Pring: Let's hear it for licensees

Predictions are risky things, but here's one that can be made with absolute certainty: 2008 will be the year of the licensee.

Of course, every year is the year of the licensee. But it's this year, with all its challenges, that the crucial importance of the licensee is going to be demonstrated as rarely before in the past decade.

If the trade is not going to take a real hit this year, it'll be down to the skills, determination and sheer hard work of thousands and thousands of licensees.

These people - our readers - are not the kind of people to get downhearted at the daily diet of doom and gloom in the national media predicting financial catastrophe.

They are not the type who sink into a slough of despond when times get tough. And they are most definitely not of a mind to let 2008 get the better of them.

Sure, consumer spending will be under pressure and there may well be a little less money to go around.

But for heaven's sake, the economy is still likely to grow this year, unemployment shows no signs of rising, and we are still one of the most affluent countries the world has ever seen. It's not a bad foundation on which to run the most popular leisure institution of all time.

Exploiting opportunities​

Naturally, all those advantages melt away if the licensee isn't able to exploit them properly. And that's why 2008 really will be the year of the licensee.

The good ones, and the many great ones, will take 2008 in their stride.

They'll see opportunities in people's changing spending patterns, and see ways to capture people who don't want to dine in restaurants.

They'll recognise the power of internet marketing and use it to their advantage.

They'll make sure their staff are on top of their game and a real credit to the pub.

And they'll set a fantastic example to their team and their customers of how pubs are places to escape from any troubles, rather than wallow in them.

These are the people the pub trade's pubcos and suppliers will be relying on to get them through the year.

And it makes sense for pubcos and suppliers to help their licensees as much as they can in order to give them every chance to succeed.

Drive for Quality​

The Morning Advertiser will certainly be doing all it can to help our licensee readers. Our acclaimed Drive For Quality series will continue to highlight excellence in the trade and how to emulate it.

And our new Get Em' In campaign will show how pubs can market themselves locally like never before.

No one's saying 2008 is going to be easy. But it sure doesn't need to be as bad as all too many are saying. Just trust the skills and character of British licensees.