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| As World Cup fever grips the UK, will it be bullseye for the nation's pubs? | As World Cup fever grips the UK, will it be bullseye for the nation's pubs? |
| (5 months later) | |
| A miniature grandstand isn’t the first thing you’d expect to find in the car park of a modest Norfolk pub. But at the Railway Tavern in Dereham, landlord Paul Sandford points out that it’s not every day he has such an opportunity to drum up extra business. From their seats fans will be able to follow the England team’s efforts on 16 giant TV screens – including one in the toilet. | A miniature grandstand isn’t the first thing you’d expect to find in the car park of a modest Norfolk pub. But at the Railway Tavern in Dereham, landlord Paul Sandford points out that it’s not every day he has such an opportunity to drum up extra business. From their seats fans will be able to follow the England team’s efforts on 16 giant TV screens – including one in the toilet. |
| “It has allowed us to increase our capacity in the pub from 150-200 customers to 500 and we attracted about 100 for the first [Russia v Saudi Arabia] match on Thursday,” said Sandford of his £5,000 investment. “It has gone down very well locally and is bringing in fans from further afield. | “It has allowed us to increase our capacity in the pub from 150-200 customers to 500 and we attracted about 100 for the first [Russia v Saudi Arabia] match on Thursday,” said Sandford of his £5,000 investment. “It has gone down very well locally and is bringing in fans from further afield. |
| “We expect the first England game on Monday to be heaving. But pubs generally are struggling and we are now threatened by people watching at home and, increasingly, on their phones and other devices. It’s up to us to provide a fantastic pub atmosphere and a unique viewing experience.” | “We expect the first England game on Monday to be heaving. But pubs generally are struggling and we are now threatened by people watching at home and, increasingly, on their phones and other devices. It’s up to us to provide a fantastic pub atmosphere and a unique viewing experience.” |
| As World Cup fever grips the UK, pubs up and down the country are pulling out the stops to lure fans in to cheer on Gareth Southgate’s squad. | As World Cup fever grips the UK, pubs up and down the country are pulling out the stops to lure fans in to cheer on Gareth Southgate’s squad. |
| The embattled pub sector has already been hit hard by a combination of factors – the soaring price of a pint, the smoking ban, the 2008 financial crisis and, most recently, spiralling business rates. The number of pubs is dwindling, according to the 2018 edition of the Campaign for Real Ale’s Good Beer Guide, the total is now down to fewer than 47,000, with about 21 closing every week. | The embattled pub sector has already been hit hard by a combination of factors – the soaring price of a pint, the smoking ban, the 2008 financial crisis and, most recently, spiralling business rates. The number of pubs is dwindling, according to the 2018 edition of the Campaign for Real Ale’s Good Beer Guide, the total is now down to fewer than 47,000, with about 21 closing every week. |
| But their latest challenge is the increase in people watching this year’s World Cup from home, on catch-up or on their mobile phones, with millennials’ viewing and live-streaming habits in particular driving an unprecedented shake-up in this market. | But their latest challenge is the increase in people watching this year’s World Cup from home, on catch-up or on their mobile phones, with millennials’ viewing and live-streaming habits in particular driving an unprecedented shake-up in this market. |
| All 64 World Cup matches are being shown live on TV, with ITV and BBC splitting the rights to show the matches on both their traditional channels and respective online services. Unfortunately, a glitch at the opening meant some people streaming the match on ITV’s website missed the start of the tournament. | All 64 World Cup matches are being shown live on TV, with ITV and BBC splitting the rights to show the matches on both their traditional channels and respective online services. Unfortunately, a glitch at the opening meant some people streaming the match on ITV’s website missed the start of the tournament. |
| The larger chains are tempting fans not only with wall-to-wall TV screens but also special offers on food and drink. Fullers’ “The Beautiful Game” offer has “dips and chips” and “World Cup burgers” based on sauce flavours representing participating countries. | The larger chains are tempting fans not only with wall-to-wall TV screens but also special offers on food and drink. Fullers’ “The Beautiful Game” offer has “dips and chips” and “World Cup burgers” based on sauce flavours representing participating countries. |
| Wetherspoons – which serves an estimated 2 million customers every week in its 880 pubs – is offering a wide range of beers, including European brews that tie in with countries competing, and encouraging customers to pair their chosen drinks accordingly. Mitchells & Butlers’ O’Neill’s “live sport” bars are inviting fans to book online in order to “grab great deals on buckets of beers, crafts and ciders as well as bottles of spirits and mixers”. | Wetherspoons – which serves an estimated 2 million customers every week in its 880 pubs – is offering a wide range of beers, including European brews that tie in with countries competing, and encouraging customers to pair their chosen drinks accordingly. Mitchells & Butlers’ O’Neill’s “live sport” bars are inviting fans to book online in order to “grab great deals on buckets of beers, crafts and ciders as well as bottles of spirits and mixers”. |
| On a smaller scale, in Hackney, east London, renowned gastropub The Marksman – Michelin’s pub of the year in 2017 – will be screening the England games to accompany its £30 tasting menu. | On a smaller scale, in Hackney, east London, renowned gastropub The Marksman – Michelin’s pub of the year in 2017 – will be screening the England games to accompany its £30 tasting menu. |
| But in city centres traditional pubs also face stiff competition from themed, air-conditioned sports bars, pop-ups and free, giant open-air screens in public areas. Flat Iron Square in London Bridge, for example, will boast two giant screens – one indoor and one outdoor. And Manchester235’s brand new Carlsberg Sports Bar bills itself as a “dedicated sports hub”, boasting a 70sq ft screen, with several more spread around the bar. | But in city centres traditional pubs also face stiff competition from themed, air-conditioned sports bars, pop-ups and free, giant open-air screens in public areas. Flat Iron Square in London Bridge, for example, will boast two giant screens – one indoor and one outdoor. And Manchester235’s brand new Carlsberg Sports Bar bills itself as a “dedicated sports hub”, boasting a 70sq ft screen, with several more spread around the bar. |
| The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) predicts that England group matches will entice many extra drinkers through its members’ doors. Representing Britain’s brewers and pub companies, its members account for about 90% of beer brewed in Britain and own about 20,000 pubs. | The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) predicts that England group matches will entice many extra drinkers through its members’ doors. Representing Britain’s brewers and pub companies, its members account for about 90% of beer brewed in Britain and own about 20,000 pubs. |
| Those extra drinks during the group stages could provide a boost of £42m to the economy, it says. With the friendly timings of England’s group stage fixtures meaning that the Three Lions will play Tunisia and Belgium in the evenings and Panama at the weekend, the BBPA is hopeful that the British pub will appeal. | Those extra drinks during the group stages could provide a boost of £42m to the economy, it says. With the friendly timings of England’s group stage fixtures meaning that the Three Lions will play Tunisia and Belgium in the evenings and Panama at the weekend, the BBPA is hopeful that the British pub will appeal. |
| “While video on demand is available on a range of devices there’s still no better place to enjoy live sport on the TV than at the great British pub,” said Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the BBPA. | “While video on demand is available on a range of devices there’s still no better place to enjoy live sport on the TV than at the great British pub,” said Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the BBPA. |
| “Only being at the game itself can compare with being in the pub, which is why we expect millions of fans to go to their local to watch the football … we predict sales of 14 million extra pints from England’s group stage games alone.” | “Only being at the game itself can compare with being in the pub, which is why we expect millions of fans to go to their local to watch the football … we predict sales of 14 million extra pints from England’s group stage games alone.” |
| As those fans not tempted by the pub prepare to hunker down at home for their football viewing, Tesco predicts it will sell nearly 140 million bottles and cans of beer and more than 2 million pizzas during the tournament. | As those fans not tempted by the pub prepare to hunker down at home for their football viewing, Tesco predicts it will sell nearly 140 million bottles and cans of beer and more than 2 million pizzas during the tournament. |
| But as an antidote to World Cup fever, some pubs hope to capitalise on their status as “football-free” zones offering an oasis of peace and tranquillity. Among them is the Jerusalem Tavern in Clerkenwell, London, regularly listed among the capital’s finest pubs and the city’s only outlet for the Suffolk-based St Peter’s Brewery. | But as an antidote to World Cup fever, some pubs hope to capitalise on their status as “football-free” zones offering an oasis of peace and tranquillity. Among them is the Jerusalem Tavern in Clerkenwell, London, regularly listed among the capital’s finest pubs and the city’s only outlet for the Suffolk-based St Peter’s Brewery. |
| “Not every pub is football crazy and we want to offer our customers the chance to escape from it and still have a nice quiet pint,” said general manager Dan Lucas. “I’ve worked for pub companies which invested thousands in new TVs in previous years, only for everyone to lose interest as soon as England were eliminated.” | “Not every pub is football crazy and we want to offer our customers the chance to escape from it and still have a nice quiet pint,” said general manager Dan Lucas. “I’ve worked for pub companies which invested thousands in new TVs in previous years, only for everyone to lose interest as soon as England were eliminated.” |
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