Tony Halstead reports on more ideas from the MA's Freehouse 500 meeting including running movie nights and how to get on top of digital marketing.
Star attractions
Ben Jones, co-owner of the Michelin-starred Olive Branch at Clipsham, deliberately avoids calling the inn a restaurant. "We avoid the word restaurant and always refer to the Olive Branch as a pub," he stressed, making the point that the best gastropubs are always careful to retain a warm welcome for local drinkers.
The Olive Branch, which was the second pub to be given a Michelin star, derived a massive boost from the award. But Jones admitted once the celebrations died down the hard work really began.
He said the pub's mission was always to deliver more than expected but cautioned against over ambition. "Never over promise and even hold a little back," he recommends. "Our mission is one where we aim to make every customer feel special," he stressed.
Consistently good food, high levels of service and knowledge of the customer were three of the big drivers of the business. Regular staff briefings and management meetings ensured accurate feedback of information and ensured all levels of staff remained aware of guest information and operational issues.
Recruitment, however was a big problem for the Olive Branch because of its location which meant staff were often sourced locally. "When we find the right candidate locally we find they tend to stay with us which gives us the opportunity to give them the right training and responsibility," Jones revealed.
He said winning the Michelin star was a "surprise" and it changed the business for the better. "However we keep the bar area separate and do not take bookings here. People can sit in the bar to eat if they want but we always encourage the locals to come in. We try to keep the rustic charm of the place," he said.
Accomodation and "spork" dining
Drinkers and diners are increasingly demanding flexible bars and restaurant service together with luxury facilities in letting bedrooms, according to Glyn Williams, PR & marketing consultant for the Crown at Woodbridge, East Suffolk, winner of the Alastair Sawday's 2010 Pubs With Rooms award. Williams said the boutique townhouse inn's success was down to, "listening to what people want."
The Crown had pitched its offer to meet customer preferences. "We are what people want us to be across all areas of the business. For instance we encourage stand-up drinking in our bar especially during the Friday teatime shift because that is what people want when they have finished work for the week."
The Crown has four eating options in terms of tables and seats including a highly popular "spork" menu - simple food served informally in dishes with a combined spoon and fork utensil.
The pub's 10 en-suite bedrooms are individually designed with a wealth of facilities and extras, bringing five-star hotel luxury into a pub environment. Rooms were designed by Bentheim of Chelsea and each boasts a plasma flat TV with Sky, DVD player and Italian lighting.
The Crown also operates a bespoke outside catering service which is also set to expand into a home food range.
My idea of the perfect pub
Customer surprise and "weird beers" provided the focus to Charlie McVeigh's talk. McVeigh runs three London Draft House sites with the most recent at Tower Bridge.
The former journalist said the company's culture is to do for beer what our culture has done for food and wine over the past 20 years. His pubs serve an eclectic range of beers sourced from all corners of the globe with a special place reserved for niche cask ales.
"Good staff are at the core of what we do. They need to be both passionate with the product and the customer. People may come into your pub and know what they want but the secret is to sell them beers which are outside their comfort zone." McVeigh encourages sampling by customers and says his pub is the home of the third of a pint measure.
"We do not have recognised brands, but our beer selection means many customers return. Niche beers come at a price and the cost of a pint is £3.40 but returns an impressive 70% gross profit." He also charges a 10% premium on third pints and 5% on halves. "We want to showcase beer by taking its provenance, cellaring and serving seriously," he adds. The Draft House Group is also committed to serving fresh locally sourced British food."
Bring the movies to your pub
Want to increase your bottom line? Why not attract extra trade by showing films in your pub. Film nights could bring in new customers and may deliver a significant new stream of income for licensees, said Rachelle Peterson, director of commercial sales at Filmbank.
Filmbank, a joint venture company owned by Warner Bros. & Sony Pictures, specialises in bringing the newest films to fee-paying customers an average 12 weeks after cinema release and before they go to DVD.
Typically it gives pub operators a six to eight week window to show films before they are released on public sale.
One way of operating film nights could be a package which includes a meal, drink and film for one all-in price. Peterson suggested film nights could also be used for promotional events, fund-raising, and product launches besides film club nights.
For these commercial screenings where customers pay a fee a Single Title Screening Licence (STSL) is required.
These screenings are charged at £79 minimum guarantee or 35% of the film ticket sales whichever is greater. Also available to non paying audiences is the Public Video Screening Licence (PVSL). This licence is issued annually on May 1st and is perfect to create ambience or it can be used to keep the children amused in the play areas.
A PVSL costs as little as £81, plus VAT, per annum depending on the pub's weekly footfall. The average UK pub pays around £250 per annum. Both licences can work in tandem or could be used seperately. In either case a current PRS licence is required.
Ideas for digital marketing
Digital marketing has become one of the most simple and effective ways to advertise a
pub and its events, said internet entrepreneur Robin Brattel.
Brattel, chief executive of Inapub.co.uk which holds details of 24,000 UK pubs and 8,000 events on its website, said internet marketing was a proven customer and licensee communications tool.
He told delegates at least 71% of the UK population was now online and 75% used the internet each day with 32% aged between 18 and 34. Significantly he revealed 78% now used social networking. "It's a low cost way to tell your customers what your up to, like putting an 'A' board outside your pub," he said.
Brattel said an estimated 71% used Google, keeping up with things like special offers. He also stated that mobile phones were set to increase their importance as a communications tool.
Brattel's tips included joining Facebook and Twitter, promoting an on-line presence, obtaining e-mail addresses of customers and holding a monthly draw. He warned against inadvertently passing on customers' email addresses and urged caution over how websites handled customers, particularly when it came to criticism of the type found on sites such as Trip Adviser.
Are you serving your customers?
Mystery diners, reviewers and brand auditors can give licensees invaluable feedback about the retail quality of their operations, said business consultant Steven Pike. But just as important were the views of ordinary customers who visit pub websites and fill in satisfaction cards.
Pike, who is a director of The Mystery Leisure Company which analyses up to 150 guest visits to pubs and restaurants each day, said accurate feedback was vital for operators to capitalise on their strengths and address their weaknesses.
"Its all about making sense of the information you receive and analysing it. You want to look at what people are saying about different parts of your service so you can take out relevant comments about aspects of your operations," he s