Apparently, despite the efforts of Stonch, UK pub sales are dipping and people are trying to figure out what to do about it. One of those people is Mark Hastings, Director of Communications at the British Beer and Pub Association, discusses the risks and opportunities associated with grocery sales, food, pub quizzes and live entertainment in this article. Those things seem to make sensible sense but then he appears to go all speaky-to-the-young-folks on us:
...rising supermarket sales are also the result of changing dynamics in the market. "It's broader than just the ability to buy your beer from a supermarket," Hastings said. "There are lots of things for people to do in their homes now that make the home an attractive place in which to socialize," he said, citing social networking sites such as Facebook and computer games as factors that deter people from going to the pub. "The pub is the original Facebook, isn't it?" he said, adding that owners should market themselves as a social networking site where customers meet a wide range of people, rather than just sit "with a can of beer in front of a computer screen".Yikeedoodles! What a bad message to put into the media. Facebook exactly is about sitting with a can of beer in front of a screen - avoiding human contact though immersing oneself in a replica of human contact. Selling pubs with a message like that is just giving up. It's like saying a family is like being single, working is like a holiday.
Face it. A good pub is a secular congregationalist church. Sell that, marketers.
Comments
Fatman - January 31, 2008 5:20 AM
The british pub industry has brought this on themselves:
1. Most pub companies are really property owners and aren't exposed to a declining trade.
2. The multinational brewers are happy to advertise their products in the house as they see off sales rising.
3. No government wants to encourage people to gather, drink alcohol and compare notes in a hot bed of sedition.
But most importantly, the industry didn't, and doesn't (as a whole) properly support one element you can't get in the supermarket (apart from good company) and that is a proper pint of cask conditioned ale.
Paul Garrard - January 31, 2008 7:15 AM
Only 40% of pubs stock real ale in the UK and real ale drinkers only account for 15% of pub goers. So if they are relying on us they have a problem.
Perhaps the pub industry needs to take a leaf out of the cinema trade. Radio and telly were going to kill off 'the pictures' when I was a lad, and they nearly did. Now they are in a very strong position despite dvds & film on demand.
If going to the pub is an enjoyable experience people will cross the threshold and part with good money. Also, it can't be a 'one size fits all' solution.
Stonch - January 31, 2008 9:53 AM
"Only 40% of pubs stock real ale in the UK"
Where does that statistic come from? I'd be interested to see the source. So many of these stats don't take into account what a "pub" actually is - we all have our own definitions but there is broad consensus and a relatively small grey area. Are all licensed premises included? Are bars - where you wouldn't expect to find cask ale - included?
Bailey - February 1, 2008 5:28 AM
"If going to the pub is an enjoyable experience people will cross the threshold and part with good money."
Paul -- bang on. The days when people had no real choice but to drink in the pub are gone, as are the days when people would go to the pub nearest them without question. Pubs are in competition with other forms of entertainment, other outlets for booze (drinking at home isn't always a deeply miserable experience, depending on the company and context), and with each other. So, a few of them need to up their game or go to the wall.
Paul Garrard - February 1, 2008 10:33 AM
Stonch, the figure comes from a recent CAMRA press release, unfortunately they don't clarify the term pub. It could be argued it isn't a pub at all if it doesn't serve real ale! You can do anything with statistics. The point I was trying to make was that more people of all persuations need to be enticed back into pubs.