The Apprentice Takeover challenge gave the pubco's 108 trainees the task of developing and running a sales-building event from start to finish.
The apprentices had to come up with an idea, promote and publicise it across social and other media channels, provide a full cost-benefit analysis and ensure that everything went according to plan.
It resulted in a 51% rise in sales across the pubs taking part with apprentices Maria Allen and Callum Harkness at Crown Point, Sevenoaks, Kent, leading the way with a Psychic Night that conjured up a 162% increase.
Fantastic
Other highlights included Tom Waite and Jack Aynsley's Sports Community Quiz at the Old Ball in Leeds (135% up) and Debbie Smerdon and Sam Golding's Bingo Band Night at The Bread & Cheese, Benfleet, Essex (141% up).
“Every single apprentice rose to the challenge,” says Lucy Craig, Orchid Group's development manager. “After a year’s intensive training on our apprentice schemes they did a fantastic job of putting their learning into practice.
“Not only did they come up with some great ideas and plan every single aspect, they also ran the pub and motivated their teams, resulting in excellent sales and lots of fun for staff and customers.”
Apprentice June McAvoy organised a Pamper Night with topless waiters at the Halfway House, Golftyn, Clwyd, not only bumping up sales by 91% but raising cash for a cancer charity.
“After many long weeks of planning and putting it all in place it was worth every moment,” she said. “The turnout was amazing and it really made our tills sing.”