Gentlemen's evenings

Where: The Snooty Fox, Lowick, Northamptonshire,

www.snootyinns.com

The idea: With a programme of regular entertainment, the Snooty Fox is keen to keep its customers happy. So when local gents suggested that the pub hosted a gentlemen's evening, for a spot of male bonding, the Snooty Inns group pub was only too happy to oblige.

How it works: An annual event, the evening is held in the pub's upstairs lounge and dining rooms so that the rest of the pub can operate as normal.

For a set price of £22.50 per person, customers are treated to a three-course meal with unlimited wine plus entertainment. At this year's event, customers enjoyed a Spanish menu consisting of a selection of tapas, paella and unlimited sangria.

The gents took full advantage of the pub's late licence by participating in a race night and a game of poker. "We tend to hold the evenings on a Friday night as most people don't have to get up for work the next day," explains assistant manager Claire Beckwith. The pub also holds ladies' nights, based on the same format, with party games thrown in for good measure.

Business benefit: The evenings have been a success since their introduction two years ago. Advertised in the pub group's events brochure and on flyers distributed in local villages and towns, each event attracts between 20 and 30 customers who are mainly locals or regular diners at the pub. This supplements the pub restaurant's normal covers, which average about 70 on a Friday night.

Top tip on making the idea work: Before hosting an event, find out what people like and want. Otherwise, the evening won't be a success.