MAGAZINE

One of the many appealing qualities of this wonderful industry of ours is its dynamism – its variety, its eclectic nature. While managed outfits are of course less individual due to replication, the vastness of different styles and offers across on-trade outlets is, when you think about it, quite incredible. 

Occasionally, what these different formats and concepts allow for is broad comparison and assessment when it comes to where consumers are heading. Over the past month, the Pub & Bar news desk has been inundated with press releases detailing the financial performances of myriad businesses. Now, what you always have to remember is that it is usually only the ones doing well who want to shout about their numbers, unless its an obligation from various PLCs. 

However, what struck me when reporting on these financial updates is what style of business was falling a little short. It will be of no surprise that those operating in the late-night sector had worrying like-for-likes in their numbers, but is this the fault of the trading hours or the format/model? Arc Inspirations, for example, have late licences, but had a more than admirable festive season, with like-for-likes up 10.8%. If you look at the pub side of things, operators such as JW Lees, Marston’s, Fuller’s and Young’s were all between 10% and 11%, while J D Wetherspoon was at 6.1%. Are we seeing consumers voting with their feet? Are the slightly more premium pub projects in greater favour? 

While this is just a minor snapshot of figures and formats, it did make for interesting reading. Brands and concepts come and go, but the drive and progression of on-trade operators will always continue to deliver super models. 

Tristan O’Hana - Editor

P.S. Do you have a super model of your own? Is it the best in your county? Then you should enter the National Pub & Bar Awards by visiting: nationalpubandbarawards.co.uk