What's the role of the trade press? The job undoubtedly involves reporting on the news affecting licensees. It's also to stand up for licensees against larger organisations, such as utility companies, banks and local authorities. Occasionally, an on-going injustice will coalesce into something that will need actively campaigning against. Witness our Fight the Hikes campaign that attempted to focus on the unfairness of above-inflation duty rises year after year.
But for me, the most important role of
the trade press is to disseminate best practice. To this end, we average two case studies a week where we focus on the
retail insights of outstanding licensees.
We try to capture the essence of their trading success so fellow hosts can decide whether and how they can be applied to their own businesses.
As in so many walks of life, the pub trade never stands still. What works and is appropriate for today's customers will need evolving and adapting for tomorrow. In many ways the speed of change is quickening. The smoking ban has triggered fast-moving changes in traditional patterns of drinking. The recession has embedded consumers' search for everyday value. The rise of social networking shows how new technology can change the marketing landscaping in a matter of a few years.
There's never been a greater need for the pub industry to search out our best thinking, to learn from our best retailers, to ensure outstanding tenants and lessees earn a decent share of the profit they generate. (It was depressing to hear Francis Patton, former Punch customer services director, tell a recent conference that he comes across many disaffected former pub entrepreneurs when lecturing franchisees of a well-known fast food company).
The Morning Advertiser is determined to facilitate the speedy cascading down of our best operators' successes. Our MA150 club allows the UK's best multiples to meet three times a year so they can network and refresh their ideas bank. Our Great British Pub Awards find and celebrate the UK's best single-site operators — and we will profile many over the coming months.
Next month, we will hold the industry's first-ever conference for microbrewers who run pubs. Last week, we launched Freehouse500, a club for the UK's best 500 freehouses, where members can network and hear about each other's retail successes and the views of industry experts. The magazine dedicates 13 pages this week to spotlighting what can be learnt from these outstanding retailers. Much more coverage will follow as we work around the membership and profile them.
There is so much great retailing going
on in the pub sector — and it's our job,
none more important, to tell you, our readers, about it.