Rural pub loosing face and looking for ideas

Keephercountry · 30-05-2012 01:52AM #1

Hi guys my family own a small pub in county galway which has always had a good trade with a clientel ageing from 18-40 or there abouts, due to the oul recession the pub is gone quiet and iam afraid that the dark day of closing the door might not be too far away,
Iam always trying to throw new ideas at the place to create business ranging from family fun days to an xfactor night which were a massive success but at this stage my ideas are wearing thin so ive decided to consult you guys ' the general public' in all yere greatness for some of ur esteemed ideas to get arses on the seats in our pub!!
I appreciate all ideas that you can throw at me so the wackier the better!! Thanks guys!! Remember guys this is a rural country pub ans doesent have the volume of people of that of a city pub,, i look forward to youre replys
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Rural irish pubs loosing face

glanman · 30-05-2012 08:33AM

this may be of interest?

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/27411-could-free-wi-fi-save-the-i

A darts team in the pub can offer a regular stream of people as you will have games against teams every two weeks in your bar? Check out if there is a league in your area, there should be...

antoinolachtnai · 30-05-2012 09:14AM

There are a few things you can do here to increase the sales.

1. Attract more people to existing products.

2. Sell a wider range of products and services without pushing up fixed overheads much.

I think you have tried hard at the first. It works as far as it works. You are probably getting all or most of the money that is available from that channel.

I think the answer is the second and it lies with being at the heart of the community. You need to serve the community in a wider sense than before. An inexpensive change in decor and lighting, together with well presented tea, coffee, buns and so on could position the pub differently from what it is currently positioned, and make it into a place that people use for more purposes than at present. For example, it could be a place that people meet for business. The local kids might come in from the school and do their homework whilst they are waiting for their lift (this happens in one McDonald's I know in Dublin).

If there isn't have a shop nearby, you could sell a limited range of products. (If there is a shop nearby, you need to be very careful here. However, you should see if it might make sense to merge and consolidate the two businesses to save on overheads.)

This was actually how rural pubs traditionally operated.

ad1234 · 30-05-2012 09:18AM

Ive heard of pubs having x box tournaments and allowing customers to watch dvd's and their soaps.. people are drinking at home so make it more homley maybe. there is also a pub near me that sells cans as the customers are not well off, its cheaper but they make the profits on the food and the high volumes of sales, if its cheaper they drink more

good luck...

MidlandsM · 30-05-2012 09:20AM

free beer ?

bryaner · 30-05-2012 09:22AM

Have you tried selling some of the non mainstream beers? My local got Fosters in on tap and it's selling really well at €3.40 a pint compared to €4.50 for the regular names..

blindside88 · 30-05-2012 09:30AM

A pub near my house has a great idea, they do a sheet of 40-50 lines, each line is €5, when all 40-50 lines are sold a draw is done and a winner picked out, is tue draw is 40 lines the winner gets 40 pints, 50 lines he gets 50 pints etc. All of the pints must be consumed In that night. Generally people drink in groups and split the winnings. It's a great idea because you sell a full keg at €5 per pint

MidlandsM · 30-05-2012 10:31AM

blindside88 wrote: »

A pub near my house has a great idea, they do a sheet of 40-50 lines, each line is €5, when all 40-50 lines are sold a draw is done and a winner picked out, is tue draw is 40 lines the winner gets 40 pints, 50 lines he gets 50 pints etc. All of the pints must be consumed In that night. Generally people drink in groups and split the winnings. It's a great idea because you sell a full keg at €5 per pint

nice way of upselling!

Keephercountry · 30-05-2012 10:42AM

MidlandsM wrote: »

blindside88 wrote: »

A pub near my house has a great idea, they do a sheet of 40-50 lines, each line is €5, when all 40-50 lines are sold a draw is done and a winner picked out, is tue draw is 40 lines the winner gets 40 pints, 50 lines he gets 50 pints etc. All of the pints must be consumed In that night. Generally people drink in groups and split the winnings. It's a great idea because you sell a full keg at €5 per pint

nice way of upselling!

This is a fantastic idea i think and would create a great atmosphere on the night!!
Thank you

Keephercountry · 30-05-2012 10:43AM

glanman wrote: »

this may be of interest?

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/27411-could-free-wi-fi-save-the-i

A darts team in the pub can offer a regular stream of people as you will have games against teams every two weeks in your bar? Check out if there is a league in your area, there should be...

Another pub in our village are big into darts and take it very seriously but il take a look thank you

mikemac1 · 30-05-2012 10:45AM

Soup and toasted sandwiches during the day
You don't need to shell out thousands for a kitchen here, this is all very basic.
You can turn a profit here and attract a lunchtime crowd.
And the bookie racing crowd will be hanging around during the day too and they'll want food

On busy nights, it would do no harm to put out some baskets of chips and cocktail sausages.
Cost very little to buy and it's a nice touch
And your customers get thirty with the salty food

Put some newspapers behind the bar. When I go to the pub on my own I ask the barman for a paper, sometimes they have it and sometimes they don't
But it would have me hanging around longer, I might even do the crossword and have an extra drink

I know nothing about cards but maybe you could attract the local ladies away from the parish hall.
They'll buy sherry from you

Ok, ok, that's a stereotype but they need to meet somewhere so may as well be your place

On a quiet night just give the few customers a bowl of stew
In Tipp this is the "Last Supper" and pubs do it on a Tuesday night
These people are keeping your pub going on a quiet night, stew costs pretty much nothing to make, so just a free bowl

Nothing there is complicated, you could set up a tiny kitchen for yourself for very little.

X-factor was a good idea. It does get a bit tired so keep it going but don't overuse it

Pub quizzes, always popular. Maybe a local business or three will throw in some vouchers? After all, you're putting out their names all night to the locals.

Film night? This is controversial and some will not like it at all.
But I've gone to a pub on my own the odd day for some food and a drink on my own and there would be a few of us watching a film.
People might bring their own films down?
This could fail and annoy people so ask around and maybe a trial some quiet Monday night.

Dart team, great idea above.
Get your team some colourful T-shirts too, it's advertising and very cheap to get T-shirts printed

Try to get in some craft beers. I'm not saying spend a lot of stock but do a trial run of a few products.
I don't know about buying in the trade but if they think you'll buy more maybe haggle hard and you'll a trial yourself.

Lastly rural pub. Transport is an issue. Might be too much stress for you to drop people home.
But do a deal with a local hackney driver and the two of you work out some deal.
You send business their way and they'll maybe knock two euro off the fare?
Not sure how to structure exactly but there could be a win-win here

puffishoes · 30-05-2012 10:49AM

You could always do something really outrageous.

Like lower the price of the pint.

I know, it's always the last place you look

Tabnabs · 30-05-2012 10:50AM

I worked in a small town in the Netherlands for a couple of years and our backstreet local used to have what were effectively choir practices on quiet nights. It was a real surprise to wander in on a dark November night to be greeted by a full house and music. Many of them inevitably stayed behind to chat and catch up with drinks and nibbles.

ravendude · 30-05-2012 10:51AM

A popular thing when I was in Australia that used to pack the place was 5 dollar steaks between say 6 and 7.30.
Or you could alternate with bangers and mash etc.

Basically, they'd do a low end (rump steak?) but very well prepped and marinated steak with a few spuds and 1 or 2 choices or sauce.
This was pretty much at cost price.
It needs to be cheap enough that its sticks out at being "crazy" cheap.
I reckon its possible to do it nearly as cheaply even in this country.
How much is a cheapish cut of steak? a few euro?

Idea is that you'd get the punters in, who would then have a pint or 2 in most cases, and you get a few groups in then that end up getting sloshed and staying all night.

Was always packed on fridays and saturdays and most days during the week

If steak isn't viable, - you could do bangers and mash or something instead.

Important thing, - is the food is cost price, - you make your money on other stuff, and also it draws customers in generally

And remember to put big signs out front that you do dinner for a Fiver! (or 6 euro or whatever it is)

ssbob · 30-05-2012 10:51AM

Have worked in quite a number of pubs in my time from the small local to the big city pub and everything in between, the main differences being the level of service ie. in one of the pubs I worked in there was a local market every thursday outside the door and guys used to come in for a couple but often people would just want a cuppa & coffee, we didn't advertise that we did that so the pub two doors down did and got the business, in other words you need to make it clear from the outside in.

Also another thing that worked was local music talent showcase night, (depending on local music of course), but what generally happened was the guys playing the music got a few free pints and the sound engineer got paid for, then there was 5/6 bands drinking pints all day along with family and friends, worked a treat as long as it was not over done.

Keephercountry · 30-05-2012 10:53AM

Thanks everyone for all the ideas, they are mighty and its amazing the different. Gimics people use across the country to create a buzz in the parish and get a few in,! I have taken alot of them onboard and think they will be a massive benefit to our pub, fair play folks!

Squ · 30-05-2012 11:02AM

One reason people pass pubs without going in, is they dont feel comfortable walking in sonewhere new.

sponsor the local kiddies team, and after their match at the weekend, lay on minerals and chips for the wee ones and tea fir the perants..

The parents will be very grateful with this, get to know you and your place, and some will come back for a pint with their mates.

mikemac1 · 30-05-2012 11:12AM

I feel I shouldn't have to say it

And I'm not doubting your fine establishment OP

But the toilets need to be checked on an hourly basis, that's what hotels do so why not pubs

If the dryer is broken, fix it
If the lock is dodgy or the doors jam or anything wrong at all, well you'll get a handyman in easily and it won't cost much

Ever read Pub Spy article in the Sunday World?
This is a key thing they judge on and they are right

Some pubs are a disgrace

It's not make or break but it will help you keep your new customers

TheBody · 30-05-2012 11:13AM

Maybe an open mike night, a local comedy or singing competition.

How about some sort of daft competitions like who can iron a shirt the fastest or a series of things like that in one night.

TheBody · 30-05-2012 11:14AM

mikemac1 wrote: »

I feel I shouldn't have to say it

And I'm not doubting your fine establishment OP

But the toilets need to be checked on an hourly basis, that's what hotels do so why not pubs

If the dryer is broken, fix it
If the lock is dodgy or the doors jam or anything wrong at all, well you'll get a handyman in easily and it won't cost much

Ever read Pub Spy article in the Sunday World?
This is a key thing they judge on and they are right

Some pubs are a disgrace

It's not make or break but it will help you keep your new customers

Just want to add a BIG +1 to this.

ssbob · 30-05-2012 11:23AM

mikemac1 wrote: »

But the toilets need to be checked on an hourly basis, that's what hotels do so why not pubs

If the dryer is broken, fix it
If the lock is dodgy or the doors jam or anything wrong at all, well you'll get a handyman in easily and it won't cost much

Ever read Pub Spy article in the Sunday World?
This is a key thing they judge on and they are right

Some pubs are a disgrace

It's actually something I meant to say aswell as women especially will not go into a bar with bad toilets.

prospect · 30-05-2012 11:29AM

When my Mam visits a restaurant she first visits the toilets.

If they aren't kept clean, the chances are the kitchen isn't kept clean either, so she'll leave.

BailMeOut · 30-05-2012 11:34AM

In many small towns the local pub can be a bit like a community centre and a place for clubs and businesses to meet. You can be the place where local sports teams, book clubs, teachers and parents associations have their regular meetings or where farmers meet their accountants or local businesses meet with their vendors etc but at same time you make them feel very comfortable and welcome. Could even be a place where people work or study from if you provide wifi.

You will probably not make much money out of any of this but would make the pub look more busy and instil some good community goodwill to your establishment if you encourage it. A sports club who has its regular meetings in your pub will most likely have their celebration parties there too!

Do you have an a quiet area of the pub that customers could reserve for meetings? If you do free wifi would be a must and I would leave it open with no password so customers can connect with no hassle.

Bandara · 30-05-2012 04:23PM

approach your local football team, tell them you'll put on soup and sandwiches after their games for them and the opposition

you could potentially get 40 lads every saturday afternoon.

ScumLord · 30-05-2012 05:37PM

mikemac1 wrote: »

Soup and toasted sandwiches during the day
You don't need to shell out thousands for a kitchen here, this is all very basic.

You kind of do have to spend money. You can't just start preparing food and selling it it's against the law. My local does it and I don't mind, think it's a great thing but I don't think he's legally aloud too.

The problem with the pub is it's just a place to drink at the moment. If you don't want to drink you avoid the pub because in most places all you can do is sit there drinking.

FloatingVoter · 30-05-2012 05:49PM

ScumLord wrote: »

You kind of do have to spend money. You can't just start preparing food and selling it it's against the law. My local does it and I don't mind, think it's a great thing but I don't think he's legally aloud too.

The problem with the pub is it's just a place to drink at the moment. If you don't want to drink you avoid the pub because in most places all you can do is sit there drinking.

Very true - but in the long-term - the reason for food is to keep your customers thirsty. Doesn't matter if we're selling them beer in NYC or the back of beyond.
+1 to the toilets idea....even the scruffiest regular likes a nice place to rest his kingly bottom (he won't admit it though:)).

ladypip · 30-05-2012 05:51PM

Maybe you could run parent and toddler mornings? If the pub is safe for children you could offer good quality coffee, Free biscuits for the kids, maybe stick a kids movie on for them?

I know from experience being a stay home mother gets lonely esb with babies, and im sure in the country the loneliness only increases.

If you make your pub the heart of the community you will reap the rewards.

nacimroc · 30-05-2012 05:51PM

PRICE PRICE PRICE!!

People don't go to pubs in rural Ireland anymore because we are being ripped off for a pint. I know the whole vitners assoc. price fixing (cartell?) thing, but ask any person, anyone and thats their no. 1 reason.

/END RANT

Anyway, now that thats off my chest...

Wine: I would bet a massive amount of women drink wine, but yet in most pubs they usually only have 1 type of mostly piss water. Get in a few diff types and even offer tasters from full bottles. You could even promote this idea.

WIFI: Its a small thing but it costs nothing and its a nice addition to a place.

Finger food: at about 11.30. People leave to go get food and move to a new pub just before they close. Keep them there with salty

food.

That guys idea of agreeing a deal with a taxi firm is genius. Even 1 euro off makes it a big deal. Pick a friendly taxi firm.

mikemac1 · 30-05-2012 06:01PM

Good call on the wine

The ladies and even the gents like their wine but pubs have a miserable selection at rip-off prices

Change it around a bit, stick up a sign for your wine of the month
Don't spend a fortune on stock but bring in a few different types so people can check them out

edit: it's all said above ^^^^^

And maybe hand out a card and a stamp.
Someone buys 10 of the little bottles then you can give them a little book about wine Would be a nice touch, only cost a few euro

Tangled · 30-05-2012 06:23PM

mikemac1 wrote: »

Someone buys 10 of the little bottles then you can give them a little book about wine Would be a nice touch, only cost a few euro

Do wine and do it right - don't go near the little bottles, get a few nice full size bottles and pour glasses or offer by the bottle. Another way is to have little carafes. (250ml / 500ml serves.)

Malpaisian · 30-05-2012 06:27PM

Keephercountry wrote: »

Hi guys my family own a small pub in county galway...

Whereabouts in rural galway?

rainbowdash · 30-05-2012 10:14PM

Buy bottles of Heineken / miller / budweiser for 75c in dunnes / tesco / aldi and sell them 3 for €5 in an ice bucket.

blindside88 · 30-05-2012 10:17PM

rainbowdash wrote: »

Buy bottles of Heineken / miller / budweiser for 75c in dunnes / tesco / aldi and sell them 3 for €5 in an ice bucket.

Afaik this can't legally be done, not for individual resale. I could be wrong on this. However if it was illegal and done I can't see how it would be discovered

Bicky · 30-05-2012 10:32PM

puffishoes wrote: »

You could always do something really outrageous.

Like lower the price of the pint.

I know, it's always the last place you look

The OP has stated in his original post that it could be time to close the doors soon. Obviously he is under pressure and dropping his prices and consequently his net profit is not going to do him any good.

Formation · 30-05-2012 10:32PM

How much is a top quality commercial coffee machine?

what is the cost price per cup of good quality cappuccino?

mikemac1 · 30-05-2012 10:36PM

rainbowdash wrote: »

Buy bottles of Heineken / miller / budweiser for 75c in dunnes / tesco / aldi and sell them 3 for €5 in an ice bucket.

I love it!

blindside88 wrote: »

Afaik this can't legally be done, not for individual resale. I could be wrong on this. However if it was illegal and done I can't see how it would be discovered

Nothing illegal about it
Not for individual resale is just instructions from the supplier, you can break them up if you want

The worst that can happen is your supplier gives out and won't sell to you.

blindside88 · 30-05-2012 10:41PM

Thanks for clearing that up, as I said not sure whether it was illegal or not

shaunandelly · 30-05-2012 10:42PM

I always fancied being picked up for the pub in a big horse drawn cart just like the westerns and then the return journey and being booted out on the way home. If it was a lot nearer closing time more people would come.

rainbowdash · 30-05-2012 10:46PM

Bicky wrote: »

The OP has stated in his original post that it could be time to close the doors soon. Obviously he is under pressure and dropping his prices and consequently his net profit is not going to do him any good.

Why would it lead to lower profit?

Lower prices may lead to more customers, and more profit.

People may start off on 3 bottles for €5 and end the night sloshing vodka and red bull.

Some pubs do Guinness for €3 not everybody will drink it so if you get 2 lads through the door on bulmers and 1 on Guinness you are quids in.

Janedoe10 · 30-05-2012 10:59PM

Food or nibbles can go down a treat . I'm sure u could advertise cheaply enough in local mags , newsletters For any events u have
.. Depending on the passing trade and profile u could do theme nights Mexican night(? Nachos . Deal night . Pizza theme night . Getting in local themes or group meetings or offering them a place to stay/ meet can increase your profile . Euro 2012 coming up u could have a deal or something during those nights .
Irish stew night and a pint for a certain price ..
If u know a local chef u could come to some arrangement ... And ya if toilets are Mank people won't be returning ...

Frynge · 30-05-2012 11:31PM

Formation wrote: »

How much is a top quality commercial coffee machine?

About €6000 and up

http://gaggia.ie/machine/gaggia-d90-evolution/

what is the cost price per cup of good quality cappuccino?

About 22cent per cup

EGAR · 31-05-2012 12:07AM

No ideas as such but living in rural Galway with lots of friends who used to go to the pub and now have parties at home, the two biggies for them are transport after a night out and standing in p*ssing rain outside the pub with a fag, freezing their behinds off. And that is before the price of a pint comes into it.

I don't drink and never been a pub person but the above is what I can gather from my friends and acquaintances.

I know smoking in pubs is illegal but a lot of pubs have no facilities for smokers where they can stand/sit protected from the elements etc.

Formation · 31-05-2012 01:01AM

Jesus thats an incredibly high price for a commercial coffee machine.

ScumLord · 31-05-2012 01:43PM

nacimroc wrote: »

WIFI: Its a small thing but it costs nothing and its a nice addition to a place.

It doesn't cost nothing. There's the obvious cost of the broadband but you also can't really just stick in a bog standard wireless router. You're going to have to spend a bit on a proper wireless access point, they're not awful expensive though, you can get one for around €300 but then your going to have to get someone to set it up properly. This has to be done to protect the publican more than anything.

Wifi would make a big difference to me though, it was great in the UK to go into a pub have a pint and go on the internet for free.

Frynge wrote: »

About €6000 and up

http://gaggia.ie/machine/gaggia-d90-evolution/

About 22cent per cup

This is the reply I got last time I asked a publican why they didn't just start serving coffee. Big investment and expensive to run to boot.

ssbob · 31-05-2012 01:58PM

ScumLord wrote: »

This is the reply I got last time I asked a publican why they didn't just start serving coffee. Big investment and expensive to run to boot.

Coffee machines are expensive to run & buy but it is not rocket science to make a decent cup of tea or coffee and charge €1.50-€2.00 without using a coffee machine.

Money is to be made on minerals too so might be a good thing to encourage young kids teams in with their parents after a game.

caff · 31-05-2012 02:01PM

ScumLord wrote: »

It doesn't cost nothing. There's the obvious cost of the broadband but you also can't really just stick in a bog standard wireless router. You're going to have to spend a bit on a proper wireless access point, they're not awful expensive though, you can get one for around €300 but then your going to have to get someone to set it up properly. This has to be done to protect the publican more than anything.

Wifi would make a big difference to me though, it was great in the UK to go into a pub have a pint and go on the internet for free.

This is the reply I got last time I asked a publican why they didn't just start serving coffee. Big investment and expensive to run to boot.

Often see coffee machines up for sale here, not sure how much they go for but its worth a look http://www.wilsonsauctions.com/dublin_disposals.asp

helimachoptor · 31-05-2012 02:06PM

OP, my OH is from very rural Mayo!
some of the things they've done.

- Bridge night
- Poker night
- Annual festival (healy fest) each year
- Local bands playing each weekend

They do food.. but no HSE certs etc etc

syklops · 31-05-2012 02:13PM

ad1234 wrote: »

people are drinking at home so make it more homley maybe. there is also a pub near me that sells cans as the customers are not well off, its cheaper but they make the profits on the food and the high volumes of sales, if its cheaper they drink more good luck...

The reason people are drinking at home is not so they can play the x-box, its because you can get 6 beers for a fiver.

As someone else said, you need to make the prices seem crazy cheap.

Happy hour with 1 euro a shot? Basically sell the shots at cost, and make profit on the pints?

ssbob · 31-05-2012 02:20PM

syklops wrote: »

The reason people are drinking at home is not so they can play the x-box, its because you can get 6 beers for a fiver.

As someone else said, you need to make the prices seem crazy cheap.

Happy hour with 1 euro a shot? Basically sell the shots at cost, and make profit on the pints?

Happy hours are illegal now, you can do a full day of cheap pints but not happy hours.

Ya it is cheaper to drink at home but also another factor is obviously drink driving being an issue so the taxi deal would be a good idea.

Has anyone got the breakdown of a pint by:

Cost
Excise
O.H's
Vat
Profit

Average even?

syklops · 31-05-2012 02:37PM

Happy hours are illegal now, you can do a full day of cheap pints but not happy hours.

/me shakes head.

Sorry didn't know that. Any way around it? Like raffling shots? Get everyone to buy a ticket for a euro, when you hit the cost of a bottle of vodka, you do a draw, and whoever wins, gets to line up the shots, maybe similar to the guinness raffle idea earlier.

I bet you would love for the government to get out of your pub.

getz · 31-05-2012 02:48PM

this may give you a few ideas,there is a pub called the dying cow in stratnakell,tinahely co, wicklow,its about the size of a outside toilet [and smells like one] yet its world famous,always packed out with tourist [like me] it has its own website,if they can make it a success so can you,

Rural pub loosing face and looking for ideas

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