Gamers return day after day to Pokémon Go 'gym' pub

Pokémon trainers are getting their fix of the world-beating augmented reality game at Yummy Pub Co’s the Grove Ferry, Canterbury.

The game features ‘gyms’ at real-life locations, which gamers must visit to battle one another and take control of the site.

Manager Billy Morgan told The Morning Advertiser​: “It’s really strange to see. We have about five or six groups who come in here every other day to battle for this gym back.

“We have some people who come down just to battle. Other people are driving here, fighting for the gym, and staying for a bit of dinner.”

Attracting trade

The pub has publicised its gym status on Facebook to attract customers – a post that more than 1,000 potential customers interacted with, crucially boosting the reach of the remote village pub.

“This was an unknown area to tap into until recently. We let a couple of customers in the cellar recently because there was something rare down there. We’ve opened up different parts of the pub so people can catch things,” Morgan added.

Pokémon Go​ also features eggs, which players can hatch by covering specified distances on foot, tracked by GPS in the game.

Morgan joked: “Our staff are doing laps of the garden. It has never been so tidy!”

Footfall

Co-founder of Yummy Pubs Tim Foster said the gym status is boosting the rural pub’s trade.

“We had a group of four in the pub at around 6pm last night fighting to get the gym. They had come from Ramsgate, and never been to the pub before, so it is driving footfall for sure,” he explained.

Fortunately for the Grove Ferry, visiting customers aren’t only staying for the computer game, as all four bought a drink and some snacks.

“I’ll have the trade any day of the week if it means people find us, especially considering how tucked away we are,” Foster added.