St George's
Licensees are being urged to stock up on supplies and plan ahead for St George's Day as the popularity and recognition of the occasion continue to grow.
This year the day falls on a Saturday (23 April) and a recent survey of the Punch estate revealed 48% will mark the date with events and promotions.
For the first time, the day has edged ahead of St Patrick's Day when ranked for importance for business-building activities. St Patrick's Day suffered the biggest drop in retailers planning tocelebrate it falling from 61%to 47%. Mother's Day and Valentine's Day are becoming more popular, though, with 37% and 52% respectively planning to mark the occasions.
"The results of this survey not only provide an interesting snapshot of what will be going on in our pubs over the next 12 months, it also helps us tailor our marketing support accordingly," said customer services director Francis Patton.
Charles Wells, which last year headed up a campaign to make the day a national holiday, predicts sales will grow once more.
Last year the company sold half a million additional pints of Bombardier in April 2004 compared to April 2003 and sales were up 98% in the week of St George's Day compared to the same week the previous year.
"Last year saw the most successful St George's Day ever for the licensed trade, with sales and profits up on 2003," said a spokeswoman. "This year it falls on a Saturday so licensees should make the most of the commercial opportunities that will be available over the weekend."