S&NPE rolls out new cellar improvement programme

Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises (S&NPE) is rolling out a new cellar cellar improvement programme to 100 lessees in 2009.

The move follows a successful pilot scheme, which boosted beer sales by an average of 12% in 26 pubs following a typical capital expenditure of £2,000.

The new programme, designed by S&NPE drinks quality manager Edward Theakston, takes a holistic approach to beer quality from cellar to dispense, font positioning and training.

"We don't look at the pub's cellar and beer in isolation — we look both at how the pub's beer quality is affecting customers' perceptions and the outlet's performance and, conversely, everything else in the pub that needs to be right if having quality beer is to pay off for the lessee," said Theakston.

Project costs are controlled by taking a pragmatic approach to cellar design. "Money is not wasted on creating beautiful looking, high spec operating theatre style cellars which lessees won't benefit from," he said.

"The spend is focused on ensuring that the cellar conditions, layout and equipment are exactly as they should be to enable the lessee to easily deliver perfect pints. In some cases, this may require us to completely change the cellar lay out but in others it may simply be a case of putting in a new sump pump."

He added: "In difficult economic times, high standards are even more important and perfectly served drinks play a central role in this. When customers have less money to spend they want a great experience more than ever and will avoid those pubs that don't provide it."