With food halls expanding and residency models gaining momentum, operators are asking what lessons can be applied to the pub environment – not by copying the format, but by adapting its principles.
For Glen Sutton, director of Fulham Pier’s food hall Riverside Market, the foundation of the model lies in disciplined curation. The focus has been on “finding authentic concepts that tap into a market gap and are feasible to scale and deliver consistently”.
Despite the perception that food halls thrive on niche cuisine, Sutton is clear that commercial reality still favours familiarity.
Traffic drivers
“Mainstream offers still dominate the P&L – pizzas, burgers etc – but variety drives credibility and footfall so should not be sacrificed.” In other words, core crowd-pleasers fund the operation, but breadth builds destination appeal.
He also highlights the importance of multi-channel revenue, noting that “access to delivery services can also be critical in building a sustainable model”.
Sutton cautions pubs against assuming the format is directly transferable. “Spend time in these environments and note, not just the product offer specifically but more so the overall experiential elements, this is what is driving consumer traffic to these concepts.”
He adds that the physical demands of running multiple kitchens mean “the space and infrastructure needed to deliver multiple concepts” will not suit most pubs.
This does not mean the underlying principles are out of reach. Instead, many pubs are adapting the mindset rather than the format.
Residency model
Many operators are turning to kitchen residencies as a lighter-touch adaptation of the food hall mindset.
Scott Stirling, founder of Plate Club, says the driver is economic as much as experiential. “The economics of running an in-house kitchen have become brutal,” he says, pointing to 50% annual staff turnover, rising wages, employer NIC and business rates. “The financial case for outsourcing your kitchen is more compelling than ever.”
Stirling argues the upside is not just cost reduction. A residency partner is an “owner-operator” with direct incentive to drive sales. “Each new residency generates press, social media, and a fresh reason for regulars to come back. It’s a marketing engine as much as a kitchen solution.”
He adds that success depends on integration. “The biggest pitfall is when a pub brings in a resident but doesn’t collaborate with them… The customer experience should feel seamless: one venue, one occasion.”
Plate Club typically sees 6–12-month residencies deliver the strongest returns.
Chef-led activations are also gaining traction. The Three Horseshoes’ British Pie Week, featuring chefs including Mark Hix and Margot Henderson, and Cubitt House’s “Eats With” series demonstrate how pubs are using short-run collaborations to generate buzz without overhauling infrastructure.
Stirling points to wider industry data showing that over the last 20 years, food’s share of pub revenue has risen from 20% to 40%, describing the shift as “structural, not cyclical”.
The shift is also visible at the premium end of the market. The continued prominence of the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list and the sustained presence of Michelin-starred pubs in the UK guide underline how central food has become to pub identity.
Food credibility is no longer a bolt-on but fundamental to brand positioning and long-term viability.
For pubs under pressure, the lesson from food halls is clear: protect the commercial core, curate variety intelligently, and give customers a reason to visit.
