Brewer recruits regulars to mystery visit pubs

A Leicestershire brewer has recruited regular customers to visit pubs as secret agents on a 'mission enjoyable'.

Everards is paying volunteer mystery shoppers to visit a pub and complete an online form detailing its service and quality standards. Shoppers will received £15 for a food serving pub and £10 for a non food serving pub.

The scheme is a way of assessing how pubs are doing in a post-ban climate and the top pubs will be rewarded with prizes.

Between three and five people will rate each pub and the average scores will be compared to see which ones come out top. Members of the company will also be making visits, which will be worth double points.

Shoppers can even choose their own code names, with Pink Panther proving the most popular so far.

Jenny Panter, Everards PR and marketing co-ordinator, said the 'missions' are working well.

"It's a way of helping our licensees and rewarding those that have done really well. Real mystery shoppers tend to be a very precise about what they are looking for, whereas a pub customers view is much more useful to a licensee."

The visits will continue until September.