Tim Martin gets it right on customers' gripes
A new survey suggests that Wetherspoon's boss Tim Martin is firmly in touch with the views that matter - those of his customers.
Pub customers put closing time right at the top of their list of gripes, followed closely by smoking and the price of a pint - issues on which Wetherspoon has taken a lead.
Almost 700 users of online pub guide Fancyapint.com took part in the survey, which asked them to pick their biggest concern from a prepared list of 10.
Restricted opening hours topped the list at 24 per cent, while, despite all the publicity, binge-drinking was the main issue for just three per cent.
Mr Martin welcomed the findings, saying: "It's really not rocket science to realise that you need to stay in touch with what matters to customers.
"Like licensees, I'm concerned that the new licensing regime will greatly increase costs, but if it gives the trade what people have been asking for - an extra couple of hours opening in the evening - then at least that's a partial trade-off."
David Wilkinson, licensee of the Mucky Pup in Islington, North London, which is featured on Fancyapint.com, said: "One of the biggest issues is the problem of all the big pub chains putting everyone out on the street at the same time. So much of binge-drinking is simply down to chasing the clock before closing time."
Concern about smoking was the biggest issue for 22 per cent, and registered particularly strongly with women and the over-50s.
Another telling result was that less than three per cent of those surveyed said their biggest concern was having too big a head on their pint despite the Campaign for Real Ale's call for a 100 per cent liquid pint. Gordon Butler, co-founder and director of Fancyapint.com, said: "It suggests that the 237 MPs who have signed a Commons motion demanding publicans serve a 100 per cent liquid pint are concentrating on the wrong issue.
"The trade has already said it would be unworkable and will drive up the cost of a pint. Now it seems drinkers themselves don't even see it as an issue."
Pub customers' biggest concerns
- Opening times too restricted: 24%
- Tobacco smoke: 22%
- Prices are too high: 18%
- Poor quality of service: 10%
- Alcohol-fuelled violence: 9%
- Poor hygiene and cleanliness: 5%
- Too many children: 4%
- Binge-drinking: 3%
- Too big a head on my pint:3%
- Children not welcome: 2%
Source: 687 visitors to Fancyapint.com, February 14-28 2005
Pictured: Closing time is top of the list of customers' gripes.
