Listen politicians — we still love locals
People see pubs as a vital part of their lives, and politicians should take note. Tony Halstead reports on a new Greene King survey showing why consumers love their local.
The unique role of the pub as the hub of community life and social networking is highlighted in a new report commissioned by Greene King.
The report The Enduring Appeal of the Local, published today by the Social Issues Research Centre (SIRC), concludes that pubs retain a unique place in society and fulfil a timeless human need.
The exhaustive survey, conducted through in-depth focus group interviews and a national poll of more than 2,000 people, delves into almost every facet of pub life. It explores customer trends, the role of the licensee, social interaction, and seeks to discover why pubs have transcended more modern networking innovations such as mobile phones and the internet.
At a time when pubs face their most challenging period in recent history, the survey clearly has a political aim: to show politicians the vital role that pubs play in everyday life.
Greene King chief executive Rooney Anand said the survey showed the role of the pub remained strong, despite the challenges facing the industry in the current climate and post smoking-ban era.
"The message from the research is extremely positive and shows the pub is not only relevant now, but its appeal is abiding over time.
"The demand for great community pubs is not about to disappear. In fact, with all the social and demographic changes going on, and all the findings about the importance of pubs to families and mixed generations, it is likely to become even more important," he said.
Greene King said it commissioned the report to discover what customers liked about their local pub and identify the role that pubs play in people's lives.
"Insight into how why, where and when customers enjoy our pubs is a key to our business, and this kind of research is important in helping us assess and extend our offer to meet changing customer needs," the company added.
Around 90% of those polled by SIRC said they went to pubs, with one in four visiting between one and six times per week.
Anthropologist Kate Fox from the SIRC said the survey shows people go to pubs primarily to socialise — drinking alcohol was not the main reason.
"The pub is not just a place which serves refreshment. It is a very special social world where we feel we belong rather than somewhere we merely frequent."
Why we visit pubs
Atmosphere is one of the key factors which draws people to a pub, the research reveals.
Only 23% of men and 10% of women polled said they chose a pub because of the cask ale or drinks served there.
The most popular reason for visiting was the warm atmosphere and cosy and welcoming feel (42% for men, 41% for women). Feeling part of a community was the main reason for around one in five people, with many saying they went to a pub for company without necessarily having an alcoholic drink.
Others were attracted by a more modern and lively environment.
Televised sport, playing darts and taking part in regular quiz nights were also high on the list. Others revealed they would socialise in a pub rather than host a party at home because "it didn't involve any clearing up afterwards."
Pub is the social hub
A pub atmosphere allowed people to relax and was a "less intense" way of meeting people, the report reveals.
Many consider pubs to be neutral territory and more popular than entertaining at home when people felt pressurised to play host.
There was more casual interaction where conversation between people flowed more naturally.
Emphasis was placed on pubs being a place where different generations could meet, encouraging friendship networks and forming a central focus for communities.
Pubs were seen as great social levellers, attracting people from a broad range of social backgrounds. Younger people were found to view social class as less of an issue than their older contemporaries.
The report says: "In today's society, at a time when there is much concern about a decline in social cohesion, the importance of the pub in this context may be far greater than people might imagine."
Discussions in focus groups revealed that people can have "pub friends", who they initially know solely in the confines of their local. One respondent describes them as "someone you can kill 20 minutes talking to but don't want to get stuck with all night".
The informality of a pub scored heavily amongst those polled, who said they preferred the atmosphere to a restaurant or wine bar.
Licensee is the 'heartbeat'
Pubgoers look for character and even a little eccentricity in the landlord of their local pub, the report shows.
Customers said they were more prepared to tolerate idiosyncrasies in a pub than they would in other retail premises such as shops or supermarkets.
Good licensees were viewed as having autonomy and a vested interest in the way their pub was run.
The report says this adds further emphasis to the notion that pubs are special and more than just an outlet which sells food and drink.
Customers expected licensees and staff to participate in the life of
the pub rather than simply provide a service.
"We expect barstaff to be more than the equivalent of a check-out operator in the local supermarket, and the landlord to be a welcoming host rather than a mere manager," the report says.
One focus group respondent said: "The landlord of the pub is like the heartbeat of the pub."
News, politics, gossip
Discussing news and politics is the single most popular pastime among pubgoers, according to the survey.
The second major preoccupation is listening to and imparting local gossip while the third favourite was "having a laugh."
This reflects the role of the local pub as a facility for conviviality and humour with the number of pub customers laughing and smiling significantly more than those found in other locations.
Buying rounds of drinks is still prevalent although a majority of those polled expected members of a drinking group to reciprocate.
A significant number however admitted to a "tactical withdrawal" if a drinking party became too large or too expensive. Just as pubs are social levellers, they also act as economic levellers when groups from different social backgrounds congregate around a bar.
Best for interaction
Pubs remain the number one outlet for direct personal interaction despite the age of the mobile phone and internet social networking sites.
The national poll revealed there was no substitute for face-to-face conversation and no substitute for the pub as the most popular "talk shop" venue.
Technical communication continues to develop at break-neck speed but the enduring magic of a chat over a pint or a glass of wine at the "local" continues.
Smoking ban brings changes
The smoking ban is changing the way people interact with one another in pubs, encouraging a more positive social intercourse.
A new activity of "smirting" — communal chat between smokers outside pub premises — has opened up a new social climate around many pubs.
"Brought together in their isolation outside bars and pubs, smokers find a novel social setting which opens up new sociable networks with people with whom they might not
have otherwise interacted," the survey reveals.
In general, people still tend to visit pubs in groups rather than alone, but solo drinkers who predominantly visit during the day are inclined to open up conversations with the licensee or barstaff.
Almost 30% of male respondents said they were happy visiting a pub on their
own, although the bulk tended
to go with a group of friends or
a partner.
Survey in numbers
42%
of men and
41%
of women said they visit the pub for the warm atmosphere
1 in 4
people say they visit pubs between on
