Project update 5: Barcena is born again

It's 8.05pm on Thursday, June 28, and apprehension hangs in the air at Barcena, Sell More, Save More's high street bar. David Beckham is late.

Five nervous minutes later, however, a stretch limousine rolls up outside a bar that has been steadily filling with excited punters since the early evening on relaunch night. With the atmosphere buzzing, out steps one of the most famous men on the planet, complete with tattoos and trademark Aviator sunglasses.

The carbon copy of the football megastar breezes in past the gathered photographers to pose with salivating female customers and demonstrate his football skills on the dancefloor. He is soon joined by The Office's David Brent.

The 'celebrity' appearances were part of a line-up of entertainment organised to help Barcena, in Burgess Hill, West Sussex, announce its arrival as a revamped, stylish venue. The event helped Barcena to record-breaking weekly sales, with beer performing particularly well over the weekend following the relaunch.

Guests were greeted with a selection of drinks supplied by the category champions. There was Brahma from InBev and Lindauer sparkling white and rosé wine from Pernod Ricard. Early in the evening, a troupe of Brahma capoeira performers demonstrated this Brazilian art form, a blend of dance and martial arts.

The entertainment then moved on to a battle of the turntables in which three DJs were each given a 15-minute slot to impress customers, who would decide a winner. There was also a karaoke competition hosted by Mediatheme, while throughout the evening customers were kept in touch with events via four new screens installed in the bar by Associated Industries to add to the new upmarket feel of the venue.

The relaunch was split into two sessions, reflecting the adaptable nature of Barcena - by day a café, by night a stylish bar. Between 5.30pm and 7.30pm, the bar and seating areas were dominated by the local businesspeople who it is hoped will provide a significant chunk of Barcena's lunchtime trade. Brakes worked with the kitchen staff to provide a range of canapés.

The word was spread in advance about this session through a mail-out to major local businesses. The 5.30pm to 7.30pm session was used as a chance to launch a special offer. From now on, anybody who spends £25 or more on lunch on Thursdays or Fridays can come back in the evening with their till receipt and receive a 25 per cent discount off all drinks all evening.

From then on, the mood switched to more of an evening feel and the bar really began to fill up.Barcena licensee Richard Podesta says: "Doing this has generated a great deal of interest. People have all been asking about it in the run-up, and without a doubt it will have a positive fallout. It's a case of generating confidence in the place again.

"We had a reputation for being pricey, for poor service. Now we have wiped the slate clean."

In honour of this, advertising can now be found in the bar bearing the slogan 'R.I.P. Bar Rip-off' and a logo that suggests Barcena is rising phoenix-like from the flames.

Business development specialist Carl May steered the preparations for the relaunch. He says: "This will change the view that local people have of Barcena. The business is very chameleon-like, catering for people popping in for morning coffee, and then in the evening it is a lively bar. That's why we invited different groups at different times."

There is now a weekly programme of entertainment up and running at Barcena, a schedule that should drive customers through the doors. Wednesday is karaoke night, Thursday is given over to R&B and Friday and Saturday are dedicated to resident DJs. The real Beckham will be welcome any night he likes!

KITCHEN

The effect achieved by Barcena's new menu, introduced with the help of Brakes (see last month's Sell More, Save More update) and already pulling in new customers, has been bolstered by the purchase of a new cooker. Richard forked out £2,000 for the new unit, which has made the chef's work behind the scenes far more efficient.

R.I.P. BAR RIP-OFF

Carl May helped Richard come up with the idea and design for the 'R.I.P. Bar Rip-off' posters, which are a reaction to the perceptions that townspeople used to have of the bar. He sees the exercise as a way of proving to the local trade that Barcena has listened and acted upon their feedback. Early in the Sell More, Save More project, Carl had accompanied Richard on a fact-finding mission to quiz drinkers in the bar's rival outlets on why they were in there and not in Barcena."It's very important to ask people what they think and then react to what people are telling you," Carl says. "The posters are a way of letting them know we are giving them what they asked for."

DRINKS

The whole drinks offer at Barcena is now looking much more enticing. There is a Brahma-branded cooler on the back-bar attractively filled with bottles of InBev's Brazilian lager. The fridges are stacked with a comprehensive range of products, including bottled ales Tanglefoot and Bombardier.

Diageo points out that Barcena's spirits offering is now based around branded products, rather than the generic house spirits which dominated the back-bar before Sell More, Save More wove its magic.

According to Diageo, this tactic has the effect of proving to customers that they are not being over-charged. A recent survey by the company suggested 53 per cent of customers believe they are being ripped off when house spirits are poured.

And Barcena's drinks are set to get even better. Pernod Ricard and WaverleyTBS have proposed a new wine list that Richard is reviewing and plans to introduce soon.

Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) gathered together the staff at Barcena for training before the relaunch in a bid to improve their serves. It included the advice that they should agree a consistent approach to the garnishes used with drinks, and wash the postmix guns thoroughly and regularly. Staff were also advised to get into the mindset of customers by walking from the door to the bar and thinking 'do I feel welcome?' then analysing the drinks serve they provide.

Pete Johnson, CCE marketing manager, says: "Barcena will be a winner in Burgess Hill if it can tempt locals in regularly with the promise of a high-quality drinking experience. Walk down any high street and you can see the role of a bar changing almost in front of your eyes. Clean, quality coffee shops and bright, welcoming restaurants are perhaps more competitors than the next pub along. The experience has to be unique and special for the money so we have given the staff at Barcena some tips on how to 'make it special' for visitors."