Helping you meet the needs of customers

Pubs are facing a gale of headwinds in the current economic climate. But the welcoming atmosphere and all-round positive experience I have come across in UK pubs is testament to the people working in the on-trade who every day put their all into creating a welcoming and sociable atmosphere.

Pubs play a huge role in contributing to the UK economy, especially with employment and the training of young adults and it’s important to us at Diageo that we support and stimulate the on-trade sector in this work and to help licensees weather the tough times in which we currently operate.

This is particularly pertinent at a time when the Office for National Statistics last week released figures showing that youth unemployment has risen to more than a million.

To play our part in helping pubs flourish, we have put significant investment behind our brands and our people in the on-trade. In Great Britain a full 50% of our team is directly or indirectly engaged in the sector, which shows how big a focus it is for us.

Training for barstaff and licensees on the perfect serve of long mixed spirit drinks and of Guinness is something that we feel is absolutely critical in supporting the on-trade — because it helps ensure that consumers have the best possible drinks experience and keep returning.

I’ve seen first-hand how passionate many people are about a perfect pint of Guinness and about offering great-looking, great-tasting drinks where licensees can really add value for their customers and bring brands to life, compared to the experience they can have at home.

Entertainment is also a great way of driving footfall and I never fail to be impressed by the effort pubs put in for a memorable St Patrick’s Day. Next year is going to offer even more opportunities for creating mini-events in-outlet than I can ever remember, with the Six Nations rugby tournament being so hotly contested, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics.

The last of these occasions will see visitors from abroad flooding into the country, presenting us with a great chance to showcase all that is great about British food and drink.

All these events offer great opportunities to drive consumers through your doors. There’s a lot to look forward to and a lot to play for. It’s my aim to make sure I can stand up and say that my team and I at Diageo have done everything we can to support our customers make the most of this and the year ahead.

Responsible drinking also has a massive part to play in the public’s overall experience of the on-trade and that’s why I was delighted to hear that the Best Bar None scheme, of which Diageo is a key sponsor, is launching the Best Bar None Buddy Scheme and the Best Bar None scheme helpline. The ability to share information between licensees is important to help deliver a safer night-time economy for us all.

Andrew Cowan is country director for Diageo GB​