Focus Wales: View from the Top

The industrial and domestic landscape of Britain has changed dramatically in the past 30 years. Nowhere has this change been greater than in South Wales. Indeed, the speed with which an economy based around heavy industry has transformed itself to a service-based one has left many traditional pubs caught in the past with an offer and style that reflects days gone by.

Since the millennium, volumes and customers have declined at a steady though not alarming rate. Now, a heady mixture of economic and legislative ingredients and a shift in customer aspirations have combined to produce a potentially explosive brew. This threatens a change of seismic proportions that would alter the licensed trade in Wales beyond recognition.

We must acknowledge the fact that the Welsh market is heavily over-subscribed with licensed premises. Numerous towns and villages have pubs and social clubs chasing a vastly reduced customer base. There will naturally be closures, with many outlets changing to commercial or residential use during this year.

For pubs to be successful and achieve real growth, core retail disciplines must be rigorously applied. Unfortunately in Wales on too many occasions, for numerous reasons, a positive customer 'pub experience' is not enjoyed. We are lagging behind our counterparts across the Severn Bridge because these retailing principles are not appreciated as must-have items in the licensee's toolbox.

Firstly, a focus on improving standards is a prerequisite for retaining and attracting new customers and surviving in the current challenging environment. I would suggest the best way to start a programme of improvements is to join the BII, which will provide guidance on getting to grips with this critical area of your business.

Closely interlinked with this drive to improve retail standards is training. Again, the Welsh trade is woefully lacking. I recently asked the BII to suggest a training course on drugs awareness for my managers, and the closest firm that could deliver the training was in Southampton!

At Dragon Inns we have created our own purpose-built training centre and we will be launching our own training company in 2008 to help plug this huge gap.

Finally, like all good shops (and that's what a pub is) we must tell the public what a great offer we have. Licensees need to make potential customers aware not only of their offer but also what's happening at their pub. Local press coverage, winning awards, websites, signage and databases are all part of a successful marketing campaign.

Yet 95 per cent of Welsh pubs do not have their own website and it was disappointing to see only two Welsh companies in the shortlists of this year's Publican Awards.

My company's weekly newsletter is called Number One In The Community and if licensees want to thrive in 2008, that's what they need to be.

Graham Wall is operations director of Cardiff-based multiple operator Dragon Inns​