Thirst among equals: students in pubs

Students can be a lucrative bunch for well-positioned pubs, but does attracting the student spend have to come at the cost of the rest of your customers? Noli Dinkovski thinks not.

A typical pub can play host to people from many walks of life, and Winchester's County Arms is certainly no exception. Prison officers, hospital staff, office workers, students and a loyal band of locals all form part of the heady mix at the Greene King-managed house — and making each group feel welcome is no easy task.

"Across the road we have Winchester University, and next to that is a prison," explains Stephanie Reay, who runs the pub with husband Iain. "On this side we're right by a hospital. Sometimes even the odd hospital patient sneaks in for a quick pint as well!"

While students account for a large proportion of the mix, the County Arms' eclectic customer base means Reay is conscious that any events or promotions at the pub need to appeal to as many people as possible.

As the start of a new university year fast approaches, many licensees face a similar quandary — how do you attract students without alienating everyone else?

The principal tactic at the County Arms is not to promote anything that appears to explicitly favour students. And, according to Reay, the universal appeal of football is a good place to start. "We'll run offers when the football is on, as everyone likes football," she says.

"We also have a season-ticket promotion where people can get money off throughout the year."

This doesn't mean the pub goes out of its way to ignore the needs of students — far from it, in fact.

Reay claims to work closely with the university and the NHS, and the pub even doubles as a venue for free chlamydia tests every few months. Meanwhile, every year the pub puts together a goodie bag for the new influx of students.

"They are youngsters new to a strange city, so we do our best to look out for them," says Reay. "The bags usually contain promotional items such as key rings and bottle openers from brands such as WKD and Budweiser, but we also include things such as tea bags, and condoms supplied by the NHS."

What works​

While the County Arms makes a song and dance of freshers' week — quite literally last time around when it hosted a live band — not all pubs with a similar mix of students and locals feel they need to make the same effort. Matthew Angus, assistant manager at the Chillingham Arms in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, says his pub does nothing out of the ordinary at the start of term.

"We've got a good jukebox, pool tables, Sky Sports and Wi-Fi — all attractive to students," says Angus. "Our main benefit, however, is our location. We're right by the metro line so students can't really miss us."

According to Angus, the subtlest of actions can help the locals and students mix in. "We have a 'winner stays on' policy at the pool table, which means if a student has won and a local has put his money down, then they will have to play each other," says Angus. "These things get them talking to each other."

Promotions at the Sir John Fitzgerald-owned pub are carefully geared to appeal to both students and locals alike, with most spirit and mixer doubles priced at £3.10. The Chillingham also runs a stamp-card promotion for cask ale — get the card stamped six times, and the seventh pint comes free.

"People very often overlook just how popular real ale is with students these days — there's been a real renaissance in recent times," claims Angus.

Richard Horton, assistant manager at the Albany Hotel in Cardiff, wholeheartedly agrees. Horton says the Albany's reputation for a good pint of ale is a big draw for students looking for something different to the typical high-street outlet.

"You'll be surprised just how many students want to come to a real pub as opposed to a student playpen, as I like to call them," says Horton. "We're a proper suburban local, not a town-centre pub."

Horton says the Albany offers a more laid-back experience, but it can still get lively. Sky Sports, karaoke, poker and quiz nights are popular with both students and locals, and the pub has its very own skittle lane.

Wind down​

Slowing the pace of things down to suit both students and locals alike isn't always the sole preserve of suburban pubs — some high-street venues can pull it off too. High-street pub the Crown in Egham, Surrey, has built up a reputation for a friendly, relaxed approach. Assistant manager Leon Serfontein says free Wi-Fi makes a tremendous difference.

"Students like to come here after uni, sit down with a pint, and work on their laptops," says Serfontein. "Think about it, working and relaxing at the same time — it's like heaven to them."

Of course, not all students want to drink beer while studying. Pubs also need to ensure they offer a wide variety of non-alcoholic drinks, from coffee to smoothies and frappés, claims United Coffee UK & Ireland managing director Elaine Higginson.

"Combining free Wi-Fi with a quality coffee offer is an excellent way for pubs to tap into the student market and boost business in quieter trading times," says Higginson.

"Offer free refills on filter coffee — this will help keep customers in for longer, driving food sales."

While students tend to enjoy a more leisurely pace of life than

most young adults, it shouldn't be forgotten that they are still active young people keen on competition. Promotions such as Foster's Game On, which ran in more than 10,000 pubs last year, are ideal ways of

harnessing the particularly male passion for games. The Game On

kits included pool, pub poker, table football, pub quizzes and instant

win games, and while the promotion may have ended many licensees continue to utilise them.

Back at the County Arms there's no shortage of activities to stimulate students and locals. If karaoke, quiz nights, pool, darts and cribbage weren't already enough, there are now open-mic nights pencilled in for the new term.

"There are a lot of performing arts students at the uni and running open-mic nights will be useful for them," explains Reay. "Also, they are a great way of raising money for local charities, really engaging students with the local community."

For those pubs that may not have the same degree of harmony between students and locals, Reay has one simple piece of advice. "Listen to your regulars, whoever they are. If they are feeling left out they will soon let you know."

Sound guidance that all pub-goers would drink to.

Reputation, reputation, reputation: the Swan & Three Cygnets, Durham​

No TVs, no music, no pool table, no gaming machines and no advertising — everything you would expect from a traditional Samuel Smith's outlet, but not usually the template for a popular student pub. Durham's Swan & Three Cygnets, however, bucks the trend.

According to manager Mark Darcy, there are two main reasons students are drawn to his pub — its prime city-centre location and its reputation as a friendly and safe drinking environment.

"We're right in the city centre, but we are also on the bank of the River Wear. Our fantastic outdoor seating area by the river is popular with everybody," says Darcy. "Our other big advantage is that students feel comfortable drinking here.

"We don't take rubbish from anybody, the pub's always kept to a very high standard, and I think students relate to that, as do any decent people who want to come in."

When Darcy took over the running of the pub 13 years ago, he set his stall out early to make all walks of life equally at home. "I didn't aim my pub at any one set of people. Everybody's welcome, but if they make themselves unwelcome, they simply aren't allowed back in."

It's a no-nonsense approach that pays off handsomely. "We always get good write-ups in student magazines, so those new to Durham instantly know this is a good place to drink in," says Darcy.

"Reputation counts for a lot in the minds of students."