Wales: The Heath

Whitchurch Road, Cardiff

"The Heath is very much everybody's local," says Mike Farrell who, with wife Margaret, has been running the Brains' managed house for the past two-and-a-half years.

Mike continues: "We have a very diverse range of customers: local people, shoppers, students, nurses and people from the hospital nearby, business people, civil servants from Companies House down the road, soldiers from the barracks opposite and pensioners. Despite this wide mix, which has the potential to be volatile, everyone enjoys coming here. No-one feels we are part of a chain, more part of the community."

Lunchtimes at the Heath are mainly food driven and Mike says food sales have doubled in the time he and Margaret have been at the pub. Sales have been improved by "re-jigging the menu and extending serving hours". Food is served between noon and 7pm, Mondays to Saturdays and from noon until 4pm on Sundays. On a typical Sunday, the Heath will cater for around 150 locals keen to sample the roast dinners.

Mike and Margaret change the menu every four to six months and pick dishes from a template of more than 200 provided by Brains. The pub has also benefited from the investment in new kitchen equipment to meet the growing demand.

As you would expect from a community pub, sport has huge support from the Heath's regulars. The pub has its own darts, pool, bowls and football teams and sponsors three ladies teams that compete in the local hockey, lacrosse and rugby leagues. Brains has also paid for the addition of extra plasma screens to reinforce the pub's credentials.

On Tuesdays, it hosts a "name that tune" pop quiz and Margaret says: "It is very popular and we normally have a full house of students and younger locals taking part."

The Heath is also a popular starting point for younger drinkers before they head off for a night out in the nearby city centre. Despite having to compete with at least 15 pubs within a one-mile radius, the Farrells and their 17-strong team, have grown wet sales by 2.5% over the past year. Wet sales account for 85% of the wet:dry mix, but the growing demand for food is starting to lower the Heath's dependence on drink revenue. Mike and Margaret are also planning to increase turnover by making extra use of the pub's function room.