Family pubs: learning from the big boys
Taking kids to the pub is a nice idea, but it can become an uncomfortable ordeal. Michelle Perrett looks at what experienced operators can teach pubs about boosting family trade.
All too often bored children, disapproving fellow punters, a lack of facilities and unhelpful staff can make taking the family to the pub a stressful experience for parents. So much so that many mums and dads choose to stay at home instead.
The first-ever Harden's Eating Out With Babies & Toddlers 2011 guide, published in February this year, revealed 31% of parents have been turned away by a food venue while with their young family and 92% claim they struggle to find a family-friendly venue when they are out.
In the past, many pubs considered children an irritation or a problem, but the good news is that times are changing, with licensees recognising that families are an important segment in the market — and one that needs to be catered for.
"I think pubs have clearly got a problem as customers are often left in some uncertainty as to whether they are allowed in with children," says Richard Harden, co-publisher at Harden's Guides.
"This is a transitional thing and people don't know what the rules are."
But while many pubs struggle to manage the family market, experienced family operators outside the sector seem to make the whole experience stress-free. So what do these operators do to keep families happy and can we steal a few of their tricks to win some of the market back for pubs? We take a look at four family-friendly operators to find out.
Flexibility key for Butlins
Leisure-resort operator Butlins has a strong reputation for being able to cater effectively for parents and their children.
Butlins' head of communications Jae Hopkins says the secret is its ability to be flexible and cater for different parts of the family unit.
"Our resorts are big enough to provide that level of choice, but essentially what people want is an opportunity to re-connect with their family," she says. "Family time gets whittled away with the stresses of every-day living. Our research shows families don't get a chance to sit down and have family meals like they used to. What they want is to be away from the pressures of real life and have time to bond."
Butlins provides a range of activities from play areas and restaurants to bars and coffee shops — catering for families whatever the time of day or occasion. Meal times can be one of the most stressful periods for a family, so providing children with activities that keep them busy around these times is essential, Hopkins says.
The Kaleidoscope Bar & Restaurant at Butlins' Ocean Hotel in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, has a "make your own pizza" offer for children. They are given a pizza base and six different types of food to put on it. "It works well," says Hopkins. "They get to make their own pizza and watch it cook in the oven, which they love."
Children are notoriously picky about their food, often deciding they don't like what is on the menu or don't like the appearance of a meal when it arrives. Butlins has got around this problem with an innovative buffet solution at its premium restaurant, Coast, in Skegness, Lincolnshire. A low servery area, which was built 8in lower than a standard servery, means the children can choose their own food.
"The buffet restaurant is a life-saver," says Hopkins. "Children can look at the food and it encourages them to try different things. There is also a 'help-yourself-to-ice-cream offer', which is a big hit with the kids."
A central play area in the middle of the restaurant, which allows parents to relax knowing their children are not affecting other families' dining experience, has also proved popular. A fun video, showing the Butlins characters (including Billy Bear) playing in a kitchen, keeps the kids amused as they think the characters are cooking their meals.
"Children just get bored. If we can keep them entertained, it makes for a much better family experience," Hopkins adds.
Another dining issue for children is how to ensure they eat healthily. Most families stay at a Butlins venue for around three days and a loyalty card is issued for the children to use around the resort. The company is able to use the Sportacus character from the LazyTown children's TV programme to promote it and every time a child eats healthily in the resort they get their card stamped and receive a badge at the end of their stay.
Giraffe's service builds success
The 45-strong restaurant chain Giraffe has become a strong favourite with families. Interestingly, when the chain launched in 1998, it didn't target families exclusively, but over time this has become a very strong part of its offer.
Founder Russel Joffe says: "It just sort of happened, but it is more about how we treat people when they come in. Word got around and it has just evolved over time."
The chain is set to re-launch a new menu for older children between the ages of five and 10. The menu will be a hybrid between the children's menu and the adult menu so they get the option to feel a bit more grown-up.
"We do a nice menu for the children, but it is not just about that. If you treat kids nicely and adults can choose the food on the menu they want — it is a win-win situation."
Joffe says the secret to the chain's success is the service levels and welcome that families receive. "We provide something for everyone. We try and recruit nice people and train them well. If you employ nice people they treat customers well."
Wacky Warehouse's innovations
Lesley Turley, development manager at soft-play and children's activity centre Wacky Warehouse, is constantly monitoring other operators to see if there are any ideas or innovations they can adapt for the 70-strong chain.
"We are looking to move our children's party bookings online within six months after taking ideas from the AMF Bowling website," she says.
"Parents tend to organise children's parties after work and that involves time ringing up venues and searching for details. We found that, for AMF Bowling, you can book online at any time. PDF invites are created automatically and the job is done. We have taken some inspiration from that."
Wacky Warehouse is also extending the menu offer in its Coffee Corner concept, to include light bites and snacks. The area is designed in a similar way to a coffee shop to allow adults to meet in a relaxed environment, while keeping an eye on their children.
"We do think the Starbucks and Costa Coffee chains are leading the way with their menu offer," Turley adds.
Rainforest Cafe's food focus
Service is an issue high on the agenda at London's Rainforest Cafe. The menu caters for a range of allergies with organic, nut-free, egg-free and gluten-free options highlighted. Families are also asked if they have any particular food issues and discuss options with staff. A new concept of highlighting the lowest-calorie items on the menu through a "wise choice" label has seen an uplift in volume sales for the West End site.
However, one of the most important parts of the experience is to educate children about all aspects of the rainforest and animals that live there. Kids get to interact with a collection of wildlife animatronics, waterfalls and a herd of trumpeting elephants, as well as a thunder and lightning storm every 29 minutes.
Glendola Leisure managing director Alex Salussolia says the venue provides a "holistic" experience. "We don't preach to our parents that they have to keep their children at the table," he says. "Because the venue is so family-friendly our staff are very children-focused. In effect it is about creating what is probably the largest crèche in London."
What families really want
A pub is rarely the first choice for parents Mandy and Kevin Fuller and their two children Ben, seven, and three-year-old Lucy.
They claim facilities, as well as the lack of good pubs appealing to families, is the major cause of this decision. However, they
