Chris Hutt

The Wizard Inns MD salutes the lure of the big outlets The Botanic Inn, in Belfast, just along from the university, has been an icon for generations of student drinkers. It's big, prominent, has several bars. It's the busiest bar in Ulster, without a doubt, and could compete with Dublin's finest to be an all-Ireland champion. I visited the Botanic recently, late on a Thursday evening. The joint was jumping, a sight to behold. The terrific atmosphere pulls people back, again and again. When I started drinking, years ago in suburban south Man-chester, there were plenty of big, hugely busy bars. They sold more mild than bitter, no lager, no food. The customers worked in factories and people didn't own cars, they walked or caught the bus to the pub. They wouldn't have dreamed of dining out unless it was a special occasion. So everything has changed ­ what we drink, what we eat, the jobs we do, the cars we drive. Or has it? Two factors remain constant, I think ­ hospitality and fun. They're what we must provide, and what no off-licence can. The customers go where they get good service, and where there's a real buzz. This is no different at all from what the trade was like one or even two generations ago. Big, busy, well-run pubs like the Botanic have got a special something. In 1992, when the last deep recession was biting hard, I was taken to the Horseshoe Bar in Glasgow. It was then the busiest pub in the Bass-managed estate, with sales over 2,000 barrels per annum. It was formidably well run, and took good care to look after its hundreds, if not thousands, of regular customers. Seeing the success of the Horseshoe Bar despite tough times, I was cheered up and decided on behalf of Unicorn Inns to buy the old failed Berni Inn in a basement close by New Street station in Birmingham. Next door, was McDonald's, which I found out was their second biggest UK branch after Marble Arch. The footfall past the door was 100,000 per day. We converted the old Berni, for which we paid next to nothing (it was in a terrible state thanks to 20 years of GrandMet) into a Newt & Cucumber, an early chameleon bar, which we had invented. It went down a storm with the Brummies who were looking for something new, with a fresh twist on the old themes of hospitality and fun. Within a year we were the biggest single UK pub or bar account for Bass free trade sales. Trade peaked in this city-centre pub between 5pm and 8pm on Fridays, when the atmosphere was unbelievable. I think those who were still in jobs in an old industrial city knew how fortunate they were and needed to let their hair down big time once a week. Tim Martin was the first to spot that Croydon, despite its location in among South London suburbs, was in reality a major city in its own right. When Wetherspoons opened the George, people flocked. This pub in Croydon, taking £40,000 a week 10 years ago, became the talk of the trade. Suddenly everyone wanted to be in Croydon, and now they are. At Wizard Inns, when we had the chance to buy the Porter and Sorter, next to East Croydon station we jumped at it. The pub was small, the site it occupied was big, the station is one of the busiest in the country and the main drinking circuit is several hundred yards away. We were able to quadruple the size of the Porter and Sorter, while retaining a traditional atmosphere. Adding seating zones beyond the old standing areas enables us to improve service and develop a healthy food trade. The Porter and Sorter is now one of London's busiest pubs. Only one in every few hundred pubs has this sort of potential. Spotting it and developing it is fun and rewarding for the owners and operators. It's fun, too, for the customers who like the timeless, hospitable feel of a big, busy well-run pub. chrishutt@wizardinns.co.uk