News update: Sell More pubs in action

* With many licensees hoping that the brighter weather this month will herald a summer-long boost to their businesses, Paul Barden in Southampton is hoping for the opposite.

Paul's pub the Guide Dog​ - one of two representing community outlets in Sell More, Save More this year - is entering its quietest time of the year.

Close to the St Mary's football stadium, the pub relies on football fans for a big chunk of its business during the just-finished Championship football season. With little outside space to play with, the Guide Dog is more of a winter haven than a summer sun-trap. "If it rains at the weekend at the moment, I'm rubbing my hands together!" he says.

But the slower period does offer Paul some time for reflection as he begins work with the Sell More, Save More category champions - and it's very much decision time this summer.

Paul has seen business steadily grow over the past two years.

Now he is looking at how he can take the Guide Dog to the next level by making full use of an under-utilised kitchen - currently used mainly for storage - to the rear of the pub.

"Do I do food or convert my kitchen into more of the pub?" asks Paul.

Food and kitchen equipment champion 3663 has presented him with a number of ideas.

A major consideration will be the increased staffing levels involved with introducing lunchtime food, particularly with the pub extending its opening hours - it doesn't open until 3pm from Monday to Thursday.

"I'm looking at offering the food as a franchise," continues Paul. "I want to see how that would impact on wet sales and I'm going to have to employ at least one more person."

3663 has also suggested that Paul starts selling hot pies to take away on match days - offering a great additional profit opportunity.

A number of ideas have come from the other champions too. Heineken has suggested Paul brings his lager offer in line with the standards of cask ale in the pub, and Pernod Ricard suggested a re-ranging of the spirits to bring white and dark spirits alongside each other.

* The bank holiday weather came at just the right time for the Cross Keys​ in Henley, Suffolk.

Licensee Mark White said the pub, which along with the Rose & Crown at Selling, near Faversham in Kent, is representing rural outlets in Sell More, Save More, had its busiest three days of the year over the long weekend.

"I didn't have a single table free on the Monday," says Mark. "I got some good comments about the food, so I'm hoping to see those customers again."

Mark has met with most of the Sell More, Save More champions and is taking some of their advice on board.

"What people have said partly echoes what I was thinking," he says. "[Food champion] 3663 has advised that my menu is too big and I know I need to simplify that."

* The Priory Arms​ in Stockwell, South London, is bucking the trend in pub retailing at the moment.

The pub, which is representing community outlets in Sell More, Save More, is seeing a steady upward curve as new licensee Graham Bulpett puts his plans into action.

With turnover moving forward every week, it's not just the support of the category champions that is helping the pub. Graham has just completed some major refurbishment work and he's looking forward to seeing the effect on sales.

"We've got new furniture inside the pub, new outside tables, we've sorted out the kitchen and we're bringing in new sofas and tables for the upstairs function room," he says.

Early tips from the category champions have included some great ideas from Pernod Ricard

for making simple cocktails using Malibu and other spirits; and advice from Heineken on premiumising the lager offer - although Graham is still mulling over the right way forward.

"Above all, all of the champions have brought real enthusiasm in here," says Graham.