Money Mak£rs
Looking for something new to attract clientele? Alison Baker offers some inspiration
Hand-crafted crockery
Where: the Fox & Pelican, Grayshott, near Hindhead, Surrey/Hampshire border
The idea: The Fox & Pelican is at the heart of village life, so when manager Ben Bagguley took over in July last year he was keen to continue to support the village of Grayshott's active community base by buying locally as much as possible. Ben felt that the pub's customers wanted traditional homemade British food and, passionate about creating the right product, decided to complete the look by serving the food on locally-designed, hand-crafted plates.
How it works: Using nearby Grayshott pottery, Ben worked with their designers to create contemporary tableware that is unique to the Fox & Pelican. The crockery enhances the pub's recently-launched British-based menu that consists of dishes such as game pie with mash and seasonal vegetables and pudding favourites such as apple crumble and treacle sponge.
Business benefit: "It is important for us to support local businesses as this is at the heart of the village's ethos", Ben explains. "The customers really like the design and we have received lots of positive comments about the menu and our new tableware. it's about creating the right product for your pub", he adds.
Top tip on making the idea work: Go the extra mile and invest in something original.
Stiletto lunches
Where: the Swan, Salford, near Milton Keynes
? swansalford.co.uk
The idea: Networking lunches for business women. It's official - Milton Keynes is the networking capital of the UK - or according to pub owner Andrew Coath it is anyway. "We had been approached many times by people wanting us to host networking events, but we wanted to do something slightly different at the Swan," explains Andrew. "Most events already on offer are breakfast events, but we felt that many people are quite anti these as it means getting up early to attend them before going on to work; so we decided to make ours a lunchtime affair." Aware that most networking events in the area were tailored to both men and women, Andrew again decided to create a point of difference by offering a lunch exclusively for business women.
How it works: With a third successful lunch under their belts, Andrew and his staff have created a winning formula. For £25 per person, diners are treated to a slap-up lunch plus a drink on arrival and another with the meal. The atmosphere is kept very informal, giving guests a real opportunity to get to know one another, with a motivational speaker scheduled to give a brief talk towards the end of the lunch. "We avoid too much formality and there is no hard sell. The speakers we book are of particular relevance to the ladies attending the lunch; we have had a life coach and a speaker from a nearby wellness clinic," Andrew explains.
Business benefit: Each lunch attracts between 50 and 60 businesswomen - from multi-nationals right through to small local businesses. The events also provide a good opportunity for the pub to build up its already sizeable customer database. "We run a prize draw for the opportunity to win a meal for two. The ladies put their business cards into the draw and this allows us to add their details to our database", the Peach joint venture partner explains. However, it is not only the pub that benefits from the lunches, as Andrew is keen to point out;
"The customers also benefit from the networking opportunity; a local beauty therapist told me that she had picked up some clients from the lunches, as did a local web-design company, so it's good for everyone", he explains.
Top tip on making the idea work: Keep it informal; customers will enjoy themselves more if there is no hard sell.
