15 years ago: 2011
In the month that traditional inner city pubs were reported to be suffering from the smoking ban, the industry faced fresh scrutiny and pressure around regulation, from calls to raise the drinking age to 24.
Attempts to broaden appeal also drew attention, with Molson Coors developing beers aimed at women while operators were encouraged to introduce ‘ladies’ nights’ and adapt environments, reflecting a wider but clumsy push to attract new audiences.
Elsewhere, Tim Martin was once again named the most influential figure in the sector, while Stonegate and Town & City merged to create a major 550 site operator and Fuller’s defended its takeover strategy for Capital Pub Company.
The month finished with Tom Kerridge’s Great British Menu win underlining the growing role of quality dining in pubs.
10 years ago: 2016
In the month that Britain voted to leave the European Union, pubs became an unlikely battleground for campaigning, most visibly through JD Wetherspoon’s (JDW) high profile distribution of hundreds of thousands of pro-Brexit beer mats across its estate.
The move, led by founder Tim Martin, drew widespread attention and criticism, highlighting the extent to which political messaging had entered the on-trade environment.
Industry opinion remained split. While prominent pub and hospitality leaders backed the Remain campaign in an open letter citing risks to trade, jobs and investment, surveys suggested many smaller operators favoured leaving the EU.
Alongside political debate, regulatory and licensing issues remained a key focus for operators. Guidance around temporary event notices and licensing relaxations for the Queen’s birthday highlighted the complexity of compliance.
While one Derby pub was closed after licensees failed to report a man being shot in the head, brewers continued to experiment with new products including a ‘zero waste’ beer made from leftover brioche and croissants.
June 2016 saw BrewDog push unconventional recruitment methods, asking applicants’ friends to pitch for them in 30 second videos, while the Euro 2016 football tournament saw Carlsberg launch the ‘Three Lions’ ale.
Finally a Wetherspoon chef finished his shift despite winning £4m on a scratchcard.
5 years ago: 2021
June 2021 saw councils introduce smoke-free pavement zones as proposals for fully smoke-free outdoor seating gathered pace, which trade leaders warned were a “hugely disproportionate” burden on venues already under pressure.
The backdrop to this was a fragile reopening landscape. Despite indoor trading resuming in May, nearly a quarter of licensed venues remained closed in early June, with more than 8,500 sites having already shut permanently since the start of the pandemic.
Operational challenges were further compounded by a growing staffing crisis. Research showed nine in ten operators expected recruitment difficulties, with a shrinking labour pool driven by Brexit and the pandemic intensifying pressure just as demand began to return.
Major events offered some optimism, with UEFA Euro 2020 widely seen as the biggest sales opportunity since Christmas 2019, expected to drive footfall and spending as consumers returned to pubs.
However, restrictions significantly limited the upside, with England’s opening match alone projected to cost pubs £3m in lost revenue due to reduced capacity and social distancing rules .
This missed opportunity was reinforced mid-month when the Government delayed the final easing of restrictions from 21 June to 19 July. The decision was estimated to cost the sector £100m per week, or £400m across the four-week delay.
Frustration within the sector intensified further as night-time economy leaders threatened legal action over the delay, warning of a £3bn hit to hospitality and the risk of widespread business failure without additional aid.
Elsewhere, BrewDog begun to face accusations of a “toxic” workplace culture, prompting a public apology from co-founder James Watt and renewed scrutiny of employment practices within the sector.
