Men in pubs: keep it simple

A pint of ale, a packet of crisps and some peace and quiet are still what men desire most in a pub. But can hosts offering this business model survive when we are told pubs need to offer more? Tony Halstead reports

As part of the Morning Advertiser's first ever Bloke's Edition last year, we asked a number of movers and shakers in the industry what made a perfect man's pub.

What emerged was a desire for a back-to-basics format, which somewhat reflected pub life back in the 1950s — an era when pickled eggs and bottled beer ruled the roost and television was still reserved for the living room of private homes.

This view seems the antithesis of what licensees in 2010 are being encouraged to offer — where's the wine, coffee, Wi-Fi, 3D TV and Michelin-starred gastro grub?

Industry watchers and pub companies believe that any licensee pursuing this version of a wet-led, old-man's boozer is playing to a strictly niche market.

Very few examples of this business model will survive in the longer term, we are constantly told.

But putting the doom-filled prophesies aside and taking a long hard look at the pubs around the country reveals a slightly different picture.

What emerges is evidence that there is clearly still a sizeable number of licensees around today who find plenty of mileage in trading to a set formula where music is shunned, gastro food gets the cold shoulder and entertainment is confined to darts and dominoes.

An example of this type of pub is the Theatre Bar in Barrow-in-Furness, where licensee Mike Fallon has operated a wet-only policy since he took over the freehouse four years ago. "Afternoons here are a male-oriented domain where TV rugby and horse-racing rules, and crisps and nuts are the only snacks we offer," he says.

Another wet-only pub, the Shoulder of Mutton at Castleford, in West Yorkshire, concentrates on a dedicated cask ale offering to please its male clientele.

"This is a pub where customers come for a drink and a natter and we do not welcome large groups," licensee Dave Parker explains.

Veteran licensee Dave Daly, manager of the Castle in Blackpool, says live TV football is the one attraction guaranteed to fill his pub — but he admits it takes much more than a bank of television screens to ensure he gets the right volume of footfall.

The Town & City Pubs-owned venue, in the shadow of the resort's famous tower, has the space to hold 800 customers on two floors — and on key Saturdays Daly says numbers can often approach capacity.

"We have 28 screens in total and we need every one of them. But getting things right in other areas is crucial," he says. "Proper staffing and stock control are essential to cater for such high numbers and plastic glasses are also essential.

"It's very much a male-dominated audience and lager sales go through the roof. We don't do any food; it's vertical drinking all the way and our take is often 15% or 20% up on a big Saturday," he reveals.

Licensee Matt Jackson runs four pubs: three food houses and a fourth, the Palatine at Morecambe, Lancashire, which specialises in cask ales . At this pub Jackson has managed to create a venue that ticks all the blokes' boxes but doesn't alienate women.

"The lads who come here tend to stick to the ground floor bar while the girls head upstairs to the leather sofas and a more comfortable environment," he reveals.

"Most male drinkers want to stand at the bar instead of sitting down. It gets very crowded downstairs so the key is plenty of staff and speedy service — thirsty blokes do no want to stand around waiting to be served. And when it comes to food they want something quick and easy — something they can eat with their hands," he says.

Which just goes to show why a back-to-basics approach can be just as successful a business strategy now as 60 years ago — with a little modern (female) twist, of course.