Olympics: Bottoms up to Team GB

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The Olympics can perk up trade, reports Phil Mellows.You're probably still getting your rub-down following the exertions of Euro 2004 - but it's...

The Olympics can perk up trade, reports Phil Mellows.

You're probably still getting your rub-down following the exertions of Euro 2004 - but it's never too early to get into training for this summer's next great sporting event, the Olympics.

This is an entirely different proposition to the footie, of course, but research shows that 84 per cent of the population will follow the Games.

There is a bit of a special buzz about the 2004 Olympics, so you should be able to tap into the excitement. The Games return to Greece for two weeks from August 14 after a gap of more than a century. Part of the thrill lies in whether the Greeks are quite ready. But winning Euro 2004 should have given them a boost.

The good thing for Britain is the timings of the main events. Athletics will be held in the cool of the Athens evening so will reach their climax during pub-going hours. The main coverage on BBC2 starts at 6pm each evening and runs through until 10.30pm.

It will help if you keep one eye on how the Games are going, especially Team GB as it is called. The bad news is that the pundits are pessimistic about the Brits' chances this time around, what with the track and field squad having been hit by injury. The only one there's any real confidence about is good old Paula Radcliffe.

But the whole beauty of the Olympics is you never quite know what is going to happen. Stars will be born during the fortnight and there's bound to be one humble Brit who'll spring a surprise.

Why not adopt an Olympian or two from your area. It all helps fuel the community spirit at the pub. Don't forget the more obscure sports either. Remember the GB curling team at the last Olympics?

We may not be quite sure where it will be from, but the thrills will be there and if you can tap into them it will be good for business.

That's the thinking behind the activity Heineken is putting in around the event. Heineken is sponsoring Team GB and has put together a support package to help pubs make the most of the occasion.

This includes outdoor banners to help drive people into pubs and flexible point-of-sale material to enable licensees to offer meal deals and stage theme nights around the Olympics. It includes a special edition Heineken magnum which pubs can use as a prize or simply create a focus on their back-bar (pictured). It's also aims to raise £25,000 for Team GB by donating 10p of every pint or bottle sold to the squad.

"We want to help licensees add value to their offer and celebrate Team GB along with their customers," explains Duncan Rich-mond, who heads on-trade marketing at Heineken. "The Olympics has a broader appeal than other sports and is more upmarket than football," says Duncan. "It's about local heroes and pubs can use that to raise awareness and get customers behind the GB effort."

The Heineken salesforce is ready with advice on how pubs can build business around the games with promotions including a collector scheme and a Question of Sport-style Olympic quiz.

The ones to watch

Paula Radcliffe: The European 10,000m champion has decided to concentrate on the marathon in Athens and will start as Britain's best hope for a gold medal.
Steve Backley: At 35 this will be javelin star Backley's last chance to add gold to his two Olympic silvers.
Phillips Idowu: Billed as the new Jonathan Edwards in the triple jump.
Denise Lewis: The Sydney gold medallist heptathalete has been pronounced fit after an injury scare.
Jade Johnson: Long-jumper Johnson is making progress through the world rankings.
Darren Campbell: Won the 200m silver in Sydney.

Check out your local heroes on the British Olympic Association website - www.olympics.org.uk.

Get into the Grecian spirit I know it's a cliché but "Greece is the word" at the moment - or, as Des Lynam put it, "it's all Greek to me".

Unexpected success in Euro 2004 has given Greece an even higher profile this year, ahead of next month's Olympic Games.

While the opportunity may not be as obvious as Euro 2004, show a bit of invention with your drinks selection and you could strike gold.

Apart from impressive, ageing architecture and a certain amount of philosophical thought, Greece is well known for giving the world two of its more potent spirits: Metaxa and ouzo. And there will never be a better opportunity than now to exploit their potential.

Metaxa is synonymous with Greece. On arrival at Athens airport you are greeted with a set of permanent Metaxa posters. It can be found in the UK in both 5 Star and 7 Star form - the latter is of higher quality, so it is better suited to sipping on the rocks. If you want to create some cocktails then it would be okay to use the 5 Star.

Metaxa was once advertised as "the brandy that Alexander the Great drank" - a foolish move as scholars now believe it caused Alexander's death in his early 30s. In fact, to call it a brandy may be inaccurate. Those in the know say while the production process resembles that of brandy it includes the addition of a secret herbal formula which Metaxa says makes it smoother, sweeter and less harsh.

Metaxa's UK distributor is Cellar Trends (tel: 01283 217703). It also distributes an ouzo brand called Ouzo 12. It is the best selling ouzo in the world - possibly because it is double distilled, unlike most others. It is best drunk exactly how the Greeks like it - with water, over ice.

"Because these products are not everyday drinks they can become a point of vitality in pubs during the Olympics," says Martin Watts, director of Cellar Trends. "No one expected Greece to win Euro 2004 but since then we have seen an upturn in sales. So it shows that when something is in the spotlight it can be positive for business."

Among the Greek beers Mythos lager, which weighs in at five per cent ABV, featured in The Publican's Euro 2004 beer tasting (Click herefor the full article). It scored well, with judges rating it as "a sharp but refreshing lager perfect for a hot August evening". You can find out more on www.greekproducts.com or if you want to order some bottles straight away call The Beer Shop in Pitfield Street, London (tel: 020 7739 3701).

Alfa Hellenic is a top-selling lager in Greece and it has now found a distributor in the UK - Food Brokers, based in Portsmouth. You can find out more about the beer on www.alfabeer.co.uk and can order it on 02392 222 500.

Metaxa cocktails

Metaxa Sour