Raising the Bar in Tough Times

Why Pubs Are Not Tapping Out Just Yet

Pubs are having a tough time, one in eight are in financial distress and at imminent risk of going bust according to a report from Price Bailey, and their plight has not gone unnoticed. From Jeremy Clarkson highlighting the challenges of opening and operating his pub, The Farmer’s Dog, in the TV programme ‘Clarkson’s Farm’, to comedian Jon Richardson working to save the historic Plough pub in Fadmoor, Yorkshire, a rally cry to support these businesses can be heard across the country. There is even a movie called “Mother’s Pride” starring Martin Clunes due to be released this year about a family racing to save their struggling pub.

While times are undoubtedly difficult, it’s not all doom and gloom. Research from KAM Media reports that pubs still command the highest consumer spend (29%) compared with other hospitality sectors such as fast food (16%), delivery (14%) or casual dining (5%), and pubs continue to fight back against the economic tide.

Why Pubs are the New Sporting Heroes

Recently, a report from PubAid has revealed that pubs provided £40 million for grassroots and community sports clubs over the last year. Over 6.7 million sport and activity sessions are powered by pubs annually. Football is the biggest beneficiary, with 76% of pubs supporting a football team or club. Staple pub sports such as darts and pool receive strong backing, while rugby is the fourth most popular sport.

Des O’Flanagan, co-founder of PubAid, says “Publicans support local sports teams because they care about their communities, but there are clear business benefits too. Nine in ten pubs report positive outcomes from backing community sport. Sport transforms a pub into a community hub. It drives midweek footfall, strengthens loyalty and builds reputation. 71% of publicans in the Pubs Power Sport report, say supporting community sport strengthens ties with their local community whether it’s sponsoring a football kit or hosting yoga in the function room.”

For pubs that want to get involved, Des suggests collaborating with teams already playing in the area, as many are looking for a meeting place as much as a sponsor. “It doesn’t have to be expensive – offering space, promoting fixtures or hosting a presentation night can make a real difference,” he says.

According to the PubAid, 68% of pubs say that limited budgets are the main barrier to doing more for sport. “Our advice is to make sport part of your trading activity rather than an add-on,” says Des. “Charity quiz nights, sponsored walks, raffles and tournament days can all raise funds while driving footfall.”

Showing live sport also increases footfall and sales. This year’s FIFA World Cup, taking place from Thursday June 11 to Sunday July 19, offers pubs huge potential to increase footfall and drive revenue. The report shows that 70% of pubs showing live sport have increased their support for community sport.

At the Royal Dyche in Burnley, live fixtures are screened inside and out, including grassroots and women’s games. Local darts and pool teams bring people together, and they host a regular free pool sessions on Mondays. On Thursdays, the pub hosts Turf Talk, a relaxed meet-up held in partnership with Burnley FC in the Community.

The team also transformed their beer garden into “Little Longside”, a scaled down version of a historic Burnley FC stadium stand, complete with a mini football pitch and club seats. The venue became an instant hit as supporters could sponsor their own seat, with proceeds going to Burnley FC in the Community’s Mission Possible campaign. By the end of last year, the initiative had raised £1,500 and formed a waiting list stretching into 2027.

The Malt Shovel in Selby started with two football teams which has now grown into a 20-team football club, with 300 registered players. The pub supports football, darts, pool, dominoes, netball, cricket and golf. It provides free hot meals after matches, funds coaching qualifications and maintains local pitches through a volunteer group of regulars. Its annual football gala raises funds for charities such as Selby Hands of Hope and Macmillan Cancer Trust. Publican Paul Dixon says the pub’s role is simple, “We started with football, but what we’ve really built is belonging.”

Local Communities Saving Pubs

Under the government’s £5 billion ‘Pride in Place’ programme, communities are being encouraged to take over derelict pubs. Plunkett UK, a charity which supports rural community-owned businesses across the UK, welcomes the funding but feels that some rural communities have been left behind. James Alcock, chief executive, says “The funding will provide a much-needed boost, but we are concerned that rural communities have once again been overlooked”.

The charity provides practical support for communities wanting to take over their local pub, providing specialist business advice, training, webinars and toolkits. Their advice is to consult the neighbourhood first. “By doing so, you will understand the level of support, what people would like the pub to offer and whether they are willing to invest. Next, form a steering group. Although the idea may begin with one or two individuals, involving a wider group quickly shows that the project is genuinely community-led and inclusive. The steering group’s role is to test local support, assess viability and begin shaping the vision,” says James. “Local communities need to register an ‘Asset of Community Value’ (ACV), a process which is overseen by the local council and gives the asset a degree of protection. This means it can’t be sold, converted or demolished without giving the community a chance to purchase it for local benefit.”

Plunkett guides groups at every step of the project and they are encouraged to become members, which gives them access to a package of information whether they are at start up stage or have been trading a while.

For community-owned pubs, Plunkett recommends providing a wide range of services and amenities, stimulating the local economy through using local suppliers, creating employment, training and volunteering opportunities and operating environmentally sustainable initiatives.

Becoming More than ‘Just a Pub’

Plunkett encourages pubs to adopt a model of being ‘more than a pub’, providing a range of services such as a shop, café, post office or library and holding events such as “Books at the Bar or “Poems and Pints”.

This is something that Pub is The Hub, a not-for-profit organisation, helps pubs to develop. The organisation’s research found that for every £1 spent investing in the provision of services and activities in the pub, an average of £8.28 of social value is created. John Longden OBE, chief executive, says “Social value measures the added value an initiative brings to society. Pubs support community cohesion, job security, wellbeing, increased social interaction and resilient communities.”

Services and activities help to attract new customers to engage with pubs more regularly. Some activities such as music, gardening clubs or repair cafés can lead to new opportunities such as extra food and drink sales during quieter sessions.

Pub is The Hub’s team of expert regional advisors can provide advice to publicans to help them set up their own diversification project. This can be anything from village stores and community cafés to allotments and activities such as travelling theatre or craft events. John adds “Many pubs that offer services such as a village store, community café or allotment find they and their team are able to balance both effectively. As many services are housed within the main pub building, team members are able to work across both.”

Pub is The Hub helped publicans Rhiannon Metters and Jason James who run The Halfway, Tal-Y-Coed, Wales, open a village store and a marquee to hold events. The pub is the heart of this rural community, where many people including farmers, live and work alone. Rhiannon says “It is so important that we support local people ensuring they do not feel isolated and alone. The pub village store is a support for people here, as the nearest supermarket is 20 minutes away. The marquee has become a space where we run local courses such as CPR, first aid and craft workshops to help bring people together.”

At The Lion at Ickleton pub, near Saffron Walden, Cambridgeshire, a community café was opened to help people connect and socialise. Pub is The Hub provided help and a community services fund. Run by volunteers, the café has become an important meeting place for families, friends and those living alone who want to meet new people and the number of customers continues to grow. Lizzie Molloy, Community Cafe Lead, said: “The response to our café has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s been lovely to see so many friendly faces enjoying coffee, cake and a chat together.”

Tackling Social Isolation Head On

Research from Pub is The Hub showed that pubs help people overcome social isolation and replace the loss of services in rural and deprived areas. The organisation has created a “Join Inn – Last Orders for Loneliness” initiative, giving pubs advice on activities to bring individuals together. Pubs might be eligible for a grant associated with community services via Pub is The Hub.

The team suggest promoting your premises as a community space to attract a broader audience in addition to your current customers. Initiatives include making space available for a community garden and holding a regular farmers’ market in your car park.

Loneliness isn’t just confined to rural areas. Mick Dore, manager of Young’s pub The Alexandra in Wimbledon, south west London, started up Meet Up Mondays to combat loneliness. He offers a couple of hours of free tea, coffee and sandwiches on a Monday, encouraging those in the local area to drop in.

The concept has now spread across the country. At The Albert Arms in Esher, Surrey, Meet Up Mondays takes place weekly between 3pm to 5pm. Tom Woodard, publican, says “Anyone can come along and have tea or coffee with cakes for no charge. There is a donation box where people can leave money if they want to, and every six months they donate the money to charity. Most people are on their own and they get to know each other. On the back of it, they socialise with each other and attend events such as our Friday night music gig. I wanted the pub to be part of the community, and this is a great way of doing it. A byproduct of it is that the group comes into the pub at other times. We don’t just get locals, but from nearby towns as well. Once we started, the word spread far and wide.”