Pub caterers' Easter plans

Easter offers one of the biggest trading opportunites of the year for pubs, especially when the weather is fine.

Offering a seasonally-driven menu at the Rat Inn, Anick, Northumberland includes diversifying for special events, with novelty items such as Creme Egg brownies on this year’s Easter menu. A picture of last year’s Easter brownie is still one of the pub’s most popular Facebook posts and many customers requested takeaways. Served with ice-cream at £4.50 or at £3 as a takeaway, the novelty brownies quickly sell out and are expected to exceed the 75 sold in a week at Easter last year.

Chocolate specials​

Well-known for its Easter focus, the Inn at Farnborough near Banbury, Oxfordshire, is reaching out to the whole family with diverse offers. The pub’s Good Friday five-course fish feast will be available for lunch and dinner alongside the à la carte menu. Chocolate treats will finish off Easter Sunday lunch and a free Easter egg hunt will be organised for all child diners. On the same evening, the menu will include a steak and chocolate special, with live music in the bar from the Applejack Duo.

Happy bunnies​

Appealing to young appetites and adult budgets, Sizzling Pubs is inviting kids to eat a child’s main course free at Sizzling Pubs during Easter school holidays if parents download a free voucher, which applies to each adult main meal purchased up to a maximum of six. The offer is available from midday to 9pm and runs from Saturday 31 March to Sunday 15 April inclusive.

Church on Sunday​

Tickets for the Easter party at the Church party bar, close to south-east London’s Elephant & Castle and owned by the Sunday Events Company, are selling well via Eventbrite. The venue’s unusual Sunday afternoon party events start at midday and last until 4pm. Tickets cost £12 (plus 95p booking fee) and beer tickets costing £12 for three canned drinks or £4 for one drink promote efficiency when serving the anticipated 2000-strong crowd, especially in the first hour, when 70% of attendees – many in fancy dress – arrive for the show.