Pub Profits, Benefits from Multi Fuel Stoves
The Pub is at the heart of Britain's communities, a direct link to ancient times and a strong thread in our islands story. The French have Cafe Culture, large swathes of Britain still identify with pub culture. A sense of belonging to and with their local. Yet all we hear is that this Great British institution is under attack. Drive or walk anywhere in the UK today and your confronted by closed, boarded up pubs. Signs advertising vacancies to run once thriving watering holes litter the eye line. A central part of our social life is being dismantled right in front of us.
There seems to be an avalanche of bad news for the hospitality industry. The smoking ban,whilst giving us clean air, has left large parts of a Publican's business shivering,quite literally, outside in the cold. The ongoing use by Supermarket's of cheap alcohol, as a lose leader, would on its own have been a hammer blow. Yet they also have had to deal with an economic downturn.
When belts are tightening something gets sacrificed and with this accumulation of challenges many Pubs are struggling. At the same time other establishments are seeing numbers return and stay longer. We will look at one of the latest trends that is showing an upswing in profits,but, is not a flash in the pan gimmick. This is some thing that is connecting The Local with its community and that should be any self respecting boozer's very raisodetra. This is the Multifuel Stove.
Yes that's right a Multi-Fuel Stove. Remember the days when people would sit around the open fire in the Pub chatting? When the Pub was central to relaxation and life's little moments of enjoyment. The modern version gives a unique and timely twist to that British tradition. The twist? Put the fire outside. Simple, effective,low cost & profitable. With added Green benefits.
Imagine your at home, you and yours are looking for something to round an evening off, just a couple of drinks for you two and the Kids. Or nip down to the off licence or to the fridge for a can costing half the Pub price, in the warmth and comfort of your own home? Exactly, the best Landlords, always know that you have to give your potential client a reason to come and a reason to stay.
We are seeing this with the explosion in "Open Mike Nights" the return of live bands in larger bars, Poker nights, Quiz Night and in an attempt to keep smokers on board,shelters and outdoor heating. If we concentrate on the usual outdoor heating, its either Gas canisters or Electric overheads. Neither are they in any sense cheap or for that matter good for the environment . In fact most people who will, if they notice them, say they don't work and/or that they are an eyesore.
The more proactive landlady is now reaping the rewards of their clever thinking. Lets have a look at how it works and then the various options being deployed by successful Pubs.
Lets start with the economic climate. Its a succession of bad news stories, Joanna,Joe & the Bloggs Family are looking for and would like a brief respite. So whats needed is a reason to bring them to their Local, make then stay and just as importantly return. A Multi-Fuel Stove is an amazing weapon for any Publican to have in their armoury. The establishments that are using this method are seeing the return of family groups. Because of some simple facts. A Stove gives a Beer Garden a Focal Point. It radiates heat, the flames grab peoples attention and are almost hypnotic. The Health & Safety implications are taken care of by the HETAS engineer who has fitted the unit. Even the feeding of the flames helps generate a shared experience. Least we forget,they have rebuilt a sense of community in their Pubs. The first building block of any community? The Family.
The Smoking Ban, regardless of your personal opinion on "the filthy habit" has hit most hospitality business's very hard. Its difficult to lose the "pint and a couple of ciggies and then home" crowd. With out making the regular's, who happen to smoke, disaffected and cold. Initially, it seemed that smokers shelters and outdoor gas or electric heating would act as a olive branch to this market and might mitigate this blow. What business's with Multfuel Stoves have realised is this. You can recreate the snug but, have it outside. Thebusy Pubs that are doing this, show an increase in the amount of visits and the length of stay. At the very least numbers are stabilising and starting to rise. Its always been true in any business, if you treat the customer well and they feel you have their interests at heart, they return again and again. Just the type of regulars these Pubs are attracting and retaining.
The Pubs that have installed Multi-Fuel Stoves outside have insulated themselves against the prevailing current trends that are killing the Pub. Falling custom numbers & Falling Profits are not the fear they are for other hostelries that haven't installed a unit. Frequency of visit and length of stay results are bucking the industry average.
There are two types of options that are by far the best on the market. The first is a free standing stove, used as part of a shelter they can heat suprisingly large areas. Great focal point. Brilliant way to entice and retain custom. A system that is more expensive to fit, gives in many ways a lot extra. This is a Stove with a Boiler. Pubs with this system linked to radiators in the shelter are seeing an even bigger increase in numbers with no increase in the running costs,if they were using a free standing stove.
The Cost, is the clincher in this deal, with units costing as little as £350 plus flue pipes and installation any Publican who isn't giving this option serious consideration is either blessed with the worlds most loyal customers or is negligent in the ways of make money. The fuel costs for MultiFuel Stoves is easily checkable via organisations like Solid Fuel Advisory Trust,Business Link or the local renewable fuel supplier.
Lets look at a hard to quantify benefit. The Pubs that have started to use Multi-Fuel Stoves are having a DIRECT impact on the carbon foot print for the business. You doesn't have to be a marketing guru to realise that companies are getting a better response from customers if they are actively reducing their reliance on any product that could be seen as harmful to our shared planet.
What we have looked at is the trend in falling numbers, not only of Pubs themselves,but, also the dwindling numbers of punters visiting the ones that remain. What we have found is a solution, not the only one or even something that will work for every establishment. Yet definitely an avenue that most Publicans should investigate with some urgency.