Now in it’s 10th year the British pub & inn guide wants to celebrate by giving pubs & inns across the UK an opportunity to use a promotional offer scheme to win more business without giving any of their profits away.

The last 5 years has seen a prolific growth in people using internet booking systems and more recently voucher code promotions supplied by third party businesses.

These businesses have been smart to provide the service but the service has nothing to offer pubs and inns of benefit.

A recent report from a British pub claimed they made approx 10p after the promotion was applied. Most pubs entering into these types of coupon and voucher promotions are struggling and in desperation, the last thing they need is for a company to capitalise from a failing business.

One pub in York has been using Groupon for the last 2 months and whilst there are claims the promotions are bring in repeat business the pub also recognises that there is no money being made on these promotions.

Another pub has recently received a tremendous about of interest on a voucher code offer but the jury is still out on whether it was a success.

Pubs still struggling to stay open are finding it difficult to give up these services as they rely on them to bring in enough business just to keep open.

This method of marketing is not sustainable for any type of business but because pubs rely on cash flow this is sometimes the only option, as the promotions do not require money upfront.

No one is to blame, it’s an opportunity technology has opened up for new businesses to provide such a service, yet this type of marketing isn’t in the favour of the business offering the product and service so, it’s the wrong type of marketing, says Peter Jones the marketing director of pub Rooms.

It is a simple case of ill thought out marketing strategies from the very beginning of the business’ life. It is easy for a business to pay someone after they have brought in the business. But it’s not so easy to actually bring in the business and pay before it happens. It’s a mistake to believe free marketing is the best marketing.

If you have a strong brand, strong product, strong service and provide all this with a smile, go out and tell the World what you do!

Why would you want to cheapen your product and service and bring in customers that will never return once they’ve had your offer.

It’s not until after the business has been and gone and the commissions are paid that the business realises they are either working for very little or practically nothing. The worst case examples have been reported by businesses using a coupon services taking at least 40% from the participating businesses, leaving them with as little as 10p profit for each customer received. Compared with what is paid out to the coupon promotion service it is clear to see who the real winners are.

For years Pub Rooms has been informing pubs and inns that they must do more to bring in the business and enquiries directly.

For some reason the pub sector has not been quick to benefit from internet marketing and now it seems those struggling are choosing the wrong methods to market their pub offers, whether they be food accommodation or both.

Pub Rooms is one of a few successful Pub & Inns guides offering visitors the option to deal with the Pubs and Inns directly. It’s down to the Pub to promote their offers on the Pub Rooms internet guide by logging in and publishing their offers.

In a bid to help pubs and inns stay open Pub Rooms is offering a helping hand to struggling pubs, please call 0845 388 1071 to learn how your traditional pub and inn can be helped with internet marketing that works.

For the last 10 years the penny has been slowly dropping that customers no longer wait for pub doors to open, with the possible exception of Wetherpoon pubs.

Real life customers research pubs on the internet before visiting in person or meeting up in groups.  Men no longer go out on their own and pubs are much more family orientated.

It’s for all these reasons and the lack of use of internet marketing that Pub Rooms has joined forces with Smarter Pub to provide help for pubs across the UK.

As each failed pub closes another penny drops but only after it’s too late.  The route cause isn’t the ban on smoking and super markets selling cheap booze.  The route cause is much more simple.
Landlords are not marketing professionals and fail to take advise from experienced marketing people.

Whilst the big players with big marketing budgets go from strength to strength it is clear to see the why they are winners.

Both Fullers and Greene King have just anounced record profist during Christmas 2011 and so has Oakham Inns and Restuarants, so why are they any different?  How can one pub take nearly £70k in one week and another struggle to bring this amount in during the entire year?    Is it really down to marketing.

Being able to throw a marketing agency budget weight behind a good product is easy enough.  Having the good product and service in the first instance is the hard part. The public know what they want so are the any better off knowing what they already knew by smart marketing campaigns.  The Greene King £1.5M campaign to promote real proper pubs almost fell on deaf ears but something worked for them to make a record profit in such tough ecomonic times.

The Flaming Grills and the Sizzling pubs not including Wetherspoon pubs are practically on every high street.

With high visibility the public can see what’s on offer.  The internet is more important when fidning something a bit different is the objective.

This is something the Free House pubs have failed to realise over the last 5 years.  Or at least the ones not able to stay open.

It’s not the reason why so many have failed but it does beg the question, how many would still be open had punters found out about what was on offer through simple internet marketing.

And whilst internet sales on the High Streets indicate gloomy times ahead, is it going to be the same for the pubs and bars on British High Streets during 2012, tougher business.

Possibly not.  Ask the same question about rural and community pubs and the answer is somewhat blurred.

Just as out of town shopping centres (along with internet shopping) has practically killed off local town shopping, small town pubs are suffering too.

Can a website for a pub save it from falling footfall and closure.

The average landlord thinks not, yet landords using the internet to market their pub have a different story to tell.

And so does AM Communications, the internet solution behind Pub Rooms. With a multitude of pub and hotel websites benefitting from internet marketing supplied by AM Communications the message is simple.  Get your website visible and clearly display what’s on offer.  It can only lead to positive things.

This is only suitable if the pub truly has a genuine good offer with great service.  You would need a black arts magician to take a poor service and poor product to market and come back with record sales.

Get up to speed fast with internet marketing, tell your customers what is on offer and take enquiries directly instead of receiving enquiries from third party booking services.

The marketing starts with introducing the core principles of internet marketing.  There are 8 modules to understanding a winning strategy.

Bite size chunks of information that will help any pub website with little traffic to gain high quality traffic that will convert into footfall.

To find out more please contact Peter Jones on 0787 2121 998 quoting smarter pub

Founded in 2002, the 10 year anniversary has plenty of surprises in store.

Introducing the pub food chalk board menu and new look venue finder are just two planned up-dates for 2012.

The new look Pub Rooms website will take on a new design early in 2012 and will have an integrated update system for pub owners.

The British pub and inn guide previously listed venues with basic contact details images and telephone numbers the internet has changed dramatcially in the last 3 years, contact details are more than just phone numbers in todays internet World.

The biggest challenge for pub owners and inn keepers in the UK is to embrace website and internet marketing ensuring they keep their online profiles up to-date across the multiple platforms and channels that bring in new business and win new customers.

Look at any pub page on Facebook and out of 20 randomly selected pages at least 50% will have out of date information, in some cases as far back at one year.

Most websites have Christmas menus added at the end of Summer but still have offers for the current year Mothers day specials.

This is the type of message that indicates the pub is closed and with the trend in pubs closing in the UK it’s easy for a website visitor to assume the pub is closed.

Pubs listed on the British Pub Rooms guide are open and up-dated.

It’s been one of the single biggest points of failure for the pub industry, inparticualr for both free houses and tenanted pubs and inns.  With little to no support from the landlords, tenants are never sure how much to invest in their online presence and that refers to both time and money.  Managed houses across the UK have strong identies supported by the pub brands owners.  You only need to look at the number of likes on facebook for sizzling pubs for the penny to drop.

The biggest problem any website faces is the lack of importance assigned to keeping it up to date.

A new initiative Pub Rooms will be introducing in 2012 to combat this so that local pub and inn owners can keep visitors informed will be from its new android app.

The choice of app was a simple decision.  Facebook has it’s core app in the form of pages and social graph.  Apps that are pre-installed are difficult to compete with.  A stand alone app that is driven by consumer choice is a different animal altogether.  Just as getting pub owners to up date their websites is a challenge, getting them to use a (smart) mobile phone and download an app to update a website would be like climbing Everest.

Claims of success  have been made by online pubs websites such as Pub n Bar network yet their chosen app was for iphone users and here lies the problem, which smart phone is the landlords choice and which is the smartest for updating websites of the future.  So visitors can find the right information.

It’s simple, it’s all about being found and being contacted for the right reasons.

With the emphasis on being contacted directly.  Beer in the Evening for example does not provide links or direct contact telephone numbers for the pubs listed in its directory.  Just as Pub n Bar Network only allows visitors to use the contact form which doesn’t just go to the venue the visitor thinks they are contacting but a handful of different venues in the wider area also receive the request for venue information.

Pub and Inn owners have been slow to use the internet to increase footfall and awareness to their venues.

Working closely within pub industry for the last 4 years and being a customer for over 20 years the pub rooms team has witnessed several key areas where landlords have failed to embrace technology that if used properly would bolster and increase much needed footfall.

People’s habits are changing too.
Going out less due to gloomy economic conditions in the UK means it’s tough in all corners when trying to get customers into the restaurants and bars across the UK.

One of the biggest challenges for any pub owner is keeping on top of up-dating their daily offers.  Seasonal offers can be managed easily but the daily food menu for example can be neglected.

The new app is still in beta test stage and will be launced in early 2012 when it is hoped pub owners will embrace the power of the internet it can have for bringing in the customers from near and far.

The future holds many challenges for Great British pubs and inns not least those that are only pubs.

The Pubs and Inns that adapted to the change in consumer demands are hanging in whilst the economic downturn of 2007 takes another bite from those already less well off.  Yet it seems the old English inns of old know how to put on the charm offensive. It’s a simple strategy. Provide great food and drink and serve it well and surprise surprise the customers keep returning. The big pub brand chains swiftly changed approach a few years back knowing that the smokers ban and cheap drinks sold through the super markets would only reduce the footfall and profit previously enjoyed by selling drinks over the counter.
The pubs and inn trade is mostly about food now so the introduction of the new Food menu will provide visitors with more information and choice.

Milestones of Pub Rooms
Restructure content to ensure details were accurate and according to location, pub inn type and respective venue facilities
Refreshed data and up-dated information 2008
The addition of Google maps and video came in 2008
Integrated Google maps feature 2009 (Activated by pub owners and inn keepers.)
The integrated twitter update facility for pubs and inn owners was launched at the end of 2010.
Integrated full search site wide for criteria function rooms, accommodation, seaside locations.
Direct contact form and counter

The core principles of Pub Rooms has always been to provide Pub owners and Inn Keepers with a facility to show visitors current information and for them to be contacted directly and not by a commission based booking system.  It’s an attempt to but the human into the website.

Established in 2002 as web guide and reference for British pubs and inns with accommodation and rooms to hire the new integrated app allows pub owners and inn keepers to up-date their details via their mobile phone.

For information on using this app please contact Pub Rooms directly

Although we do hear more happy stories than not.  Mainly because we’re talking mostly to pubs that are doing well.

Of course the pubs and bars that are struggling are not just managed by big companies.

Who are also struggling during this prolonged period of downturn.  How much tougher it’s going to get for pubs and bars in the coming months is yet to be seen.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15834983

Someone called last week and said the landlord was complaing that the brewery was selling beer cheaper to a pub down the road and it was a freehouse.

This was after the customer questioned the price of the pint.

I said he has to say something that justifys the price of the pint.

How do you know what he was saying was true!

A hardship story sounds better than him just saying, that’s the price mate, like it or leave it.  In truth that is basically what he is saying.

I have made this point time and time again.  Prices go up and you have to pay the price if you want the goods or service.  Pub Rooms has kept it’s price the same for 2 years, it’s a flat rate 23.99 a month

The guy that called from Dublin for accommodation in London last week so he and his brother could come over for his fathers funeral said he could not believe the prices for accommodation.

And made the point that there was a recession on and prices should be cheaper!

He could not believe 1 night was costling over £80

So I explained some simple economics -

When there is less demand prices go up.

The people that can afford it or need it will pay the extra thus compensating the volume of sales and keeping the turnover constant.

This cycle continues and when the downturn is over the prices stay high and the businesses go through another boom.

Who understands this and who stays in business is another story.

I saw an ad spend a few weeks back for a local newspaper and was shocked the pub was paying over £400 a month for newspaper ads still!

We know for a fact these ads no longer work based on cost and return.

If you’re a pub or bar struggling to attract customers take a look at the bars around you that are doing well and try and follow suit.  If you’re still finding it difficult to understand how to achieve a successful website marketing strategy for your pub ask someone for help call 01827 714753 who designs pub websites.

The Pub Good Guide for many years has been responsible for publishing reliable and consistent content for pubs and inns across the UK and for free. Free that is up until now.

Although the publication is not free to buy, so there is a point to be made that a product is being sold off the review of other businesses. However this point is not raised here simply because printed publication sales numbers are reaching all time lows whilst readers migrate to internet based publications.

From 2012 the Pub Guide will be charging an annual subscription for listing, reviewing and features pubs in the guide.

This has caused an outrage for many pub owners if not for one reason only, they have to put their hand in the wallet yet again to pay to promote their pub venue.

If a publication has been providing a free service for many years the chances are it has been subsidised for doing so.

Times have changed, the digital media age combined with the information age combined with technological advancement means the New Media Age is maturing very quickly. In business terms this simply means the way a business puts it’s message across to the people it wants to spend money with it has to do it differently.

Or put another way, the customers are not looking at what they previously did to decide where to go and spend their money.

Print costs have not come down but advertisers have migrated to the internet. It hasn’t happened over night so why are pubs crying unfair for a cost that is not massive given the potential returns.

One Country pub in Oxfordshire according to the Daily Mail reporter Valerie+Elliott claims the reference in the Good Pub Guide can mean an extra £30K a year in money coming in from visitors from outside their comfort ‘locals’ zone.

The reporter who picked up the story seemed to have been talking to possible known thieves. One person she interviewed clearly said he would flick through the publication but had no intention of paying for it. So how will he get his grubby paws on the shiny new edition of the Good Pub Guide I wonder, maybe there is a copy in his local pub!

A keen pubgoer Ian from St Albans, who often flicks through the guide, was shocked to learn pubs had been asked to pay. He said: ‘I’ll certainly be very dubious and suspicious about the guide. I’ll look at each entry with a critical eye, I certainly wouldn’t buy a copy.’

Why someone paying to be listed in a directory compared to be listed for free should effect the way they are viewed is somewhat mind boggling. Surely somewhere reviewed is reviewed objectively. If there are special claims made that are not true by the publication because pubs are paying then that’s a different story altogether.

The story here is about pubs still not grasping that the World has changed and the customers that once came to their pub have changed too. Even The Good Pub Guide admits that consumer demand makes the printed version difficult to produce without incurring resources it simply doesn’t have. If you can’t do it don’t and let someone else do it.

There are several good pub guides that are constantly reviewed and up-dated by the respective publishers in association with pub owners whilst all the pubs pay for the privilege to do so.

So why do ‘some’ pubs feel they are owed free advertising and marketing no other business expects free marketing and free advertising. As much as business owners try to get it for free the effort put in is mostly energy wasted on identifying channels that work and just pay the money.

If the pubs reviewed by the Good Pub Guide are contacted after anonymous visits and told they are being put in the guide because they are a great pub surely that’s enough to say yes and ask what the expected returns on advertisng are. It’s how most respectable pub guides work. And how businesses assess their marketing.

Should Pubs have to pay to be in the Good Pub Guide?
Is the Good Pub Guide really the bible for all UK pubs?

Ironically since drafting this there have been replies to the article wriiten and published by the Daily Mail.

EG,
The Good Pub Guide is not the bible for pubs as claimed, that accolade goes to CAMRAs Good Beer Guide which is a far superior production and is based on democratic voting by a membership of 129,000 and any member of the public can put forward a pub for consideration. No charges for landlords, never has been, never will be. The Good Pub Guide is publication for those that want a pub with no guarantee on the most important thing beer quality.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2041555/A-write-Good-Pub-Guide-That-200–landlords-revolt-ransom.html#ixzz1Z2nmbTv1

We contacted Neil Kelso, who runs the Victoria in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, a fixture in the guide for the 17 years, is among those who have refused to pay. Neil wasn’t around but Graham backed up Neils views along with pointing out his pub is consumer focused and that’s why they customers keep coming back and not because they read about it in an offline printed pub guide.

Social Media such as Facebook is also having an impact with consumers and these are all things they are keeping an eye on.
The views Neil made during his interview with the Daily Mail were intriguing ‘It really is pointless to pay to be in a guide that is supposed to be driven by consumer opinion. There is a principle at stake here. I really feel pubs are being held to ransom over this.’

if you are a smart pub and you want to be social LIKE www.facebook.com/britishpubs and be social.

Internet searches and social media all playing a vital role in promoting your business (whether it’s a local pub or country inn it’s a business you need to tell everyone about).

London pubs and city pubs and bars in general can be comforted by large numbers of footfall.

Increasing footfall for a rural country pub is not easy and a challenge for the most ardent pub marketing expert. Talking of pub marketing experts, in recent times there seems to be a flurry of such professionals and needless to say most are not what they claim to be so be warned.

If you are a licencee the brewery or pub co will provide some form of business support and at the very least they should be close at hand to answer any questions and to provide some marketing tips.

Arknells recently launched a twitter tip a day campaign to help start-up pub landlords with customer retention by offering things like free toast with a cup of coffee. This is great but it does seem to be a hollow gesture with no real substance to supporting pubs in tough times.

Real marketing efforts should be centred around great pub food offers and pub services that are in place and provided to customers with no compromises to what is on offer.

If a pub is serving good food and drinks then it’s simple – shout about it. Get you pub website updated often and make it relevant. Get your annual diary in shape with all the seasonal events of the year and focus on bring your customers attention to offers around these dates. Use online ad services such as google adwords. Use all the social media you can or at least understand and broadcast your message through your accounts.

If you have no time to do this pay someone to do it. Paid for services will save a stitch in time and pay dividends. We are living in a world where the best places to eat and drink broadcast their offers online, so it’s not just about marketing your pub for offers it’s about telling customers far and near you are still open for business.

So easy to let time slip by without planning your weekly events for your customers, running a pub is a busy full time affair. If you have a steady flow of customers it may even pay off to employ a bar and food manager so you can get on with the marketing. marketing your pub can be a full time job but don’t make this mistake, seek advise and let an experienced website marketer create a cost effective marketing for you.

How to Promote my Pub can be contacted using the Smarter Pub contact form.

Each month there are 10 slots for pubs with offers especially good food offers to promote.

High visibility and plenty of enquiries to be had. You have to be quick because they will go quickly. February was book in advance before the end of November. So what is the lesson here? Think ahead, plan ahead and enjoy the customers walking through the door.

Let 2011 and beyond be the year your pub starts to market successfully.

There’s no accommodation at the Wild Duck but there is at the Queens Head and the Salmon Tail two very pleasant places to eat, drink and stay. The food served in practically all the pubs is good value and wholesome.  But there is competition and lots of choice when it comes to dining, it’s not just the pubs that offer good food.

It’s not that there is a shortage of fine dining in Stratford but the food in pubs does on average tend to be exactly that, average.

Some of the pubs further a field make a real effort to serve great home cooked food and the Blue Boar is one of them, however it’s a short drive out of Stratford centre but in my opinion a drive worth the effort.  Along with the great food at the Blue Boar is a warm welcome from the staff and the accommodation should you be staying is first class for the price.

The centre of Stratford offers a range of accommodation types and it’s the guest houses and bed and breakfasts that cater for the large percentage of tourism. The only other pub in Stratford with bed and breakfast is the Swan which is a modern pub and most enjoyable to just sit in a corner with friends and chill out.

Just a little further out of Stratfords busy little town there is a great pub called The Golden Cross and its sister pub The Stag can be found on the Alcester road both provide pleasant accommodation.

The UK spoon fed couch potatoes lap it up like it’s milk and honey.

STOP eating food STOP eating delicious cod and chips, eat more oily bony fish. It’s just horrendous that the chefs take every opportunity to gain publicity to enhance their inflated celebrity chef status.

The more they ‘Gordon Ram-sey’ down our throats the more air time they seem to get, it’s like a media frenzy shark attack.  In reality if they wanted to be politicians why didn’t they pursue that as a career.  Give up cooking now and go and get elected to be a local politician and then lobby the public.

Stop telling us what to eat and start cooking, you’re chefs not stuffed potatoes with extra portions of created processed cheese.

As for the fishermen, get a backbone and land the cod. Land it and sell it and let us have fish and chips on our plates at prices that are not ridiculous. Rich Steins fish and chip shop in Padstow is a blatant abuse of celebrity chef status, it would be cheaper to hire a small boat and go fishing for the day to feed a small family with fish and chis compared to his prices.

Are we really as a nation going to stop buying cod and haddock? Is the UK going to go bonkers and relinquish was is almost a natural heritage. A fish and chips supper is a Cod and Chips or a Haddock and chips not a mackerel in a bap.

Come on Britain fight back against the fish fight and enjoy a proper fish and chips meal and don’t forget the mushy peas and a nice pint of beer, preferably real ale slightly chilled. Hmmm a tasty pint of Fullers London Pride and fish and chips.

An updated list of pubs in London not prepared to stop serving proper fish and chips will not be appearing here.

Young’s have been providing great locations and services for many years so choosing one of the Young’s pubs for your party this year will be a safe bet.

* Balham
* The Devonshire
* Grove
* Nightingale

* Barnes
* Coach and Horses
* White Hart

* Battersea
* Duke of Cambridge

* Bayswater
* Porchester

* Beddington
* Plough

* Betchworth
* Dolphin Inn

* Bloomsbury
* Lamb

* Bognor Regis
* Waverley

* Borough
* Bunch of Grapes

* Bow
* Coborn Arms

* Brighton
* Seven Stars

* Bristol
* Highbury Vaults
* Horts
* Lock Keeper
* White Hart

* Brixton
* Trinity Arms

* Burnham on Sea
* Dunstan House Inn

* Camden
* Spread Eagle

* Carshalton
* Greyhound Hotel

* Chelmsford
* Riverside Inn

* Chelsea
* Coopers Arms
* Hollywood Arms
* Kings Arms

* Chertsey
* Crown Hotel

* Chichester
* Crown and Anchor

* Chislehurst
* Bulls Head Hotel

* City of London
* City House
* Lamb Tavern
* Albion
* Elephant
* Dirty Dicks
* Paternoster

* Clapham
* Windmill on the Common

* Claygate
* Foley Arms

* Croydon
* Dog and Bull

* Ealing
* Grange

* Earlsfield
* Halfway House
* Leather Bottle

* East Sheen
* Hare and Hounds

* Esher
* Bear Inn

* Exeter
* City Gate Hotel
* Double Locks

* Exmouth
* Grove

* Farnborough
* Rose and Crown

* Fetcham
* Bell

* Fulham
* Duke on the Green
* Waterside Fulham
* Cock and Hen

* Greenford
* Bridge Hotel

* Greenwich
* Richard the First

* Hammersmith
* Thatched House
* Brook Green Hotel
* Hammersmith Ram
* Old Ship W6

* Hampstead
* Flask
* Roebuck

* Hendon
* The Beaufort Pub & Dining

* Kensington
* Britannia

* Kingston Upon Thames
* Spring Grove

* Kingston-upon-Thames
* Bishop out of Residence

* LEE
* The Crown

* Lancaster Gate
* Mitre

* Leatherhead
* Penny Black

* Maida Vale
* Prince Alfred

* Mayfair
* Guinea
* Windmill

* Moorgate
* Master Gunner

* Norbiton
* Albert

* Notting Hill
* Duke of Wellington

* Oxford
* Kings Arms

* Oxshott
* Bear

* Primrose Hill
* Queens

* Putney
* Boathouse
* Duke’s Head
* Green Man
* Spotted Horse

* Radlett
* Red Lion Hotel

* Redhill
* Home Cottage

* Richmond
* Coach and Horses Hotel
* Lass O Richmond Hill
* Old Ship
* Orange Tree
* White Cross
* Marlborough
* Mitre

* Shaftesbury
* Mitre

* Shepherds Bush
* Stinging Nettle

* Sherfield on Loddon
* White Hart

* Southbank
* Mulberry Bush

* Southwark
* Clock House
* Dulwich Woodhouse
* Founders Arms

* Streatham
* Pied Bull

* Surbiton
* Victoria

* Twickenham
* Alexander Pope

* Vauxhall
* Riverside

* Wallington
* Duke’s Head

* Walton on Thames
* The Swan

* Walton on the Hill
* Chequers

* Wandsworth
* Alma
* Brewers Inn
* County Arms
* Queen Adelaide
* Ship
* Waterfront

* West End
* One Tun
* Marquess of Anglesey

* Westminster
* Buckingham Arms
* Morpeth Arms

* Weybridge
* Hand and Spear

* Wimbledon
* Alexandra
* Crooked Billet
* Dog and Fox
* Fire Stables
* Rose and Crown

* Wimbledon Common
* Hand in Hand

* Woolwich
* Dial Arch

People fall in to different groups.

A pin stripe suit in a spit and sawdust pub would indicate a morning in court but not as a solicitor right?

Chavs eat in murder burgers at fast food takeaway joints, nouveau rich live it up in top class pubs with ping food.

Is your food a cut above the rest or is it good hearty honest home cooked fair priced grub and your customers keep coming back for more.

The real test is if people make the effort to get to you from afar.

I recall going to Whitby only for the Magpie’s Fish and Chips. It was worth it, although queuing outside for 20 minutes to get a (shared table) wasn’t fun and the conversation from the retired worm farmer wasn’t our cup of tea either.

The Fish pie was great and who knows after 8 years we may go back and see if it still lives up to its reputation.

Ok, business time, Food is the big deal these days and will be for the foreseeable future, we all need to eat but we don’t all need to get pissed, sorry micro breweries its the law of nature in tough times.

Wallets will be thinner in the coming 2 years at least. Whilst the price of everything is going up, not just University fees!

So how do you get your punters in and keep them coming back for more.

You want me to say website don’t you? Forget websites for one moment. It’s not just about having a good looking pub website with up to date fresh information it’s about distributing your message and getting it as far away as is possible, it’s about brand and image. It’s about your service and your welcoming smile.

Only the places that push without trying become successful and when they become good at what they do best everyone talks about it.

Have you been to the Dog and Duck or is it the fat Duck?

Yes, that landlord is a right character! The food is heaven, you tried the real ale and streaky bacon pie, it’s all home made food you know, he even makes his own 6X trifle and cream.

So, do you make your own food, is it cooked fresh on the day or prepped so it is fresh for the day. We want to know all about your food and pub food menu. We’ll be running a competition and we’ll be telling the world about your pub food.

To register an interest in being part of the best pub food awards simply register your pub here and we’ll send more details. Get your pub food menus and offers in front of your customers and lets get their vote.

The best pint pulled awards will be revealed in the coming weeks.