Why it's time to pledge your pride
Pubs. We love them. You love them. And we hope that a lot of your customers are rather fond of them too.
An army of licensees, from Guernsey in the Channel Islands to Portsoy at the North Eastern tip of Scotland,have shown their pride in their businesses by signing up to The Publican's Proud of Pubs campaign over the past year. More than one in 10 MPs from across the House of Commons have signed a motion backing the trade and the campaign.
Now it is time for more of your customers to show their own pride in their local, and in the great British pint, by putting their pledge to a major new exercise being launched by Greene King hand-in-hand with Proud of Pubs.
Rooney Anand, chief executive of Greene King, told MPs and licensees at The Publican's Proud of Pubs reception at the House of Commons in May the motion was "a great start" in the battle to put pubs on the front foot and highlight their positive contribution to the nation. "It's about time society started standing up for pubs, and recognising them as one of our nation's greatest assets," he declared.
About time, in other words, that more and more pub-goers started pledging their allegiance to their local, if only they could be given a nudge in the right direction. Step forward the I Pledge Allegiance campaign!
The iconic status of pubs and pints was recently confirmed when they took their place alongside the likes of morris dancing and Big Ben in an elite list of national icons commissioned by the government. There's no doubt that millions of people view the British pub and British beer as two of the nation's great institutions - isn't it time they wore it on their sleeve?
Fiona Hope, marketing director for Greene King Brewing Company, explains: "The pub and the pint are great institutions that play a positive role in millions of people's lives. 'I Pledge Allegiance' gives pub-goers a communal voice in support of great pubs and great beer.
"We want to show the wider world that it's not just the pub industry that values pubs and beer: it's the millions of people who visit pubs for great company, quality food and excellent beer. People who care about their local."
The young and old from every walk of life - anyone who loves their local - is being urged to come forward and pledge their support for the pub trade.
"It's not an elite club," says Fiona. "It's open to all and we hope pubs all over the country will be encouraging their customers to sign up. It's a loose alliance of people who enjoy the experience of going to the pub."
People making the pledge will be given special packs, containing everything from a car sticker to a personalized "pledging pint" for online competitions, while stocks last. A website, at www.ipledgeallegiance.co.uk, will feature competitions, games, downloads, chat areas and offers, as well as access to the free supporters packs. Regular features in national monthly magazines throughout the campaign will help draw people to the site.
Ahead of the national launch in October via advertisements in the national press, we want licensees to line up behind the campaign, which features The Publican's Proud of Pubs branding throughout.
Fiona says the link between the two campaigns is a "perfect partnership". "The "I Pledge Allegiance" campaign and the "Proud of Pubs" campaign complement each other perfectly. Although they concentrate their efforts on different audiences, they both have the same objective - to support the Great British Pub!"
The pub trade has come a long way since it was being besieged by the press with its tales of binge-drinking and the mythical "24-hour pubs" before the handover to the new Licensing Act last November. Getting more of the general public behind I Pledge Allegiance will help banish those days forever, and ensure that as well as licensees and MPs the proud message of the pub trade is heard across the UK.
Get behind I Pledge Allegiance
Licensees backing the campaign receive a free pledge pack, featuring:
* Four posters to display in the pub announcing the launch of the Great British Pub Supporters Club
* Great British Supporters Club registration forms to display at the bar
* 10 supporter club packs to give out to all drinkers who sign the pledge - each one contains a welcome letter, a badge, a key ring, a car sticker and a personalized "pledging pint" for online competitions
Pubs can also sign up to participate in a 'free pint' promotion being run in conjunction with The Times next month. Every Times reader will be able to claim a free pint of Greene King IPA. Licensees who join up to the campaign will be listed on The Times website for readers to visit to claim their free pint.
For more details visit www.ipledgeallegiance.co.uk or call 0870 587 4594
Pledging their allegiance...
Michael Duffy, licensee of the Three Crowns, an Enterprise Inns pub in Bushey, Hertfordshire, said: "Most pub promotions appeal to people when they are standing in the pub but this one is different.
"In my area one pub is due to close, another one has got it's licence up for review and the others have changed to restaurants. This campaign is aimed at all age groups and that's what the tradr eally needs.
"Something like this will encourage customer loyalty and give bring both regular and new customers into the pub."
