Live sport — a 2010 pub till-filler
It's about time we all had something to look forward to in the licensed trade, isn't it? 2009 was as tough a year as they come with the recession, beer duty rises — and the smoking ban still taking its toll. It followed a tough 2008 — Punch tenanted beer volumes are down more than 20% over the two years.
This year will be every bit as hard, especially if a new Government in May sets about a tax grab to re-balance the teetering public finances. But the coming year also holds the hope of a range of opportunities that licensees should be planning to take advantage of. Live sport will provide a particularly useful fillip. There's nothing quite like watching your favourite sporting event with friends in the atmospheric setting of your local pub. The alternative — sitting in front of the box at home — is a dispiriting prospect by comparison.
Pubs continue to come up with ingenuous ways to make the most of the sporting calendar. The one that grabbed my attention recently was Marston's tenant Tim Baker who has installed his very own four-tier stand at the Roebuck in Marchwood, Hampshire. Not surprisingly, going the extra mile for his sports-mad customers has seen turnover double to £10,000 a week. It cost about £10,000 to install his stand, but certainly makes a statement about the pub's commitment to the best possible sports coverage.
Highlight of this year's sporting calendar is, without doubt, the World Cup with England's prospects as good as they've been in living memory, what with Fabio Capello managing to fuse together the undoubted talents at his disposal. Given a good run, the event holds the promise of a being a real till-filler for hosts. Also on the horizon, aside from the usual racing and tennis, are the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales. And England take on Pakistan and Bangladesh in the cricket. The Morning Advertiser is stepping up its coverage to ensure licensees make the most of the bulging sporting calendar.
What became blindingly obvious last year was that no-one can just throw open the doors and expect customers to come pouring through. Hard-pressed consumers have been looking to spend their money as wisely as possible. This trend became embedded in 2009 — and is the face of the future as the UK faces years of relative austerity. What is interesting about the Christmas and New Year trading figures is the degree to which out-performance was possible if your pub offer is right.
One veteran pub industry operator recently said that managed pub companies need to be better or cheaper — and preferably both. The same applies to individual licensees, except cheaper may not be a viable option. Better than the opposition on service and standards is, though, an attainable goal.
