Running a Pub

[Grimreepah]

A friend of mine has just bought a pub/nightclub. I am just wanting to see if anyone has had any experience as a publican and what advice they might have. I am also interested in what the general public looks for when they go into a pub/nightclub and if they have any creative ideas that might be of interest.

Thankyou in advance.

 

[Roddy]

Put live original bands on.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

If he has allready purchased he would have (hopefully anyway) allready done this, but:

Know your niche. Know who comes to your bar/club, what sort of music they like (live/recorded/dance/rock/background/overbearing/etc), what they drink, the atmosphere they want. Know why these people choose to come here, and not your competitors.

Who is the nearest competitor, the biggest? What advantages do they have over you? How can you reduce/overcome these advantages? Importantly, don't try and 'be' your competitor.

If you want to change your clientele, be prepared for a long, hard slog with large chance of failure. You can build on your clientele (widening net through varying attractions). For a rapid increase, offer lots of cheap drinks, but be prepared - you'll win the uni crowd, but drive away the 'stayers'. Once prices return to normal, the uni crowd will most likely move on.

Get good staff. Pay above award to 'poach' staff from other establishments if needed. Good looking bar staff (male and female) are important. Bouncers need a sense-of-humour - they can be big, but have to be approachable to.

Never, ever run out of alcohol, music, or staff. If you have surplus staff, send some out on cleaning runs (most clubs always full of empties, etc). Send some hottie staff members out to dance (if that kind of place).

Become involved in reward schemes (drinks cards, multi-visits, etc).
Set up hosting facilities (Bucks/Hens, 18th/21st/30th/40th/etc.

there's some more ideas for you.

 

[Papa G]

Don't drink the profits

 

[Dazman]

Put live original bands on.

Cover bands are better

 

[Roddy]

Cover bands are better

Hope you're joshing....

 

[Bombers 2003]

Don't drink the profits

I've known a few pub owners who have done that.

 

[nicho_magic]

If he has allready purchased he would have (hopefully anyway) allready done this, but:

Know your niche. Know who comes to your bar/club, what sort of music they like (live/recorded/dance/rock/background/overbearing/etc), what they drink, the atmosphere they want. Know why these people choose to come here, and not your competitors.

Who is the nearest competitor, the biggest? What advantages do they have over you? How can you reduce/overcome these advantages? Importantly, don't try and 'be' your competitor.

If you want to change your clientele, be prepared for a long, hard slog with large chance of failure. You can build on your clientele (widening net through varying attractions). For a rapid increase, offer lots of cheap drinks, but be prepared - you'll win the uni crowd, but drive away the 'stayers'. Once prices return to normal, the uni crowd will most likely move on.

Get good staff. Pay above award to 'poach' staff from other establishments if needed. Good looking bar staff (male and female) are important. Bouncers need a sense-of-humour - they can be big, but have to be approachable to.

Never, ever run out of alcohol, music, or staff. If you have surplus staff, send some out on cleaning runs (most clubs always full of empties, etc). Send some hottie staff members out to dance (if that kind of place).

Become involved in reward schemes (drinks cards, multi-visits, etc).
Set up hosting facilities (Bucks/Hens, 18th/21st/30th/40th/etc.

there's some more ideas for you.

great suggestions
i have a pub near me, that tried to target everyone... it is in the process of failing drastically

 

[Roddy]

Put Guinness on tap, some Irish posters up on the walls, call it 'The Blarney' or 'O'Rielley's' or something along those lines, and BANG! Instant Irish pub, and sure fire success in Australia!!!
It doesn't even matter if your bar staff say 'G'day mate, owyagoin'?'......

 

[Ghostwriter]

Don't expect bar staff to be security gaurds.

 

[Monkster]

Hope you're joshing....

A good covers band is fantastic, big fan.

 

[Deegle]

Be well aware of the upcoming changes to the smoking laws in relation to the public bar area, that is i think from June 07 all smoking bars must provide for an outdoor smoking area so yeah get that sorted as soon as u can if not already done.

 

[Grimreepah]

Be well aware of the upcoming changes to the smoking laws in relation to the public bar area, that is i think from June 07 all smoking bars must provide for an outdoor smoking area so yeah get that sorted as soon as u can if not already done.

That was in place from July this year, and it's already hurting the pub in question, especially with daytime custom.

BTW thanks again to all who have offered suggestions so far.

 

[Monkster]

That was in place from July this year, and it's already hurting the pub in question, especially with daytime custom.

Invite Robbie Williams to the pub

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20926569-661,00.html

 

[TuskenRaider]

No. 1 - Make sure bar staff have half a brain, look good and love pouring as many beers as they can as quickly as possible. The worst thing you can have is a "pub with no beer". A sure fire way to suffer.

 

[Grimreepah]

No. 1 - Make sure bar staff have half a brain, look good and love pouring as many beers as they can as quickly as possible. The worst thing you can have is a "pub with no beer". A sure fire way to suffer.

I agree with looking good, but why do they need half a brain? Is it so that they can converse with customers? If so it could be argued that too much intelligence is indeed an impediment.

 

[Grimreepah]

By the way, the Pub in question is one of 4 pubs in a small country town, and it has the worst reputation of the lot and has the worst crowd of the lot. How do you turn around the image of a pub? (note: budget is not unlimited)

 

[Dazman]

Thats sounds like a daunting task.

 

[Dazman]

Hope you're joshing....

Cover bands are sweet as. All the songs played are mega hits and get the crowd going.

A pub/club I go to has an awesome reputation amongst the 18-25 crowd on a Friday night. They have the exact same cover band every week and the set list is almost the same. Gets crowded easily and everyone has a good time.

 

[Grimreepah]

Thats sounds like a daunting task.

Not for BigFooty

 

[Dazman]

What type of people go to the pub? Are the facilities good?

 

[Roddy]

Cover bands are sweet as. All the songs played are mega hits and get the crowd going.

A pub/club I go to has an awesome reputation amongst the 18-25 crowd on a Friday night. They have the exact same cover band every week and the set list is almost the same. Gets crowded easily and everyone has a good time.

Cover bands are the pits, leeching off the creativity of others, and claiming the credit. They think they're Rock Stars, but I don't even consider them musicians. They are mere pretenders....

 

[Grimreepah]

What type of people go to the pub?

Daytime is very quiet these days. Basically the odd passing truck driver, staff member or belching bum off the street.

I haven't spent much time in there at night. From what I have been told it does get relatively busy, but there is plenty of fights. I would say it is mainly frequented by people of low socioeconomic status.

Are the facilities good?

Despite being an old building, it is structurally sound, but there is a dreary atmosphere inside (poor lighting, no music, no people, etc). The building is higglety pigglety, with a red column here, a blue column there, one tile pattern here, one tile pattern there, one curtain here, etc.

Stage - good stage area (although small) and the main room has very good acoustics.

The bar - is probably the best part of the pub. The layout is a bit unusual but is all in good working order and is able to service different areas.

There is a beer garden outside. I agree with Simon Nesbit that the pub needs a point of difference, and the open spaces available are defintely a feature that other pubs don't have. It is also a large block of land so there is the possibility of expansion.

The commercial kitchen is of a high standard, but there is so little custom that the cook only comes intermittently. Overall the pub is running at a loss, but this seems particularly evident with the 'restaurant'.

Two pool tables - good condition.

Juke box - usually music isn't playing, but when it does it is old music. The other day when I went there Nat King Cole was playing

Toilets - not in good condition (not terrible either) but they are kept clean.

Accommodation - up to 15 rooms (about 3 by 3.5 metres). Is a bit 1960ish but is pretty much fully booked.