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Title – Supermarkets spell last orders at the pub
Source – The Times
Date – 30th August 2008
It is a subject we come back to time and time again; the decline of the local pub and the increase is alcohol sales through supermarkets. The figures tell us that by the end of 2009 more beer will be sold as an off-sale (to take home) then as an on-sale (for consumption on licensed premises). If we look back to the 1970’s the proportion of beer sold in pubs was a staggering 90%.
So what is the problem and how can it be resolved? One of the problems is that the many different lobbies tend to only reflect one side of the story. The pub sector naturally uses the argument of pricing, something they simply can not compete with the supermarkets on; The supermarkets use the argument of their competition and ultimately providing their customers (all of us) with ‘value for money’; the authorities don’t really know who to blame or how to address the problem of ‘binge drinking’, ‘alcohol abuse’ and preventing young people from obtaining alcohol; generally (and partly as a result of the Licensing Act 2003 wrestling the responsibility for licensing from magistrates to local authorities) there seems to be no independent unbiased body to deal with the problem with a balanced impartial approach.
The fact is that at this moment in time, it is the landlords and pubs that are losing out. With some sources quoting up to 36 pubs a week going out of business and a lack of tenants available to take vacant positions within the larger pub chain businesses; if the sector is not yet in crises it soon could be. The prospect of further turmoil seems to be just around the corner, with confidence in the money markets at an all time low, who knows if one of the big listed pub chains is potentially on the brink.
So what do pubs have to do? Fight harder for a level playing field? Have it publically recognised that they are part of the problem when it comes to alcohol related crime and disorder and alcohol related ill-health, but not the only or the worst problem? Maybe it is a combination of all of these things, but that is not all…
First and foremost they have to get their own house in order. No business can survive if their business model is not attractive to customers. People used to go to pubs because they served the best beer; there are now take-out products that are as good as many pubs can offer. Others went to pubs for Sunday roast, a treat for the whole family, beautifully prepared beautifully cooked food; these days we can buy whole roasts almost prepared for us in the supermarket. Finally people went to meet others and to be served by the landlord or landlady who knew their name and made them feel welcome; there is something the supermarkets can’t compete on. I preach it time and time again in this blog, service is everything, pubs have to become destinations that draw customers in. People working in pubs have to really grasp this concept if they want to succeed.
Just this weekend I visited a beautiful pub in Cumbria, at the end of a long hike we were all looking forward to a nice pub lunch. As we approached, the pub looked welcoming, beautiful flower displays welcomed us and the pub was clearly well kept. But all that hard work was wasted because the welcome we received was icy cold and the service by the young waitresses shocking to the point of almost being amusing. If they had just spent a fraction of the time and effort they obviously put into everything else (including the food which was delicious), into training their staff, they might have had more than our group of 7 and 4 locals to serve on a sunny Sunday lunchtime. You really can not blame the supermarkets for that.
At Beyond the Blue we provide the portfolio of BIIAB licensed retail sector courses, including the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH), the Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR) and the National Certificate for Designated Premises Supervisors (NCDPS) as well as bespoke courses for individual clients and Consultancy Projects that examine your business and develops business plans to set you on the path to success.
Please visit our website please visit at
www.btbl.co.ukSource – The Times
Date – 30th August 2008
It is a subject we come back to time and time again; the decline of the local pub and the increase is alcohol sales through supermarkets. The figures tell us that by the end of 2009 more beer will be sold as an off-sale (to take home) then as an on-sale (for consumption on licensed premises). If we look back to the 1970’s the proportion of beer sold in pubs was a staggering 90%.
So what is the problem and how can it be resolved? One of the problems is that the many different lobbies tend to only reflect one side of the story. The pub sector naturally uses the argument of pricing, something they simply can not compete with the supermarkets on; The supermarkets use the argument of their competition and ultimately providing their customers (all of us) with ‘value for money’; the authorities don’t really know who to blame or how to address the problem of ‘binge drinking’, ‘alcohol abuse’ and preventing young people from obtaining alcohol; generally (and partly as a result of the Licensing Act 2003 wrestling the responsibility for licensing from magistrates to local authorities) there seems to be no independent unbiased body to deal with the problem with a balanced impartial approach.
The fact is that at this moment in time, it is the landlords and pubs that are losing out. With some sources quoting up to 36 pubs a week going out of business and a lack of tenants available to take vacant positions within the larger pub chain businesses; if the sector is not yet in crises it soon could be. The prospect of further turmoil seems to be just around the corner, with confidence in the money markets at an all time low, who knows if one of the big listed pub chains is potentially on the brink.
So what do pubs have to do? Fight harder for a level playing field? Have it publically recognised that they are part of the problem when it comes to alcohol related crime and disorder and alcohol related ill-health, but not the only or the worst problem? Maybe it is a combination of all of these things, but that is not all…
First and foremost they have to get their own house in order. No business can survive if their business model is not attractive to customers. People used to go to pubs because they served the best beer; there are now take-out products that are as good as many pubs can offer. Others went to pubs for Sunday roast, a treat for the whole family, beautifully prepared beautifully cooked food; these days we can buy whole roasts almost prepared for us in the supermarket. Finally people went to meet others and to be served by the landlord or landlady who knew their name and made them feel welcome; there is something the supermarkets can’t compete on. I preach it time and time again in this blog, service is everything, pubs have to become destinations that draw customers in. People working in pubs have to really grasp this concept if they want to succeed.
Just this weekend I visited a beautiful pub in Cumbria, at the end of a long hike we were all looking forward to a nice pub lunch. As we approached, the pub looked welcoming, beautiful flower displays welcomed us and the pub was clearly well kept. But all that hard work was wasted because the welcome we received was icy cold and the service by the young waitresses shocking to the point of almost being amusing. If they had just spent a fraction of the time and effort they obviously put into everything else (including the food which was delicious), into training their staff, they might have had more than our group of 7 and 4 locals to serve on a sunny Sunday lunchtime. You really can not blame the supermarkets for that.
At Beyond the Blue we provide the portfolio of BIIAB licensed retail sector courses, including the National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH), the Award in Responsible Alcohol Retailing (ARAR) and the National Certificate for Designated Premises Supervisors (NCDPS) as well as bespoke courses for individual clients and Consultancy Projects that examine your business and develops business plans to set you on the path to success.
Please visit our website please visit at
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