The 200th anniversary of Nelson's death is a great opportunity for pubs to get customers through the door. Adam Withrington takes a look.
Unless your pub happens to be named after him or perhaps one of his flagships the chances are you have had little to do with one Horatio Nelson in your lifetime as a licensee.
All of that should come to an end on October 21. Ring any bells? It is the anniversary of the death of Lord Nelson and this year it will be 200 years to the day that he was struck down by a sniper's bullet on the first day of the Battle of Trafalgar.
Trafalgar Day passes each year without much comment, but given that this is the 200th anniversary it is a marvellous business opportunity for your pub.
There are pubs out there for whom taking part in the celebrations is a no-brainer. Their pubs may be named after Nelson or have a nautical theme. There are others that have been put on the official Trafalgar Way, such as Eldridge Pope's White Hart Hotel in Exeter. They are believed to have been the overnight resting points chosen by Lieutenant John Lapenotiere who travelled by stagecoach from Falmouth to London to deliver the news of the victory and Nelson's death.
However, this celebration is a great opportunity for each and every pub. Jaclyn Bateman, marketing director at Bateman's, believes that some licensees are guilty of missing out on guilt-edged opportunities to capitalise on big, national occasions.
"Some pubs do miss out on huge opportunities for these kinds of celebrations. For example, we have just had the 60th anniversaries of both VE and VJ Day. I haven't seen too much activity around them."
Spirit Group feels Trafalgar day will be a great opportunity for its managers. "A lot of our pubs are very community-led and so this event is a very natural fit for them," said a spokeswoman. "It will be great for driving local sales."
The important thing is to advertise and plan early - something St Austell Brewery in Cornwall has been trying to do with its licensees. "It should be a massive opportunity for us and we have been making noises about it to licensees for a while," according to marketing manager Mark Bishop.
It is highly likely that there will be events going on locally such as dinners and corporate events, so you need to get your ideas advertised early before people have made their minds up. It is also worth bearing in mind that the following weekend is Hallowe'en so good planning is absolutely essential to ensure you make the most of both occasions.
What you can do
- Beer festivals
There are a huge number of beers being specially brewed for the event (see below) and these aren't the only brewers bringing out beers for the occasion - Shepherd Neame for example, has an intriguing sounding new brew in the pipeline. So why not stock some of these special Trafalgar beers and put on a beer festival?
Don Burgess, head brewer at the Freeminer brewery in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, believes stocking his Trafalgar beer will give a pub a great USP. "Stocking our beer gives a licensee the opportunity for premium branding with their beer offer. It is difficult to find too much to promote the day that is original."
Food
There are big food-led opportunities for Trafalgar Weekend - many of the big retailers are putting together special British menus for the event. One way to make a link with your drinks output is to look at what will be on the dinner table with the food.
The Freeminer Brewery has come up with a table-friendly bottle design for its Trafalgar beer. Don Burgess says: "The bottle is quite slim compared with most beer bottles as I wanted a bottle that looked as good as any wine bottle out there and that would grace any dinner table. We want to encourage people to drink beer with food. The beer will stand up to all kinds of robust and powerful flavours."
Other ideas
Use your imagination - do anything from having a Nelson-themed fancy dress competition, giving a free pint as a prize (as long as the Daily Mail says it's ok) or host traditional pub games and quizzes.
Get hold of an official Trafalgar Weekend Guide (call 01502 502 626) which includes ideas on menus, party ideas and even advice on beacon burning. Other information can be found on the official website www.trafalgarweekend.co.uk
A final thought
If you don't fancy making the effort then that of course is your prerogative. However, here is a sobering thought.
Given how much of a one-off this event will be there is no doubt that many local communities will want to put on their own events, such as dinners and dances in town and village halls. So if you do nothing not only will you miss out on an opportunity to increase your business on a winter weekend you might also find that your regulars have got other plans. So in fact you could lose business.
Make your pub the centre of your community's celebrations - do it early and advertise it well.
The celebratory beers
- Brewer: Adnams
- Beer: Flagship
- Description: The 4.3 per cent beer is available nationally between September 19 and November 11 to celebrate the Bicentenary. The brewer's tasting notes state the "aromas are of hops and spices, with hints of banana".
Brewer: George Gale
Beer: Trafalgar 200
Description: Gales has brewed a special bottled beer for the event, Trafalgar 200 (10 per cent), which is on sale from the brewery. Gale's also brews Trafalgar Ale (4.2 per cent), which is available every year, and is being stocked by brewers such as InBev UK and Carlsberg UK.
Brewer: Freeminer Brewery
Beer: Trafalgar IPA
Description: The beer has actually been brewed for the last 10 years by the brewery. It was previously only available on cask but now the brewer has introduced a bespoke bottle design. The beer is available from Beer Seller and Flying Firkin wholesalers.
Brewer: Bateman's
Beer: Victory Ale
Description: Victory Ale (5.9 per cent) is being brewed in cask from September through October to "commemorate the courage and valour of Admiral Nelson and his crew", in the words of the brewer. Brewed with liberty hops, it is described as a full flavoured and aromatic strong pale ale and is available through all major wholesalers.
Brewer: Woodforde's
Beer: Nelson's Revenge
Description: A beer from the county of Nelson's birth (Norfolk if you didn't know), it won silver in the best bitter category in the Champion Beer of Britain three years ago. The brewer's tasting notes suggest it is a "full-bodied pale amber beer with the rich flavour of Dundee cake".
Brewer: St Austell
Beer: Admiral's Ale
Description: A seasonal bottled ale, Admiral's Ale (4 per cent) has been available since July and will be until the end of October. The Cornish brewer is also running freetrade offers for the beer as well as offers with Pusser's Rum in its estate. The rum brand, distributed by Cellar Trends, is doing a huge amount of promotional work, including encouraging licensees to mix and sell the traditional sailor's cocktail - Pusser's Rum Grog.
Brewer: Coors
Beer: Victory at Sea
Description: The beer is being brewed by the microbrewing arm of Coors