The entertainers

Everything's on offer, from electronic jukeboxes to quizzes and game shows

Game shows add atmosphere

Television game shows provided the inspiration for an entertainment package launched six years ago. Host Entertainment Systems' Buzzin Gameshow package has come up with adaptations of shows such as Play Your Cards Right, Catchphrase, Wheel of Fortune, and Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

What makes Buzzin different is that four of the 10 games in the package are tailor-made to be played by contestants standing next to a podium and hitting a buzzer when they think they know the answer. The system is connected to any available television or large screen on which the questions are displayed.

Host development manager Brian Bell says: "The games are great for a pub environment because they create a tremendous atmosphere, especially when people are shouting out the answers to the contestants."

Apart from the buzzer games, the package includes single-player challenges and team games, together with a variety of quizzes containing 13,000 questions, which are regularly updated. Bell says the football quiz is particularly popular. "It makes the most of having to pay so much to Sky for the matches by keeping football fans in the pub for an hour or two after the end of a

big match."

The price of the system is £1,995 plus VAT. There is also a leasing option that is less than £20 per week. "That's only the price of a pint per day," says Bell.

The system was developed in Northern Ireland in 2001 and Bell says: "Since the smoking ban was introduced in the Republic of Ireland in March 2004, we have witnessed the difficulties encountered by the licensed trade there and are seeing similar patterns in Scotland. We have

found that licensees must adapt and

offer a stronger pull to entice customers

to come out."

Bell says many of Host's customers report that Buzzin has helped mitigate some of the effects of the bans. One licensee reports trade is 100% higher when the games night is held on Thursdays.

Another feature of the system allows the pub to display graphics detailing forthcoming events and promotions or carry advertisements from local firms.

Making the most of quizzes

Pub goers have always loved quizzes and Buzztime tapped into this market just under two years ago with its interactive quiz and games system. The beauty of the system is that it requires little input from hosts because all the quizzes and games are relayed directly from Buzztime on to a pub's large screen or television monitor. They run for 18 hours a day, from 11am until 5am, and customers have a choice of two channels. One channel covers games including golf, poker, pool, blackjack and bingo. The other channel contains 30 quizzes, ranging from general knowledge to specialist subjects, such as sport or entertainment.

The system costs around £400 per month to lease, but research conducted in the USA, where the system was invented, indicates a 30% increase in customer spending among Buzztime players. Customers don't have to pay to play and use rechargeable battery-powered hand-held consoles. Another attraction for customers is the chance of winning prizes when certain games are run across the entire network of participating pubs. Last year, these included a £1,000 cash prize and a trip for two to Hawaii.

Buzztime UK managing director Chris Hawkins adds: "In 2007, we will be giving away everything from WH Smith and Virgin Megastore shopping vouchers to bed-and-breakfast getaways and a trip for two to Spain."

"Starting the week of 19 February, a new programming schedule will come into effect. We made some programming changes based on feedback we received from pub owners regarding games they would like to see on different nights of the week to help drive traffic into their location, as well as programming that will keep players in their pub."

One pub reporting increased footfall via Buzztime is the Railway at Blandford Forum, which installed the system just over a year ago. The Dorset pub has a 24-hour licence and often stays open until 5am.

Licensee Nigel Jones says: "You have to promote it, but once it takes hold, it's a real winner. We use posters to advertise the next prize quiz, and they are always popular. We find that people use it at all times of the day - morning, noon and night."

Apart from locals, the Railway is a popular haunt for soldiers, who have taken to playing Buzztime into the early hours. Jones says: "They have a drink, a chat and a game. The game keeps them here."

Let the music play

Claremont Automatics managing director David Butler says: "The jukebox sector is powering ahead." The reason for his confidence stems from digital technology replacing analogue systems. The transformation has given customers a huge selection of music tracks to choose from, all of which can be electronically downloaded.

For example, Leisure Link's THE music system has more than two million tracks, as well as the facility to allow customers to hear new tracks up to four weeks before the official release date. Customers can also purchase CDs and download mobile-phone ring tones using the system. Leisure Link says that venues with THE music "consistently generate three times the income of traditional jukeboxes". The system is currently installed in 1,500 venues across the UK.

Last year, Gamestec unveiled FiVE Music - its hi-tech music system. Together with improvements to sound quality, it included a number of new features such as a more accurate 19-inch touch screen with sharper picture definition.

FiVE Music also offers more consumer options. Operators can adjust the cost of the tracks to suit trading times, for example lowering the cost during slacker periods or increasing the price during busy nights. The range of music available can be profiled to suit the time or ambience of the outlet, such as blanking out heavy metal or cheesy music if they don't fit in with the clientele.