The state of the economy has put many peoples lifestyles and jobs under threat. On a local level one lifestyle has been affected in areas all over the country is that of the pub landlord.
At the beginning of this year it was found that pubs were closing at an alarming rate of 29 per week. There are several contributing factors to this which include the rising prices of your average pint, increases in VAT and the matter of people not having as much money to spend freely. In 2001 the average price of a pint was £2, 2011 has seen that figure rise to £3.
If beer prices to continue to rise the way they are by 2018 a pint could cost £4.
The gap between prices in pubs and prices in the supermarket has widened as well to a measurable gap. The competition between supermarkets for business has also meant a further reduction in prices or we see continuing offers presented to the consumer, which pubs cannot compete with.
Harold Turner is the landlord at the George and Dragon pub in Mosborough and talks of how his pub has been affected in recent times;
“We have definitely seen a decrease in income since this time last year. It really is a shame but after talking to some of the regulars in the pub it just transpires that people do not have the spare money to be in here every night having a couple of pints. Instead they come every now and then for a couple. Sure you still get the odd person in here everyday but it is very rare now.”
“When I first came into ownership of the pub in 2004 every evening from around six o’clock we would be packed out and the atmosphere was amazing, now it is just on the weekends and quiz night. Other pubs closing in the area has meant that we have still maintained good numbers here. It is upsetting that the other pubs have had to close but I’m afraid that’s the way the industry has gone. If it wasn’t them it would have been me.”
Local pubs have also been forced to change a lot in order to keep their customers happy and willing to part with their money. People now expect affordable and quality food when you visit your local pub so kitchen staff has now become an integral part to the success of many pubs. With a lot of pubs now being owned by a larger corporation the pressure is continually on the landlords of family run pubs.
John Moorcroft is a chef at a pub in Halfway;
“There certainly is a lot of pressure on me to make sure every dish I serve is of a good quality. I also have to make sure that I am producing all your pub favorites as well as offering something alternative and different to make sure I keep the punters happy and coming back for more. One bad experience could mean that a customer goes looking elsewhere which is not what we want.”
The local pub is also the source of entertainment for many. Pub quizzes, Karaoke nights and charity events are all something extra pubs offer to keep people happy and make a bit of extra cash on certain nights. One form of entertainment which is currently costing landlords a lot more than it should is the license to broadcast football matches.
The pub provides a great atmosphere for watching the beautiful game on a big screen with a pint in hand and many fellow supporters and rivals around you, however this is increasingly under threat because of the hiking prices it costs for the TV license.
However the prices are under review after a landlady in Portsmouth won a European high court case against the English premier league, which allowed her to stream premier league, matches through a Greek television operator. This meant that the English premier league had to completely re think TV rights and how much they charge. However this is still going to be ongoing for years to come until a final decision is made.
Rob Gerrard, 22, from Mosborough is a keen Manchester United fan;
“Of course living here I can’t really go to games on a regular basis which means every Saturday I am often in the pub watching the mighty reds. When my local pub closed down it forced me to go to another pub to watch the games. The atmosphere is the same but I can’t help thinking that if football rights were more affordable then maybe my local wouldn’t of closed down.”
The past couple of years have certainly been a tough time for pub landlords all over the country. The pub is a British institution which although is under threat will never be extinct. However it is survival of the fittest. When you are a pub that is not backed by one of these big corporate pub machines with millions behind you, it really is a challenging time to provide for your customers everything they want and that bit extra to make a successful living.
A pub landlord does need to provide good and competitive prices, quality food and entertainment, but above all else all the customer wants is a friendly face and a listening ear, with those I’m sure success will not be a problem.
By Jonathan Bayliss
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