Pubs go ‘TEA Total’ to boost quieter trading times

07-Jan-2020 - Last updated on 07-Jan-2020 at 10:32 GMT

Go the whole Hog: pubs take on campaign to drive footfall during Dry January season

Pubs are backing a ‘Support Your Local, Go TEA Total’ campaign this January to boost the quieter trading times operators can go through during this time of year, especially with the growth of Dry January.

The campaign ran for the first time in January last year, when more than 150 pubs displayed the campaign pump clip or posters.

This month, Hogs Back Brewery – whose flagship beer is TEA (Traditional English Ale) – is building on the campaign with more impressive assets for participating pubs, including a competition to find the TEA Drinkers’ Pub of the Year and a ‘TEA Total Thursday’ initiative rewarding local drinkers.

A pint of tea

Rupert Thompson, managing director of the brewery based in Tongham, Surrey, said: “January can be a challenging time for many people, but we strongly believe that getting out for a walk to the pub and enjoying a sociable pint or two of TEA can help to counter social isolation and contribute to our overall wellbeing.”

The campaign also aims to remind consumers of the many good reasons to visit the pub in January, from roaring fires to pub quizzes, live music or a dog-friendly welcome.

From that, Go TEA Total also hopes to amplify the messages of the industry’s Long Live the Local initiative, which shows that socialising with friends is the main reason people enjoy visiting their local pub.

Long Live the Local’s research shows that:

Six in 10 Brits (59%) say the main reason to visit their local is because it’s a great place to socialise with friends
Almost half of pubgoers (48%) go to the pub because they enjoy feeling like a local and bumping into people they know
47% feel the pub brings people and the local community together
40% believe the pub acts as a social centre for the community

An underlying message

Thompson continued: “The campaign has a light-hearted feel, but the underlying messages are important.

“It’s also vital that we all support the pubs at the heart of our communities: if too many people stay away from their local in January, it may not be there in February.”

Pubs wanting to be part of the campaign can sign up with their Hogs Back sales manager, or by emailing fnyrf@ubtfonpx.pb.hx to receive a pack of Go TEA Total assets, including pump clips, dripmats and posters.