gourmet marketing manager, says: “Offer dishes which are just enough for each person to treat themselves, without feeling too guilty.”

Offer vegan options

Pair desserts with hot drinks

The Pinterest 100 report (December 2017) shows Pinterest searches for “vegan desserts” were up by a huge 329 per cent in the past year, which is why some pubs are adding them to the menu. Eve Townson, catering development manager at Hydes Brewery advises: “It is important to offer a good choice of vegan-friendly desserts on your menu if you don’t want to miss out on sales. But instead of making them specifically for vegans, create desserts which cater for everyone. There are some great dishes you can make, including high-cocoa-content chocolate-based dishes.”

Offering desserts as a package with a hot beverage can also help lead customers into temptation. James Graham, executive chef at Michelin Pub of the Year 2018 The

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For the love of chocolate Julie Sharp, Callebaut chocolate academy chef, UK and Ireland:

A dessert from The Pointer in Brill: with healthier lifestyles growing, offering mini treats can work well

Pointer in Brill, Buckinghamshire, says one of its popular options is a package of tea or coffee together with “Kitchen Treats” for £5. The treats comprise popular classics such as macaroons, truffles or fudge, he explains. Meanwhile, affogato (a combination of ice cream and espresso coffee) has been a successful concept at Cheshire Cat Pubs & Bars’ Roebuck Inn in Mobberley, Cheshire. “It is our best-selling dessert,” says owner Tim Bird. “We do varying versions such as de-caff coffee and one with Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, as well as the classic one with amaretto and they are as popular in the winter as in the summer.” Cold desserts are the most popular in pubs, and can be available to serve even when the ktichen is closed

“The dessert occasion offers a significant profit opportunity for publicans, with huge scope to grow the category, as consumers look to indulge outside of traditional day parts. In pubs cold desserts are the most popular, and as consumers demand more flexibility when eating out of home, they are less inclined to accept restricted food serving times. As an “always open kitchen” is not always practical, having a menu of cold desserts that can be served by bar staff is a great compromise, which will help protect operators’ bottom line whilst increasing customer satisfaction. “There is also great scope for up and cross-selling within the desserts category, whether it’s a brownie or croissant with a hot beverage, pre-lunch, or sharing platters postmeal, for afternoon gatherings and private hire functions. “Each dessert dish presents its own upselling opportunity. An ice cream sundae, for example, allows for the customisation consumers demand, whilst allowing pubs to sell at a premium. Each additional topping can be charged at 50p, delivering a profit upwards of 272 per cent whilst a home-made cheesecake portioned into slices, can mean a profit of up to 675 per cent. More serving suggestions and profit calculators can be found in our bespoke pub channel guide, downloadable at www.fortheloveofchoc.co.uk “Underpinning both successful profit uplift and customer satisfaction is always a versatile, great-tasting product. When it comes to creating a popular dessert menu, this must include chocolate. Our Callebaut portfolio offers chefs versatility, consistency and great taste, and when used to make our real Belgian chocolate sauce – created in under a minute – it can be served as a dipping sauce, filling, topping, decoration or as an ingredient for hot and alcoholic beverages, to deliver even more value to menus. “

For more inspiration, check out Callebaut’s serving suggestions online at fortheloveofchoc.com Callebaut.gb @Callebaut_UKIE Youtube: Callebaut Chocolate

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Quality chocolate desserts are a must on any pub menu

“

Dessert cocktails are a great upsell for customers who are too full for a pudding but want to treat themselves

MARCH 2018

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Throw a pudding party

Offer posh chocolate

At the Three Kings in Fornham All Saints, Suffolk “Pudding Party” nights have been a hit. The pub hosts three a year, for around 50 people, at £10.95 a ticket. This includes a small appetiser and then whatever customers can eat from the dessert table, which features three hot and three cold desserts, focusing on classics with a twist. Joint licensee Wendy Braithwaite says: “I introduce the puddings, what is in them and how they are made. We find it easier to do big bowls of puddings rather than individual portions, as it is less work. The concept is also often requested for group events.”

Featuring quality chocolate desserts is a menu must. Brownies are still among the UK’s most popular desserts and chocolate expert Callebaut recommends offering a brownie trio platter made up of three types of chocolate (milk, double and white chocolate), for example. Other chocolatey ideas include dough balls, chocolate cake or sundaes, which when topped with real chocolate dipping sauce, the company says can command an extra 50p per pud.

Offer cocktails as dessert…

Dessert and cocktail matching

Dessert-inspired cocktails can also help tempt pudding-dodgers into another sale. The New Club bar in Brighton offers the “Toblerone”, created with chocolate-infused vodka, Frangelico, amaretto, ice cream, honey & chocolate purée. Bar manager Sean Stapleton says: “The dessert cocktails have proved really popular and are a great up-sell for customers who are too full for a pudding but want to treat themselves.” The sweetsounding Sipsmith lemon drizzle gin or The Wrecking Coast Cornish clotted cream gin can also be used in dessert cocktails or puddings to capitalise on the gin trend.

Driving dessert sales around cocktails is the core focus of London cocktail bar Basement State in Soho. The menus change seasonally and, according to manager Byly Tran, customers generally order a variety of desserts to share and the bar team recommend cocktails to match them. Among popular pairings is the smoked chocolate cigar featuring smoked dark chocolate, popping candy, chocolate whisky mousse & hazelnut praline crispy flakes, enjoyed with classic cocktail the Sazerac.

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2018 01:57

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26/02/2018 02:20

Rules of the roast by JOHN PORTER

Two years on from JD Wetherspoon’s decision to drop Sunday roasts from its menus, which prompted speculation in some media quarters that the great British meal was on its last legs, the good news is the picture in pubs still looks fairly healthy. Consumer research by Mintel shows that the Sunday roast with all the trimmings is very narrowly the public’s second favourite pub meal, with 19 per cent putting it at the top of their list, compared with 20 per cent whose first pick is a steak. With Mother’s Day and Easter making March a peak month for family meals out, customers have high expectations, so getting the roast dinner right should be a top priority for pubs. Here’s some tips from the pros to help you get it spot on.

Do I need to plan a lot in advance? A roast dinner really isn’t a meal that you can knock together at the last minute – preparation should always be the watchword, according to Darren Chapman, development chef at Nestlé Professional. “Make prep as straightforward as possible by keeping your menu simple, with as few steps per plate as you can,” he says.

How can I keep things consistent when it gets busy? Building on his theme, Darren advises pubs to “have a clear plan, and take pictures, so that anyone in the kitchen can jump on and assist execution”. However busy you get, if every roast dinner leaving the kitchen looks like the photo, you won’t go too far wrong.

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Is provenance still important? If you can source meat from a local farmer, make the most of the opportunity by telling customers the story on the menu. Not every pub has a farm on its doorstep, of course, but a catering butcher should be able to provide information on the producer and breed of the meat that you’re serving, helping to drive customer interest.

Should I stick to beef? Beef regularly tops the polls in surveys of people’s favourite roast meat, but offering a choice of meats such as lamb, pork and chicken helps to widen the appeal of a roast menu, as well giving pubs the opportunity to boost margins by using a wider range of cuts and making the most of deals from suppliers.

How can I make my roasts more exciting? Widening the scope even further to offer choices such as venison, partridge and pheasant when they are in season, can give a pub’s roast menu a point of difference. Forget the idea that game needs to be, er… “gamey” – it can be cooked as fresh as any meat – but buy through a licensed game dealer, since the oldfashioned “poacher-at-the-kitchen-door” approach is unlikely to endear you to Trading Standards.

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2018 08:11

Is it just for Sunday?

The Inapub team are out on the road this month sampling Britain’s best roast dinners as we visit the finalists in our Britain’s Best Pub Roast competition. We’ve partnered with MAGGI® to discover which UK pub serves the best roast, with the winner getting a hamper of MAGGI® products worth £200, as well as a video of the winning dish. Stay tuned to find out all about the winning pub in an upcoming issue.

No – a roast dinner isn’t just for Sunday, otherwise why would all those carveries be open every day of the week? To help appeal to midweek customers, trade body AHDB Beef and Lamb has come up with a range of mini-roast cuts, available from catering butchers. These also have the advantage of menu flexibility, enabling pubs to broaden the appeal of the roast by offering a range of sauces and spice.

Do I really need four types of gravy? More good advice from Darren Chapman at Nestlé Professional, who suggests making one large pot of “base” gravy. This can be either from scratch or from a brand such as Maggi. “You can then decant and flavour each one as required. Using a base that everyone can eat, such as Maggi gluten-free

vegetarian gravy, means you can cater for all diners without sacrificing on taste.” With more people cutting back on meat, this also maximises menu flexibility since it can be served with vegetarian roasts too.

Should I pay much attention to the trimmings? While meat is the hero of a traditional roast meal, it’s important to get all the elements right. By using menu descriptions such as “served with fresh, seasonal vegetables”, you can show customers you care about every element of the meal, as well as getting the best value in terms of price. Work on your technique for the classic accompaniments such as roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings, with training and simple-to-follow methods for new staff, to keep up the quality.

MARCH 2018 p40-41 meat.indd 41

26/02/2018 08:12

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play with MATT ELEY Experiential: it’s a word I’ve been hearing a lot of lately and, along with others such as “influencer” and “premiumisation”, it’s one that causes my eyes to roll in dismay. Not because what it means is irrelevant — it isn’t. It’s just that I can’t imagine any of those words ever being uttered in a pub in normal conversation. Unless, that is, a hip marketing team are having a breakout session down the local. Anyway, it’s true many people do want a bit more from a trip to a pub these days. They want something they can share with their friends, both in real life and on social media. That’s why escape rooms (see November/December issue) have become so popular and why pub games concepts such as

Flight Club and Junkyard Golf are often cited by those very same influencers as being at the cutting edge of the on-trade. But surely there’s something of the emperor’s new clothes in this? After all, darts and crazy golf are hardly innovations. As with many things, it ain’t what you do but the way that you do it. Those two businesses have taken old concepts, jazzed them up and got their customers all excited about them. It’s actually a pretty neat trick. So next time you put on an event or consider installing a new games machine or pool table, think about how, to use yet another truly awful word, you can make it even more Instagrammable for your customers.

Any excuse for a pint. . . According to Carlsberg’s 2017 Consumer Insights Report, while many people are in the market for an “experience”, there are still plenty of other reasons to visit a pub.

27%

Big night out

14%

Live event

14%

Special celebration

12%

Family occasion

10%

Catch-up

Regular drink

Out as a couple

Drink after work

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8% 5% 5%

Me time

Other

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2018 08:42

Mothering Sunday

Another great opportunity to get some family business in the boozer. It falls three weeks before Easter, both of which are a little earlier than usual this year. March 11

Good Friday

Easter is on the horizon and stretches across the end of March and the beginning of April. Let the Easter egg hunts begin! Mar 30

Happening this month Joshua v Parker

Anthony Joshua continues his mission to become the dominant force in world boxing. Confident Kiwi Joseph Parker is also an undefeated champ, though. Something’s got to give. March 31, 5.30pm, Sky Box Office

Champions League

March 6, 7, 13 and 14, BT Sport

Manchester United v Liverpool

March 10, 12.30pm, Sky Sports

British Pie Week

The Fence Gate Inn in Burnley, Lancashire, once sold a pie for £8,195 — or £1,024 a slice — to eight guests. Ingredients included Japanese wagyu beef fillet, Chinese matsutake mushrooms and gravy made from two bottles of vintage 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild wine, topped with edible gold leaf. Can you beat that? March 5-12

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With the patron saint of drinking Guinness being celebrated this month, here are a few things to impress your staff and customers with. 1. This year St Patrick’s Day coincides with the final day of the Six Nations. England play Ireland in what could be a decider and a very busy session for pubs. 2. Guinness is a popular brew at any time, selling 5.5 million pints around the world every day. That number doubles on March 17. 3. At just 77ft, one of the shortest St Patrick’s parades takes place between The Weigh Inn and The Lee Valley in Dripsey, Cork. Can you team up with a neighbour to beat that?

Five English teams remain but how many will get through to the quarter finals? We’ll know the answer after the Last 16 second legs this month.

Both teams might be gazing enviously up at Manchester City, but this is still the biggest game in English football. Will it be another drab 0-0 or will this one finally burst into life?

St Patrick’s Day: did you know?

4. He wasn’t called Patrick… well, not at first. He was born Maewyn Succat and started out as a pagan. He turned to Christianity after being sold into slavery. He became a bishop and spread the word, later taking the name Patrick. 5. He died on March 17, 461 AD. So it’s not his birthday we celebrate, but his death.

26/02/2018 09:30

The girls got game by MATT ELEY

Michelle Payne receives the January 2018 BT Sport Manager of the Month accolade from England’s most capped footballer, Fara Williams

In the not too distant past watching sport in the pub largely meant groups of men heading out to watch other men compete. But the landscape is changing. Not only are many contemporary pubs more female– and family-friendly but the sports they show also reflects this shift. The success of the England women’s football, cricket and rugby teams has captured the attention of the public and has shown pubs that women’s sport is something that men and women both want to watch. Vicky Martin was quick to realise this when she signed a tenancy with Wadworth at The Sup & Chow in Cheltenham. Before she took it on 18 months ago,

it had a reputation as a wet-led, footballfocused pub. She has renovated and refurbished the building, grown the food side of the business and started opening for coffee mornings. She initially scrapped the sport but reintroduced it when she realised it could be a useful addition rather than the sole focus of the pub. Vicky, who has previously worked in hospitality for London Irish rugby club as well as competing as a gymnast, explains: “We brought it back in gradually, starting with rugby and then football, but did it in a different way so we would have families and couples coming in. “We do probably have more males that watch sport than females, but we get couples and females who come in on their own as well. “We have female rugby players and footballers who come in and others who do not play but follow it. The growing trade is definitely couples and groups of couples. People want to go out together and not just in groups of blokes.”

Ladies in the limelight

The changing nature of those in the pub is also reflected in what is available to watch on screen. Broadcasters such as Sky and BT Sport have increased the output of women’s sporting events. Tracy Harrison, director of marketing at Sky Business, says: “Viewing figures for women’s sport reached a record high for

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play.

Women’s sport and where to watch it Sky Sports

BT Sport

Cricket • England Women’s ODIs and T20 tri-series doubleheaders against South Africa and New Zealand • Kia Super League • ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in November

Football • FA Women’s Super League

Rugby • England in the Women’s Six Nations • HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series • Tyrell’s Premier 15s

Tennis • Live coverage of 52 tournaments from the WTA tour a year • Federations Cup Hockey • World League Finals

Golf • Ladies European Tour and all five majors

Cricket • Women’s Ashes and Women’s Big Bash

Netball • International and Vitality Super League, All-Star Fast 5s and Quad Series Internationals

Squash • World Squash Championships • PSA World Series

“

This is an opportunity for pubs to offer something different to their customers or engage with local women’s teams to encourage them into their venue

Sky Sports in 2017, which saw more people tune in to watch women’s cricket, netball, rugby and golf than ever before. “For example, the Women’s Cricket World Cup final at Lords – in which England defeated India by nine runs – was Sky’s most watched women’s sporting event ever.” Vicky says this is reflected at her pub with all customers – men and women alike – more open to watching women’s sports. “The guys in the afternoon will watch women’s tennis, rugby or the skiing, which we had recently with the Winter Olympics. They don’t just come in to watch football any more.” Michelle Payne, licensee of The Ingate Free House, in Beccles, Suffolk, was also determined to change the nature of her pub when she took it on. It was another wet-led boozer that she says women and families would generally avoid. One way she has attracted more women is by linking up with Beccles Town Ladies FC, which formed in August last year. She sponsors the side and they regularly

return to the pub after matches and for other social occasions. Michelle says: “We are really proud to have our name on the team’s shirts and sweatshirts. Some people had a really negative attitude towards women’s football and we are helping to change opinions about that. “It is also changing the pub, as more women and families come here now. Lending

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Former England striker Michael Owen hands Vicky Martin her BT Sport Manager of the Month award last year

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Lending support to a women’s football team has enabled more women to feel at home here

The Ingate sponsors Beccles Town Ladies FC

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support to a female football team has enabled more women to feel at home here, and not be afraid to come in the door. Some of it was business acumen, but mainly to allow all access to great sports in a small town for everybody.” Michelle’s efforts were recently recognised by BT Sport, which named her its Manager of the Month for January. (Vicky at the Sup & Chow was a winner last year.)

A point of difference

Bruce Cuthbert, BT Sport director for commercial customers, says: “Women’s sport is growing in terms of participation, attendances and TV audiences – the successes of the Lionesses and the England Women’s Cricket team this year have really highlighted this. It is worth publicans being aware of this trend, as this is also an opportunity for pubs to offer something different to their customers or engage with local women’s teams to encourage them into their venue. “Our recent Manager of the Month initiative has really highlighted to me that some of the most successful businesses are the

ones who are thinking creatively and engaging with their communities in different ways, whether that’s sponsoring a local women’s football team and showing FA Women’s Super League to changing opening hours to get the Ashes crowd in for breakfast.” Tracy at Sky agrees that women’s sport could be an open goal for pubs. “With the increase in viewing of women’s sports becoming increasingly popular, there’s an opportunity for pubs and bars to make the most of this growth area. At Sky, we pride ourselves on the quality and breadth of sporting action we give to our customers and women’s sport is a perfect example of this.” Vicky says one of the biggest challenges for a licensee is keeping on top of all the fixture information and knowing what is happening across a variety of sports. She recommends tapping into the knowledge of staff for support in this area. Another challenge she cites is being a woman in what many still perceive as a male-dominated business. “When I came here, in the first few weeks I got a lot of stick and people trying to belittle me, but it gets turned around when people realised I had seen it all before and could do this job. You still get sexist attitudes, people might ask where my partner is or if I want a hand in the cellar, but I tell them I’m fine thanks.” Changing those perceptions is perhaps another story, but one that can be partly tackled by showing women excelling, be it in sport or business.

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2018 08:50

Spring into action by ROBYN BLACK

Spring officially runs from March 20 to June 21 this year, with those three months encompassing a number of important dates for pubs. These include three bank holiday weekends, several sporting finals and, for this year only, the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (all together now, “aww”). All of these are opportunities for pubs to boost trade, so get that diary out…

KEY SPRING DATES MARCH Fri, March 30

Good Friday

APRIL Mon, April 2

Easter Monday

Sat, April 14

Grand National

Mon, April 23

St George’s Day

MAY Mon, May 7

May Day

Sat, May 12

Eurovision Song Contest final

Sat, May 19

Royal wedding

Mon, May 28

Spring Bank Holiday

Lorna Roberts/Shutterstock.com

Alternative spring event ideas Songkran Friday, April 13 – Sunday, April 15 It’s Thai New Year. Traditionally you might engage in a water fight but (unless the weather is unseasonably warm) you might be better off sticking to treating diners to a deal on warming Thai curries and a bottle of Chang. Cinco de Mayo Saturday, May 5 Commemorating the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, this has become a bigger holiday in the US than it is in its native Mexico — something to do with the abundant Margaritas, perhaps? We think it’s worth marking too, so tacos and tequila here we come. World Gin Day Saturday, June 9 We’ve come so far since the days of “mother’s ruin”, so why not celebrate with a superlative gin & tonic; some classic or creative cocktails; gin and food pairing (cucumber sandwiches, prawn toast, veggie spring rolls; fish & chips all go well) or upgrade the annual beer festival to a gin one?

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A right royal knees-up: the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19 will give the royalists something to raise a glass to

26/02/2018 08:54

stay 11

Staying out for the summer by MICHELLE PERRETT

It’s a tough market out there. Being able to add another income stream by diversifying into accommodation can be the very thing that helps drive the profitability and longevity of any pub. But what if you don’t have any spare rooms?

Don’t despair – your beer garden or underused car park could be just the ticket. Staying in interesting and zany types of spaces is growing in popularity all over the country, with accommodation operators offering anything from glamping to log cabins, shepherds’ huts and even yurts. If this sounds like something you might be interested in, then your first move needs to be a look at your current licence, says John Gaunt, founder and consultant at solicitors John Gaunt & Partners, “It is the sale of alcohol that is the licensable activity, so if all you are doing is selling alcohol to people that are staying in a shepherds’ hut or a pod, then those structures do not require to be licensed unless you are going to offer some sort of mini-bar facility. The mini-bar would be regarded as a pointof-sale,” he advises. Customers may also be keen to take a bottle of wine or drinks back to their pod after a meal, so licensees need to consider that option as well. “Any operator should check the terms of their licence to make sure there is no restriction in off-sales,” he warns.

Planning for the pitch

While licensing is a major issue that should be looked into, the biggest challenges are likely to be around planning regulations. Stephen Brooker, director at Walsingham Planning, says that the issue is not “definite at all” and can depend on the local council as well as the circumstances of the property. “Glamping or shepherds’ huts that are staying in a pub garden that would

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Drusilla’s Inn has two Shepherd’s huts on site, with plans for more

“

The shepherd’s huts mean customers eat in the pub every night. They only have to walk 20 metres to the pub and don’t have to drive, so they can have a few drinks

effectively be stationary may need planning permission,” he warns. Issues with planning become more complicated when any outside accommodation is attached to electricity and especially to drains. But councils, especially in holiday destination areas, are open to the idea of allowing these types of structures, he argues. “If you are in the middle of nowhere and not really making a nuisance of yourself I would expect the council to be pretty sympathetic,” he says. “If your pub has only got a tiny car park and there is constantly a major problem with parking in the road ,then again that might be something they are not that keen on.”

Hit the hut

Ellie Clifford bought Drusilla’s Inn near Horton Folly, Dorset, three years ago. She found two shepherds’ huts already on site and planning permission agreed for a total of five. “We are hoping to build two more very soon. It also means that the customers eat in the pub every night,” she says. “They only have to walk 20 metres to the pub and don’t have to drive and can enjoy a few drinks and tootle back.” The huts have been built with en-suites and tea and coffee-making facilities. Fire baskets are made available on site during the summer. They are only allowed to open for 10

months of the year, closing mid-January to mid-March, due to planning restrictions that stop them being labelled as permanent dwellings. The standard price is £99 for one night or £169 for two, which includes a traditional breakfast in the pub. “They are really popular. We do some Groupon deals and we also get a lot of bookings directly,” she says.

Carry on glamping

The Waterfront Inn in West Stockwith, Nottinghamshire, has also made money from more unusual accommodation, adding two glamping pods two years ago. Licensee Karen Bull says that it has the benefit of customers wanting to visit people at the nearby 100-strong caravan site and the extra trade from people eating and drinking while staying. Each pod is fully insulated, with two double plug sockets, a bed with memory foam mattress, a heater, table with kettle, mirror, clothes hanging and their own enclosed bit of a garden. Customers can use the nearby shower block and toilets as well as having access to the pub. It advertises the pods through its own website and also sells though online portal pitchup.com with prices starting from as little as £40 a night. “We get a lot of returning customers and have had people that have been here four or five times,” she says.

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back-bar business

A social minefield by MATT ELEY

“

If you try to get into a debate online, the normal rules do not apply

MARCH 2018

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Social media can be an amazing way for licensees to promote their businesses to customers both old and new. It’s innovative, flexible, largely free, and, at times, it can seem like all the world is your audience. The problem with it is that when things don’t go to plan, the sense that the entire world is watching – and judging – is massively magnified. Take Doctor Brown’s in Middlesbrough, for example. Up until December last year it was best known locally as a popular spot for football fans on match days and for holding live music nights. Then in December it briefly became known globally as “the pub that bans female-fronted rock acts”. Landlady Paula Rees disputes this allegation. She says the pub refused to book one act with a female singer because they hadn’t gone down well previously. Others suggested the pub had an inherently sexist policy. Whatever the truth of that, what is beyond dispute is that once the story about the pub potentially discriminating against acts based on gender had been reported, it went viral within hours. Paula was bombarded with angry and threatening messages on Twitter and Facebook from thousands of people she had never met, many of whom would probably struggle to find Teesside on a map. It was not an experience she wishes to go through again. Paula, who has worked in the trade for the best part of three decades, explains: “It just came out of nowhere. It was terrible, they were threatening and demanding things. I wanted everyone to come to see me and listen to my side of the story. You can’t really

win that battle online and in that forum.” Messages included calls to boycott the venue to plain old expletive-ridden abuse. At least one band cancelled a booking because of the negative publicity, leading to a loss of business for the venue. Paula added: “In all, it went on for about three weeks. It was a stressful thing to go through and it was very unexpected. They say there is no such thing as bad press, but it didn’t feel like it.” So, what should do if you find yourself on the receiving end of some strong online criticism?

Take it offline

We spoke to two PR experts in the pub trade and they both agreed that the first step is to try to move the conversation offline. Jeremy Eaton is the chief executive of PR and marketing agency Vital, which numbers Marston’s among its blue-chip clients. He said that situations where pubs and businesses face potential reputational damage on either social media or review sites are all too common. “Every situation you come across is different and there is no one way to deal with everything,” he says. “My advice would be to engage with the

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2018 09:45

How to react when you are not being ‘liked’

inapub

DIGITAL MARKETING GUIDE

Need a hand with your marketing tactics? Inapub should be able to provide the answer. Our Social Connect service allows you to update the sport you are showing on your website and social media simultaneously. We also send emails to licensees about upcoming sports fixtures. Plus, our Digital Marketing Guide has the answers to many more questions. Find out more at www.inapub.co.uk

perpetrator and get them offline as soon as you can, that is the one thing that is consistent.” He adds that in most situations people are easier to engage with on a human level on the phone or face to face, rather than when they are angrily typing out their thoughts and feelings. “If you can engage with someone in that way most people will calm down.” Mark Stretton is managing director of Fleet Street Communications, which represents Carlsberg and Ei Group. He says: “Every situation is different, so it is very difficult to apply a general rule, but always try to take them offline. “If you want to engage online, just make your point, make it well and then walk away. If you try to get into a debate the normal rules do not apply.” He adds that pubs should consider how everything they do could be viewed on social media. “Every licensee needs to be looking at their business through the lens of Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Snapchat. If they do something really well people will take a picture and share it. If they do something really badly, people will take a picture and share it.”

Be aware You might not like what is being said but you need to know about it. When a situation arises ensure you are on top of all your social channels. Stay calm If you swear or lose your temper, you lose the argument. Stay professional Just because the Twittersphere is giving you hell, it doesn’t mean you should retaliate in kind. Respond as you might to a person in the pub. Make it personal If you can engage with someone on a human level and prise them away from their keyboard or phone you are more likely to connect and calm the situation. Don’t panic It might feel like you are being bullied and bombarded, but the situation will change. Most of the angry mob are just jumping on a bandwagon and will soon find something else to be outraged about.

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26/02/2018 09:46

time at the bar

TOP

DRINKING LINGO Terms from Paul Convery’s work The Drinktionary 1. Bacchanalia A joyous drunken spree or revel, named in honour of Bacchus, Roman god of wine. Bacchantes were intoxicated female orgiasts, in particular the priestesses of the old Bacchic cult. To be “Bacchi plenus” today is, rather poetically, to be inebriated.

A punch based on cognac, popular in the late 19th century. Not to be confused with bumbo, an older toddy or rum cocktail with sugar and nutmeg which is reputedly the origin of the term “bum”, denoting an alcoholic derelict.

3. Chardonnization

8. Priapus vitreus

A sneering coinage of wine snobs and traditionalists despairing of the commercial challenge from New World wine producers and the anticipated homogenisation of consumer tastes, especially within the female drinks market.

A stylized, phallus-shaped drinking vessel made of glass, of antique Roman notoriety. Another obscene item of drinkware from classical times was the drillopota, a vessel or vase either phallus shaped or with a decorative phallus. All this two millennia before novelty chocolate willies…

4. Vinomadefied Figuratively “soaked’ or “saturated” in wine, a euphemism for the state of grape inebriation invented by the great Scottish wordsmith Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty in the mid-17th century. A more modern society euphemism for being squiffy with the vino is “chateaued”.

5. Ebrilagnia Sexual desire and disinhibition inflamed by the effects of alcohol; oenolagnia, more specifically, is wine-induced lust. (To avoid disappointment, ladies should perhaps avoid gentlemen suffering from the clinical condition formerly known as impotentia alcoholica, or more commonly chronic “brewer’s droop”.)

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7. Potomania A syndrome of serious medical impairments arising from the gross consumption of beer, otherwise known as “beer drinker’s hyponatraemia”. Related, though now obsolete, terms for such literal “drink-madness” include tromomania, broadly “delirium tremens” and the more polysyllabically sinister pototromoparanoia, being DTs in extremis.

2. Bimbo

The Drinktionary provides the definitions of 2,000 boozy words. Available from The Book Guild, Amazon or all good bookshops.

ated, gin; known infamously in 18th-century England as “mother’s ruin”. To be “genevaed” was to be stupefied with gin, while “ginnums” was somewhat endearing street slang for an old woman overly fond of strong drink.

6. Madame Geneva Genever or, as it has long been abbrevi-

9. Alcohol According to the alchemists, “al-kohl” or the sublimated ‘essence’ of a substance; a simple organic compound, colourless, volatile and flammable in liquid form; according to common wisdom, the intoxicating element in fermented or distilled liquors such as beer, wine and spirits — or just plain old booze itself.

10. Pussyfootism A term making its first appearance a century ago at a time of growing US opposition to the consumption of strong liquor, it means advocacy of public prohibitionism or at very least private abstinence from the demon drink. In time, pussyfoot came to describe a non-alcoholic cocktail made with orange and lemon juice, grenadine, and egg white or yolk.

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2018 10:32

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30/01/2018 01:05

Left to right: Helen Morris, Angelena Churcher, Lady Cumberlege, Jonathan Neame, Greg Churcher

A pub has reopened after a major refurbishment and marked the occasion by donating £1,000 to a local cause. Shepherd Neame pub The Bull in Newick, East Sussex, closed for four months for the works but is now up and running again with new licensees Angelena and Greg Churcher at the helm. Shepherd Neame chief Jonathan Neame attended the relaunch and presented a £1,000 cheque to local resident Helen Morris, who is fundraising to help her five-year-old daughter Kelsey Meldrum in her ongoing battle against a rare form of cancer. The event was also attended by Baroness Julia Cumberlege, who lives in the village. She said: “Pubs provide the heart of a community, and The Bull is very much at the centre of our village life. It is wonderful to see the pub looking its best, and I wish Angelena and Greg every success in their new venture.”

THE COLLECTION TIN What pubs around the country are doing to help good causes Regulars from The Avenue in Sunderland raised £650 for Cancer Research with a pub pantomime. Their performance of Aladdin added to the £2,700 the pub raised for the cause last year. A boxer was due to spar for two hours with members of the public last month, in a ring set up in a pub. While Ben Walker boxed at The Ram in Newark, Nottinghamshire, friend Kev Parker covered 50km on a static bike, rowing machine and treadmill. They were fundraising for three Fire Service charities.

LANDLORD OF THE MONTH

Quiz nights at a Norfolk pub have helped to raise more than £2,000 for Parkinson’s UK. The cash was raised throughout 2017 at The White Horse in Chedgrave, which has seen a shop supporting the charity open in the village recently. Race enthusiasts can raise money for a cause close to their hearts with a Cheltenham Festival preview at The King’s Head in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Racing professionals will give talks to raise money for the Injured Jockeys Fund.

Inapub and Prostate Cancer UK have joined forces this year to raise awareness of the disease. As part of that we will feature a Landlord of the Month each issue.

A licensee who has been raising funds in memory of his uncle has been named Prostate Cancer UK’s Landlord of the Month. Rob Willoughby of The Stag in Maidwell, Northamptonshire, has already raised £230 through a darts match, quiz night and by selling the charity’s Man of Men badges, and has plenty more plans. He has lost an uncle and customers to the disease. Rob said: “At 59 it was no age to lose a life with so much to look forward to after paying his mortgage off and never being able to see the world as he had wished. We were all devastated and my aunt has lost a husband and best friend.“ He added: “I am really delighted and gracious in acknowledgement to be named Landlord of the Month,

what an honour! The events went really well and I’m thrilled we were able to raise awareness of a disease that affects one in eight men in the UK.” Rob won the award as part of The Men United Arms campaign, which encourages pubs to raise funds and awareness about Prostate Cancer. He is now in with a chance of being named the charity’s favourite local. The award will be handed out later this year. For more information visit prostatecanceruk.org/inapub

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

MARCH 2018

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trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2018 10:48

PLATE OR SLATE? Where the nation’s publicans stand on the really big questions Nathalie Coleshill, Milford Arms Isleworth, London Nathalie has been in the pub trade for most of her life – following in the footsteps of her parents, who were also publicans. She even returned to the pub her parents once ran and took it on herself until threeand-a-half years ago when she bought The Milford Arms. The pub has since undergone a complete refurbishment, and Nathalie has added food and accommodation rooms to the business. She’s also the founder of Stock Together, a new sole traders co-operative that aims to bring the buying power of multi-sites to individual pub owners.

“

I have seen pubs doing doguccinos. I don’t know I want to go that far

Plate or slate?

Shabby chic or design shrine?

Must admit there’s still a place for slate – a lovely dessert or a lovely cheese board, for example, but I’m loving all the fun, brightly coloured plates around at the moment.

Shabby chic. Upcycle. When I took over the pub I had loads of that really old orangelooking pub furniture. For a relatively small amount we sanded it all down and painted it in lovely bright colours. I got end-of-line fabrics in all different patterns and my poor mum and dad unpicked all the chairs and recovered all the pads after watching a YouTube video and ordering the tools online. It saved me a fortune, looks bright and cheerful, is easy to maintain and looks relaxed and lived in. I love that it’s all ontrend. Mismatched and pre-loved.

Packet of scratchings or Michelin Stars? Scratchings. I love all the comfort foods, and pub classics, and even the modest pork scratching comes in many wonderful flavours these days.

Table service or order at the bar? We need to do a bit of both really. The point is we want everybody to feel comfortable, so our approach needs to differ depending on their needs. It does mean the team has to be aware and sensitive to every customer.

Dyson Airblade or hand towels? Oh, tricky. Airblade is pretty quick – not great on the grout though. Hand towels make a mess.

Background music or silence is golden? 100 per cent background music. I must admit the older I get, the more aggrieved I become by music that’s too loud — never thought I’d become “that” moaner! I think music plays a huge role in the pub atmosphere but it definitely has to be the right genre at the right volume for the atmosphere you want to create.

Mustard cords or skinny jeans? We welcome everybody! We’re a community pub so we want to represent the whole community – that’s all ages, all styles, all backgrounds, even all football teams. I do love a skinny jean myself – think I would possibly draw the line at mustard cords to be fair!

Dogs allowed or the only animals are on the menu? Dogs welcomed, kids tolerated. Only kidding! We are a nation of animal lovers. I have seen pubs doing doggucinos. I don’t know I want to go that far. Readily available water will suffice for now.

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26/02/2018 10:59

time at the bar

HAIR OF THE DOG Tales of the unexpected from the wonderful world of pubs it a night Ultimate pub crawler calls ut the pirational quote, “it’s abo According to many an ins e we’d feel sur tion.” However, we’re not journey, not the destina ntries in cou 21 oss 0-mile journey acr quite so zen if the 20,00 words) n ow r’s elle trav the b that is (in question had led to a pu “a bit of a dive, actually”. s ion, Brit Ben Coombs, wa The adventurer in quest the an beg He wl. cra gest pub attempting the world’s lon in it, rm Ke led cal R TV ld -year-o lajourney, all done in his 20 pu (po rd lba gian island of Sva tica, another pub on the Norwe tarc An e sid out ent rnmost settlem tion: four), to the southe del Fuego, Chile. Puerto Williams in Tierra s, “a little disapThe pub in question wa ing plastic talk e’re “W pointing,” he said. line n ilea Ch , ide ins re patio furnitu nu which me a and , TV the on g dancin cheap whisky.” consists only of lager and ht at nig ard nd sta a Sounds like us. to Inn b pu The Ina

Good news corner When booze hits the tabloids, it’s rarely good news. The Sun’s “Binge drink Brits sink to new low” was a classic of the genre, and this year the Daily Mail’s “Low-alcohol booze ‘can make you drink more’” almost had us ordering a mineral water with a hemlock chaser. So we raised a glass to to the recent spate of headlines hailing two beers a day as the secret to living into your nineties. Cheers, granddad! The story came from research presented at the convincing-sounding American Association for the Advancement of Science. Some eggheads do point out it is difficult to distinguish the clinical effects of moderate boozing from associated lifestyle factors such as a strong social network. But we figure if we can make it to 90 and enjoy a few beers with our mates on the way, who’s quibbling? As they say, the quality of life depends on the liver.

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Caught in the act When police in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, received reports of suspicious goings-on at The Woodland pub, they were quick to respond. With the alarm blaring, the officers gained entry and looked to apprehend the burglar. Only to be disappointed/amused to find the culprit was in fact a customer who had got stuck in the toilets. We would make the gag about the punter having enjoyed a “lock-in”, but the police got there first on their twitter feed. Reports the incident was an inside job are pure speculation, but at least when the cops arrived at the scene, they had something to go on.

There’s a barman , waiting in the sk y

Moneybags wann abe galactic over lord Elon Musk gr the planet’s attent abbed ion recently by fir ing his sports ca Fair enough, we r at Mars. thought, blowing your nose on $1 get boring after 00 bills must a while. But we’d hate fo r the stunt to over shadow anothe rocket launch by r recent Musk’s SpaceX operation, carryin sensible payload g a far more . At the end of las t year, Budweiser AB InBev sent 20 brewer barley seeds to th e International Sp Station. The aim ace is to study how it germinates in m with the ultimate icrogravity, goal of building a space brewery. “When the dream of colonising Mar s becomes a reali ty, Budweiser wi ll be there,” company vice-president Ri cardo Marques told Tim e magazine. Suddenly the long round-trip seems a bit less dauntin g. Just as long as Elon remembere d to take the keys out of his Tesla.

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2018 11:11

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23/08/2017 19:07

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20/09/2017 00:02