Staffing struggles - tackling the challenges around employment
People are key to hospitality, but employment has never been more expensive or challenging. The Lock In podcast team takes a deep dive into some of the issues the sector is facing.
Podcasts
Behind bars - is prison the answer to the pub employment challenge?
The Lock In gets locked in as we go behind bars to investigate the opportunties the hospitality sector offers to rehabilitate offenders.
Has the price of a pint become unaffordable?
The Lock In podcast explores the cost of a pint along with beer writing legend Pete Brown - has the price risen out of reach of the consumer?
Dry is the new high: The rise of the alcohol-free pub
With the opening of a new alcohol-free venue in Scotland, the Lock In team take a look at the history and opportunities for a new breed of non-boozer.
The changing face of the Great British Pub
The Lock In podcast is back! Yes, fans of the podcast (all seven of you) will be delighted and this time we’ve got a great new guest host for our opening episode, Butcombe’s Jayson Perfect.
Last call for pub crawls?
Is the pub crawl a thing of the past, or alive and well? In the season five finale, The Lock In team get their drinking boots on to investigate.
From pitch to pour: how can pubs make the most of rugby
It’s not all about football when it comes to pubs and sport, so the Lock In team scrum down for a discussion about how pubs can embrace the opportunities that rugby offers.
Social media - friend or foe?
As punters continuously trip over the herds of constantly filming influencers on their way to the bar, the Lock In team ask, is social media just a massive pain in the proverbial?
The future of pub grub
Food trends, the importance of sustainability and consumer expectations were just three of the areas the Lock In team tackled in the latest podcast episode.
Death of the jukebox?
The Lock In team take a look at the relationship between pubs and music, from karaoke to live performance, and ask the question - what happened to all the jukeboxes?
Counting the hospitality hit of Budget
In this episode of the Lock In, the team speaks to various operators in the wider hospitality sector about how the Budget impacts them.
Stop! In the name of pubs
The Lock In team tackled the stories and scandals behind pub names.
Raising spirits...
It’s no surprise that spirits are low in the pub industry - and that’s just the category! In the spirit of adventure (sorry) The Lock In podcast team take a deep dive to see why consumers are switching off the G&T.
What’s driving the changing time habits of consumers?
With many operators reporting customers eating and drinking out earlier and leaving earlier, the Lock In team look into why this may be and how businesses are adapting to it.
How to handle a crisis
The Lock In team look at how best to handle a crisis and how to avoid turning one into a drama.
Is the pub still relevant?
The Lock In team take a look at whether the pub remains relevant in the modern age. Do pubs still appeal to consumers?
The changing face of the pub
Diversification is key for some pubs to survive - the Lock In team took a look at some of the sector’s success stories, including a pub that runs a zoo!
How to survive 2025!
With the year ahead looming, the Lock In team spoke to a range of experts on what to expect from 2025.
The Lock In Podcast
How to boost your business in January
The Lock In team take a look at how pub operators can boost trade in the misery months of January, with some extra special help from a rugby legend!
The Lock In Podcast
Bar room betrayal: How to avoid falling for fraud and theft
The Lock In Podcast
What do young people want from the pub?
The Lock In team take a deep dive inside the mind of Gen Z to find out exactly what young people think of the pub.
The Lock In Podcast
The death of craft beer?
With the craft beer breweries struggling and the market declining, the Lock In team asks the question, is this the end for the craft beer movement?
The Lock In Podcast
The Great British Pub - with a twist!
The Lock In team take a look at the wide ranging cultural influences that are shaping the traditional pub environment from Irish bars to pubs with a Norwegian twist - what makes pubs such appealing melting pots?
The Lock In Podcast
New beginnings!
With news focusing on the numbers of pub closures, the Lock In podcast takes a look at those opening sites and coming into the trade.
The Lock In Podcast
Summer? What summer?
The Lock In Podcast is back for an unprecedented fifth season, and we're taking a look back at the summer trade!
The Lock In Podcast
Are you being served?
Customer service is key to making your business a success, in the season finale, the Lock In takes a closer look at a key aspect that can make or break a pub.
The Lock In Podcast
Making the most of your ghost
Pubs and ghosts go together like, well beer and pubs! Most pubs will lay claim to a ghost or two, so the podcast team take to the airwaves to talk all things spooky!
The Lock In Podcast
S4 Ep. 14: Stars in bars! (Feat. James May, Candice Brown and more)
Celebrities love owning pubs, so the Lock In team spoke to a few, including James May and Candice Brown, to find out why they couldn't find an easier way to lose money!
The Lock In podcast
Winning ways!
As the dust settles on the recent Publican Awards, the Lock In team caught up with some of the winners to find out what makes them tick.
Lock In Podcast
Pie Hard (with a vengeance)
To pie, or not to pie, that is the question asked in this episode of the Lock In podcast, as the team lift the (pastry) lid on what makes the perfect pub pie!
The Lock In Podcast
Ahead of the game!
The podcast team tackles the topic of pub games, from old school to new and ask how pub gaming is evolving and changing in the modern age.
The Lock In Podcast
Perfecting the art of the serve
Why is there a North/South divide when it comes to beer head and does Guinness really need to be poured in stages? The Lock In team tackle that and other issues around the concept of the perfect serve.
The Lock In Podcast
What is a gastropub?
In a special recording of the Lock In podcast, live at the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs event recently, the team took to the air in an attempt to define what actually makes a gastropub?
Going down the pan!
Top toilets are vital for any pub operation, but are we always getting it right. The Lock In team go beyond the u-bend to find out how you can up your loo offer!
The Lock In Podcast
New Year, new opportunities?
The Lock In team take a look ahead to see what 2024 has in store, both the opportunities and the challenges and how you can embrace both.
The Lock In Podcast
Snowball anyone? Anyone?
The Lock In team take a look at Christmas, from how to handle the irregular customers (Doreen from Accounts, we're looking at you) through to nostalgic tipples!
The Lock In Podcast
We kid you not....
Children and pubs, a classic combination, or not! The Lock In team take a look at the joys of targeting the family market and how pubs can make it work.
Why are pubs hooked on fish and chips?
Fish and chips are a staple of the pub menu, but why is that? The Lock In team cast their net to find out where the tradition comes from and why it's such a popular menu item.
The Lock In Podcast
Going to the dogs...
With dog ownership booming, the Lock In team get to grips with how pubs can best embrace man's best friend and create the paw-fect (sorry) doggy offer.
The Lock In Podcast
Rampant costs: The Lock In Live at The Restaurant Show
The Lock In team take to the airwaves live at The Restaurant Show with two top operators to tackle the cost challenges the sector is facing.
The Lock In Podcast
Has customer behaviour got worse since Covid?
The Lock In podcast is back, and we're taking a look at customer behaviour - are they getting worse? Are we getting worse?
The Lock In Podcast
Season finale: The challenges ahead
With season three of the Lock In podcast coming to a close, we take a look at some of the current challenges, energy, supply, inflation etc - and where we see things heading.
The Lock In Podcast
Wasp wrangling and other tips for summer success
Wasps can ruin many a pub garden experience, but how best to handle them? The Lock In team tackled the perennial pests and other top tips on making the most of summer trade.
The Lock In Podcast
Black gold: Why is Guinness so popular?
Guinness is an iconic brand that has stood the test of time and continues to forge a path others can only dream of. The Lock In team takes a closer look and asks: Why is Guinness the only show in town?*
The Lock In Podcast
Giving pubs a sporting chance
Sport and pubs often go hand in hand, but are we making enough of the opportunity sporting events provide? Despite a total lack of understanding or interest in sports, the Lock In team take a look at the topic, with a little expert help from special guests.
Lock In Podcast
Getting your cask offer right
Cask beer is a key component of the pub operation, but are we getting it right? The Lock In team takes a look at where pubs are going wrong with cask and how you can up your game on a category that is key to a good operation.
THE LOCK IN PODCAST
How important is tipping in pubs?
The latest episode of the podcast saw the team look at service charge and tipping as a new bill goes through parliament.
The Lock In podcast
How to run a pub quiz
The Lock In team tackle the topic of pub quizzes, much to the delight of Heath - the do's and don'ts of running a great quiz!
Pubs and the coffee conundrum
Mushroom coffee anyone? The Lock In team get to grips with coffee and ask why pubs have failed to maximise the opportunities open to them when it comes to java juice.
Making the most of your roast!
A great roast dinner is the cornerstone of many pub operations, and a cultural touchstone for many - but why is that? And what we are getting right or wrong when it comes to the classic dish. The Lock In team take a deep dive into the world of roasts,...