Licensees bravely battle the big freeze

Despite the heavy snow, the trade made a valiant effort to ensure pubs were stocked and able to serve customers. Gemma McKenna reports

Snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures almost on a par with the South Pole have made for a difficult start to trading in 2010 for pubs across the country.

The prolonged cold snap made roads to remote pubs impassable, meaning neither customers nor deliveries can make it in (or out, as at the Tan Hill in the Yorkshire Dales). Power cuts, sports cancellations and staff absenteeism added to the inconvenience.

At some venues, the Dunkirk spirit prevailed as licensees and locals pulled together to make the best of a difficult situation.

Tim Foster, director of Bar Hub, which operates the Wiremill in Surrey, said trade was down 80% in the first two days of "horrific weather" last week. However, given the pub's proximity to London Gatwick Airport, and the recent addition of letting bedrooms, it managed to turn the situation to its advantage.

"We are currently experiencing something of an influx of custom. Despite the fact that we are at the end of a very snowy and icy road, customers are flocking to our door in need of shelter."

Foster said the pub had sold all its rooms last Wednesday following Gatwick's closure, and received calls from guests hoping to sleep on floors "as long as it's warm".

One enterprising local with a 4x4 vehicle was bringing people in, on the condition that they bought him a "pint and bag of crisps".

Keeping Brighton trading​

Pubs in the hilly Hanover area of Brighton also remained busy, despite difficulties in getting deliveries through the narrow winding streets.

AJ McGrory, licensee at Enterprise Inns-owned the Geese, told the Morning Advertiser: "Lots of people have been ensconced in the pub all day. We've been busy since last night, and a lot of people have left work early today, and stopped in on the way home."

He added that deliveries had been hit hard, and that a trip to the cash-and-carry had to be called off due to the snow. However, the pub carried enough stock to get it through the snowy period.

On the other side of the street, licensee Chris Beaumont was out shovelling snow from in front of his pub, the Greys. The Enterprise lessee said the steep hill meant "drays can't get through, no vehicles can really".

But he said he had "over-ordered by quite a bit over Christmas," and as a result had plenty of stock in the cellar. Looking on the bright side, Beaumont said: "The funny thing is, I don't have to put the cellar cooling system on."

Tweeting through the snow​

Meanwhile, some other hosts tried using new technology to bring customers in out of the cold. Bristol-based Loungers pub group used social-networking site Twitter to attract visitors.

Tweets included: "Working in Alto lounge in Caversham this morning. Have hot coffee, power, wifi & big windows to watch the snow through," and "If you find yourself snowed in tomorrow & unable to reach work, why not visit your nearest Lounge? They're snug & warm."

Giving support to the locals​

The Cricketers Arms in Wisborough Green, West Sussex, served barbecued sausage sandwiches, burgers and soup to locals, after the heavy snow caused trees to fall on Wednesday morning, taking down the power lines.

Enterprise lessee Craig Vit said the idea behind the barbecue was to "help the village, which supports us all year".

Power was restored to most of the village by 5am on Friday. Vit estimated that ruined perishable stock would cost him around £1,000.

Football postponements​

Takings were also hit by the postponement of several Premier League football games. Only two went ahead at the weekend: Arsenal v Everton and Birmingham City v Manchester United, both on Saturday.

Jane Horrocks, licensee at the Compton Arms in Islington, London, said: "At least the faithful came in, as Arsenal played on Saturday. But it (the lack of football) killed it for Sunday. We would have been busy, but we weren't. We were very quiet."

For some pubs, closure was the only option, as neither staff nor customers could make it through the heavy snow.

The Queens Head at Great Whittington, Northumberland, is located a mile and a half along a country lane. The manager said: "We had to close completely last Wednesday, as staff couldn't get in at all."

The pub was partially open last Thursday, but hoped to be back to normal opening hours by the weekend.

Determined to deliver​

Drinks logistics company Tradeteam's vice president for Scotland, the North and Midlands, Tony Emmison, described weather conditions as "unprecedented in recent years".

He said support from customers had been "fantastic", adding, "they fully understand what we're up against".

He said they had been very flexible when it came to receiving deliveries outside their normal days.

During the worst weather of last week, Emmison said around 15% of deliveries nationally had been affected, but added that all of these would be delivered by last weekend.

"We are working extra shifts, staying late or working at the weekend to get deliveries through."

He described a number of Tradeteam employees as "snow heroes" for their valiant efforts, both in getting to work and supplying customers.

"We've had people walking four miles in the snow to get to work, people staying out overnight with the vehicle, dray crews carrying shovels and bags of grit and pushing kegs over longer distances.

"We even managed to deliver to the second highest pub in Yorkshire."

Keeping the beer flowing​

Scottish breweries were among the UK's hardest hit when it came to delivering beer — at one stage locals got together to help rescue 150 kegs of beer from a lorry that had slid off the road.

Gary Clelland, depot manager at Belhaven's Dumfries brewery, told the Daily Record that an 18-tonne truck, carrying 13,000 pints of beer, slid off the road near Monaivie in Dumfriesshire, in "horrendous conditions".

He said: "We've split the deliveries in half to make the lorries lighter. I've sent out the drivers telling them to be really careful and to take their time, not to rush, and if it's too dangerous, not to carry on."

Swindon brewer Arkell's last week assured customers that beer deliveries were getting through, despite the heavy snow.

Transport manager John Williams said: "There are some pubs that even our draymen can't get to — but in these few cases the licensee will get into his car, borrow a tractor or a van and meet them at the closest point."

Keith Bott, past chairman of the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA), said it had been a "tricky time" for small brewers, but added: "A lot of SIBA members fought their way through the snow to make sure customers got beer."

He said many had borrowed Land Rovers to make deliveries. According to Bott, only a handful of small brewers were seriously affected. At Bott's own Titanic Brewery in Stone, Staffordshire, only two deliveries were missed last week.

Managed pub operator Mitchells & Butlers claimed that bad weather in the six weeks to 2 January will have cost the company an increase of between 1% and 1.4% on top of its 3.4% like-for-like growth.

However, chief executive Adam Fowle was philosophical.

He said: "Clearly this week is going to be difficult for all retail businesses — but it's also the lowest-taking week of the year.

"If there is to be a horror story on weather, this is the week for it."