National Quiz gears up for launch

The Publican's Licensees Forum in York this week was the platform for the launch of a major new quiz aimed at revolutionising entertainment in pubs.

The National Quiz will see pubs pit their wits with other locals across the country for cash, using an internet-based quiz. Events will take place in real time on Sunday and Tuesday nights from mid-October, with the whole pub encouraged to take part using colour-coded bats to signal their answers to multiple-choice questions.

The level of the cash prizes will depend on the numbers of pubs taking part - although National Quiz founder Dave Hogarth said if 2,000 pubs joined in, the top prize would be as high as £36,000.

"The prize money is in line with the lottery, so the more pubs that take part the more we will be giving away," said Dave."The whole key to this is that it will keep everyone in the pub until the end of the game and the pub finds out where it has come in the country."

Pubs can join to play weekly, fortnightly or monthly, with a six-month package starting from £35 a month. A TV and PC with dial-up or broadband internet connection are all that is required to take part.

The forum, at York Racecourse, also heard from speakers including Ian Gray, a senior environmental officer from York City Council, and licensee Andrew Russell who explained how he has prospered since taking his pub, the Black Horse in Clifton, Yorkshire, smoke-free six months ago.

For more from the event, see the next issue of The Publican