How to rescue a failing pub?
Discussion
My local is struggling. I stay in a small village with a total of 4 pubs. The other 3 are pretty steady and more than likely busy over the weeeknds. There are usually 2-3 people in most evenings and maybe the same for meals.
The landlady usually has bands on every second weekend which costs her £3-500 but this doesnt guarantee that she will get enough people in the place and often she is out of pocket.
There is a good sized and pleasant restaurant and she is pushing the meals but its not enough.
Ive suggested to her to do quiz nights/ pool nights etc to try and drum up some trade but she doesnt seem convinced.
Does anybody have any experience with this sort of thing. I have plenty, just from the wrong side of the bar!
Cheers.
The landlady usually has bands on every second weekend which costs her £3-500 but this doesnt guarantee that she will get enough people in the place and often she is out of pocket.
There is a good sized and pleasant restaurant and she is pushing the meals but its not enough.
Ive suggested to her to do quiz nights/ pool nights etc to try and drum up some trade but she doesnt seem convinced.
Does anybody have any experience with this sort of thing. I have plenty, just from the wrong side of the bar!
Cheers.
hornetrider said:
So you're trying to rescue the s
ttest pub in the village? Sounds like the locals have voted with their feet. Is there a fundamental problem - beer, food, ambience etc?
I cant really figure it out, its the largest and nicest pub in the village and it used to be the busiest by far but its slowed down dramatically.ttest pub in the village? Sounds like the locals have voted with their feet. Is there a fundamental problem - beer, food, ambience etc?The beer and food are good, although there is often a limited selection of beers due to the financial shortfalls.
Ritchie335is said:
hornetrider said:
So you're trying to rescue the sttest pub in the village? Sounds like the locals have voted with their feet. Is there a fundamental problem - beer, food, ambience etc?
I cant really figure it out, its the largest and nicest pub in the village and it used to be the busiest by far but its slowed down dramatically.ttest pub in the village? Sounds like the locals have voted with their feet. Is there a fundamental problem - beer, food, ambience etc?The beer and food are good, although there is often a limited selection of beers due to the financial shortfalls.
J5 said:
Ritchie335is said:
hornetrider said:
So you're trying to rescue the sttest pub in the village? Sounds like the locals have voted with their feet. Is there a fundamental problem - beer, food, ambience etc?
I cant really figure it out, its the largest and nicest pub in the village and it used to be the busiest by far but its slowed down dramatically.ttest pub in the village? Sounds like the locals have voted with their feet. Is there a fundamental problem - beer, food, ambience etc?The beer and food are good, although there is often a limited selection of beers due to the financial shortfalls.
'Tis easy. I have watched a lot of Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares so I know.
You doorstep the locals and ask them whey they are not going to that pub.
You shout at the owner / manager and call her a. You terrorise the bar staff and call them lazy fkers who don't know their arse from their fking elbow. Do you understand?
You chuck out all the food, its fking disgusting.
You laugh at the menu.
You write a new menu with 'simple, traditional, English' meals. Do you understand?
You go round the local farms and get 'good, fresh, traditional' things.
You invite all the locals in for 'good, fresh, traditional' things.
If that st doesn't work you get some bar staff with boobs.
You doorstep the locals and ask them whey they are not going to that pub.
You shout at the owner / manager and call her a
. You terrorise the bar staff and call them lazy fkers who don't know their arse from their fking elbow. Do you understand?You chuck out all the food, its f
king disgusting.You laugh at the menu.
You write a new menu with 'simple, traditional, English' meals. Do you understand?
You go round the local farms and get 'good, fresh, traditional' things.
You invite all the locals in for 'good, fresh, traditional' things.
If that s
t doesn't work you get some bar staff with boobs.Or don't pay them, get on Gumtree on the local university. They can have a % of the bar if they bring a rabble in.
If it's anything like the village I lived in, it goes in cycles and it'll be buzzing next year. She needs to impress the folk who'll turn up on NYE too, get them back in. She should also, as mentioned prior, get her boobs out.
If it's anything like the village I lived in, it goes in cycles and it'll be buzzing next year. She needs to impress the folk who'll turn up on NYE too, get them back in. She should also, as mentioned prior, get her boobs out.
Park a couple of expensive cars in the car park.
Barstaff with the ability to smile.
A smiling female is always better even if only mildly attractive.
Then spread a rumour that the smiling mildly attractive barmaid flashed her boobs three nights ago.
If that doesn't work go to the better of the other Pubs.
Barstaff with the ability to smile.
A smiling female is always better even if only mildly attractive.
Then spread a rumour that the smiling mildly attractive barmaid flashed her boobs three nights ago.
If that doesn't work go to the better of the other Pubs.
Edited by jeff m on Monday 9th November 15:39
Being autumn, I would move away from traditional pub food & start putting game on the menu. It is dead cheap to buy from the local shoot / gamekeeper etc & cooked well, it blows steak & chips into the weeds.
Get a couple of roaring fires on the go, a couple of guest ales at promotional prices, some good quality newspapers scattered round the place, along with books of walks etc in the local area & a well priced menu & I'm conviced you will start to see trade picking up.
Differentiation is the key. Make the pub the warm, homely place that people like to spend their Sunday lunchtime / afternoons & you will then see follow on trade from locals during the week.
Get a couple of roaring fires on the go, a couple of guest ales at promotional prices, some good quality newspapers scattered round the place, along with books of walks etc in the local area & a well priced menu & I'm conviced you will start to see trade picking up.
Differentiation is the key. Make the pub the warm, homely place that people like to spend their Sunday lunchtime / afternoons & you will then see follow on trade from locals during the week.
I've always thought that the local pubs in our village could do more to drum up business.
My idea, if I ran the pub, would be to leaflet drop hundreds of local houses with money-off vouchers (like 10% off all drinks on a certain night). The aim would be to get people to come to the pub, realise they might make friends with their neighbours, and become regulars.
It's all about trying to make the pub a regular part of the week so people will get used to popping down the local for a pint every Thursday.
My idea, if I ran the pub, would be to leaflet drop hundreds of local houses with money-off vouchers (like 10% off all drinks on a certain night). The aim would be to get people to come to the pub, realise they might make friends with their neighbours, and become regulars.
It's all about trying to make the pub a regular part of the week so people will get used to popping down the local for a pint every Thursday.
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