Meet the finalists: John Smith's GBPA Best Managed pub category
Pleased To Meet You, Newcastle
Tapping into an Instagram trend, this pub has created an artificial door surround of flowers, foliage and greenery, making its entrance a prominent feature on the street and a photo hot spot for tourists and bloggers.
A fully heated outdoor botanical garden features greenhouses, an allotment-style herb garden and is covered so it can be enjoyed in both winter and summer.
A ‘Ginvent’ campaign, with a giant advent-style calendar installed on site and a competition whereby one customer wins a prize every day in the run-up to Christmas helped boost sales.
The Greyhound, Kirkdale, South London
After a complete rebuild, the Greyhound in Kirkdale, south London, reopened its doors in February this year.
Work included a £125,000 investment in the kitchen, which offers pub classics and signature dishes from a seasonal menu.
A sophisticated tea and Italian coffee range complements a brunch menu and makes the pub a fierce rival of local coffee shops and cafés. The pub is leading the market on having a fully comprehensive cooling and distributing system, and claims it serves the UK’s greenest pint.
Special menus have been introduced to celebrate events including Guy Fawkes, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Burns Night.
The Kings Arms, Bexleyheath, Kent
The King’s Arms has acutely identified its three core demographics and their different behaviours, and tailored its output to maximise spending per head.
For young professionals visiting the pub on Friday and Saturday nights, a bar snacks menu has been introduced in addition to a special Ciroc vodka menu.
The pub increased its food offer for older customers who visit for a meal with wine. For young families, a range of kids’ menus has been introduced. Plus £60,000 has been invested into improving the layout of the building, while training means staff can serve high-quality coffees.
The King’s Head, Hursley, Winchester, Hampshire
As a destination venue away from the main high street, this pub has adapted to its times with an effective discount strategy.
Locals have been offered a 10% discount, while a ‘lanyard discount’ has been expanded to employees at large office buildings nearby.
A recent innovation has been to put a skittle alley in the pub basement. With no real expenditure spent on opening the space, the skittle alley is rented out for private dining and local business events.
The pub grows its own botanicals, hops, fruits, herbs, and recycles coffee grounds, in a nod to its sustainable philosophy.
White Hart, Overton, Hampshire
The appointment of a new manager last summer has changed the White Hart’s approach to its food and drink offer.
The pub now acts as the heart of its village, with a monthly live music event and various family fun days throughout the year. Initiatives such as raising money for village projects and fun days have helped yearly like-for-like sales increase by 29.5%.
Introducing all day dining, with the adaption of a casual menu, has helped this pub boost sales and provide a relaxing place for families to dine.
This year’s awards ceremony takes place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on 6 September.
To book your tickets, contact Stevie Robinson on 01293 846508, or email her at fgrivr.ebovafba@jeoz.pbz .
