It was honestly the driest January I have witnessed in my entire career. The Sahara desert has more moisture than my wet sales did.
I was waiting for a caravan of camels to cross my threshold at any given moment, or at the very least a cactus to pop up in the middle of the bar.
Was it simply because people were being particularly salubrious this year? Unlike the gym memberships that get bought and remain inevitably unused for the rest of the year, the appetite for drink has most definitely quelled.
Fellow publicans I’ve spoken to have expressed the same concern. Yes, February has been somewhat better but the appetite to imbibe has not been the same as years gone by.
The general public is just not in their cups as they once were. Is there something more nefarious at play here? I think so. The Budget in October for starters.
Never-ending list
Yes, I know it’s old news now, but the ripple from it is still being felt. With the hiked duty tax, new legally required separate food waste disposal, Spring Budget looming, alongside the rising minimum wage, increased employers' national insurance contributions (NICs), there is a seemingly never-ending list of cost increases. There does not seem to be a whole lot to raise a glass to.
How do we tackle this? Reducing prices for customers is simply not an option with literally everything costing more. Trimming the fat alone simply will not cut it.
I firmly believe adaptability and creativity are going to be essential features to longevity and continued survival in such a hostile landscape.
With belts firmly tightened to almost corset-like levels of constriction, customers want more for their money. And we, as dutiful publicans, have to find a way to make that happen – even though everything costs us more.
Although Friday and Saturday nights are still as popular as ever, the Wednesday/Thursday diner is a rarer beast, especially one willing to spend.
I have found set menus are proving to be increasingly popular, especially with the midweek crowd. The perceived good value is appealing but also allows the customer to not have to think.
In a world where we are constantly thinking, making decisions, choosing and being asked for opinions, giving someone the reigns to your stomach is an absolute delight. I get it. I love a set menu. I don’t want to think, I just want to be fed and content.
Low & no essential
With people spending less on alcohol too, the low & no drink options are essential and are very on-trend. We have seen a burgeoning market for some years now, with no signs of slowing down. Can someone tell me why do people love sparkling elderflower so much?!
We have taken to using kitchen offcuts in our drink offerings to give people something slightly different that pairs perfectly with the menu.
Leftover hibiscus syrup from poaching rhubarb has proven to be exceptionally popular and allows us to use up a by-product. Although this is nothing revolutionary, it is proving to be an essential step in tackling the economic challenges we face.
There are multiple other steps that can be taken but my word count limit looms... what I will add is that as a community of publicans we must support each other. Eat at your friend’s restaurant, share ideas, give them an extra like on Instagram. Every little thing does help and we are all in these dark times together.
I look to the future with trepidation. Will economic circumstances change? Will we all survive? I hope so.
In the meantime, bring on the bacchanalia! And let us pray it’s affordable!
