In this video, operators and staff from well-known favourites including the Pembury Tavern, the Rake, the Kenton and the Wenlock Arms explained the styles of beers that are popular with customers, how seasonality affects the range being curated year-round the demographic of drinkers in terms of age and how an ever-increasing number of females are not missing out when it when comes to visiting the on-trade.
Each member of staff interviewed also talks about the beer offer at their site and what they expect to see as trends in the future.
Although the latest Beer Report 2025 discovered a slight downturn in volume and value sales according to CGA by NIQ data, The MA Pint Price Survey found the price of a pint operators can charge rose by 5.8% in the past few months alone.
Stuart Anderson of the Pembury Tavern – a Five Points Brewery pub in Hackney, east London – says its own-brewed beers make up the majority of sales at the site on a busy corner of the area but also sells a “very good selection of independent beers”.
Economically aware
The general manager adds: “The whole pub scene in London seems to be trending towards classic, slightly more upmarket [beers] and you want to drink in a nice environment. People are economically aware and their spending power isn’t as great. They would spend [in a pub] where they know they will have a good time.”
Meanwhile, Richard Dinwoodie, director of Utobeer, which operates popular Borough Market pub the Rake, states: “Probably 50% of our customers come in and don’t know what they want. They either ask the staff or [point at a beer tap and say] that looks fun.”
He adds staff members will give their recommendations working off what customers tend to favour. And customers tend to go for a lighter beer whether it is the height of summer or not.
He hopes to see a trend towards people favouring independent beers rather than global brands and cites the SIBA Indie Beer campaign as something operators and drinkers should look towards to help UK brewers and pubs.
Scandi pub the Kenton is operated by Egil Johansen who says lager is one of the most popular beer styles currently but is also big on craft beers too.
Led on price
On customer demographics, Johansen says: “It’s very much a mix [when it comes to ages] with many younger people drinking lager and Guinness. Those in their late 20s, early 30s are more into craft beers.”
He adds younger drinkers are often led on price and Stella Artois at £4.95 a pint is a top serve at the east London site.
North London pub the Wenlock Arms is a cask-heavy pub with independent beers being a must.
Assistant manager/cellar manager Samson Arnett-Roughley says although there is a natural drop-off in dark beer sales, he likes to keep one on at all times, especially being a fan of the style.
As an example, general manager Esther Harper adds: “We do push people to try [independent nitro stout beer from The Kernel] but people are too scared to try new stouts because they’re so fixed on Guinness.”
- If you want to see read the Beer Report 2025 for free, simply click here and you’ll have access to a wealth of knowledge about the latest volume and value sales statistics on a huge range of beer styles from craft beer to lager and cask ale to stout.
