Use the royal wedding to raise pubs' profile

However you plan to commemorate the royal wedding, chances are you're looking forward to the bonus bank holiday on 29 April.

If you work in the pub trade, of course, it won't be a day off but a chance to make the most of the biggest royal celebration we've had in years — and a fantastic business opportunity.

There's more good news too. The Government has cut red tape to make it easier for communities to hold local street parties. In London, for two nights, licences for pubs and bars have been extended to 1am.

Thousands of overseas visitors, particularly from the US, China, Russia and India are expected — and with a 'new' bank holiday — Brits across the country will celebrate in a way no other nation can match.

Industries that rely on forward planning are already making the

most of this landmark occasion. Online travel sites, hotels and airlines are all reporting an upsurge in business, as well as offering special tailor-made royal wedding packages.

Can the pub trade cash in too? Of course. This is a unique opportunity to put the pub back at centre of the community and show the world the warmth of our hospitality.

The wedding ceremony is due to start at 11am (Perfect! Opening time for many pub outlets)

and — with a 30-minute procession back to Buckingham Palace — it could be finished in time for you to serve lunch to patriotic customers. Put up big screens, offer a royal wedding lunch menu, use supplier PoS to your advantage. Make

the pub the destination for the day, or as an addition to the on-going street parties.

Working again with Diageo we've developed bespoke ads and PoS to mark the royal wedding. It's a great sales-driving initiative for the on-trade and, again, we expect

the campaign to deliver strong results.

It will drive consumer interest and offer licensees an opportunity to increase sales of the most profitable category in the on-trade — long mixed spirit drinks. It worked in 2010 and helped grow the spirit and mixer category by

up to 9%, and we're expecting great things again in 2011.

It's going to be a long weekend of celebrations, which could match or exceed the Golden Jubilee or the wedding of the Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer. I recall the street party on 29 July, 1981. The pub was at the centre of it — showing the big day live on TV.

We were glued to the TV for the wedding and then headed into the streets to party with friends, families and neighbours.

So while spirits are high for the wedding, let's make it a day to remember for everybody.

Dave McNulty is trading director (on-premise) at Coca-Cola Enterprises.​