I keep reading the trade press and this is a question posed and answered by many 'experts', most of whom have never worked in a pub, lived in a pub, owned a pub, run a pub, been an area manger for pubs, been a director running pubs and so on. None of this makes their opinions less worthy but makes them a bit like all of the greatest footballers who are on the terraces advising Ronaldo how to kick a ball.
Some of the future is simple to predict:
There will be those nationally branded pubs offering a national script. Some driven by location, some by food, some by price, some by music, some by sport, some by image etc. All will have high standards of cleanliness, service (Have a nice day types) and procedures. None will have a predominant 'manager' stamping his or her own identity on the outlet, rather they will be programmed to deliver the company massage and brand. They will have the latest technology to market their 'product' and attract customers.
Nothing wrong with all this which works perfectly well, hugely successful brands; see JD Wetherspoon, Beefeater, Best Bar None et al.
There will be rough tough pubs catering for rough tough people run by rough tough landlords in rough tough areas, nothing wrong with this either, and can be very profitable for landlords who run them – providing they can tolerate the occasional black eye. Good for the police because they know where all of the villains will be drinking, good for other pubs because the rough guys are kept away from their doors.
There will be more high-end "posh pubs", run by posh people for posh customers in posh areas: expensive menus, expensive drinks, expensive rooms, expensive everything. Mostly 'rich mans hobbies' for those who have made a load of dosh and wish to demonstrate it and have a place to entertain their mates, pose a little and make a few more quid.
There will be niche pubs, run by aficionados of whatever; cask ale, tapas, sixties music, dating, gay, stamp collectors, butterfly collectors, who knows what. I reckon all of that lot take care of about 20000 pubs, leaving around 30000 to try and survive – and this is where the great heroes of the industry come into their own!
When I were lad and grew up in our family pub my dad used to tell me "son, running a pub is like having a party in your house 365 days a year, the only difference is that you don’t get to chose who comes to the party".
So to survive (and prosper) there will need to be "personality pubs" run by those with great personalities (like my dad!). Customers will chose to go to them because of who runs them, they will be hosts and treat customers as friends and guests, those who misbehave will be banned, the customer profile of such pubs will reflect the landlords who run them (you are who you attract). These Landlords will of course have to do all of the right things in terms of product range, cleanliness, good staff, right pricing, social marketing and everything else that more discerning customers will demand, but mostly they will have to be "The Host with the Most". This will take great energy, presence, tolerance, empathy, intelligence, drive, passion and character.
My dad also told me "son, this is show business". I well remember him and my mum looking so exhausted on a daily basis, that is until the "lights came on" (in other words the pub opened), then all were welcomed as if they had been away for three years. I know it is a cliché but it really has to be 'a way of life'.
That’s the way to do it, but can we find 30000 couples prepared to do so?
Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses
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