TOCA Social’s Post

The old boozer is back - but did it ever leave? If you, like us, have already given up on the Dry Jan chat and found yourself this weekend catching up with friends over a lovely pint then you might be interested in our latest insights.. With new films like Saltburn glamorising British pub culture, the latest Stella Artois’ X Palace pop-up collaboration and Martine Rose SS24 show taking place in a North London boozer - why is it that we seem to find pubs so charming? Other than sticky tables, pork scratchings and quenching pints, pubs are a quintessential part of British culture, a place of community and unity of all classes, ages and races, the pub is a place of meaning and belonging. From our perspective, pubs are synonymous with storytelling and a backdrop for brands, done authentically to foster connection. A staple of a nation’s culture over the last decade, the boozer has battled with the rise of experiential and trends towards drinking less. But its place has always remained, even if the attention may have waived.    With the UK’s foodie tastemakers (pardon the pun) such as TOPJAW LTD, now also including pubs in their reccos – like where to go for the perfect pint of Guinness, you have old haunts like the Bricklayer’s Arms in Shoreditch firmly back on the map. Plus with the ‘blokecore’ trend still hanging on for dear life, the classic boozer is always going to be the perfect backdrop to show off your boxfresh Wales Bonner Samba’s. And so in summary, pubs are seemingly back on the agenda - though for us they never really left. #culture #pubs #community

How does a new pub go from launch to being one of the biggest sellers of Guinness in the UK with dinner slots selling out faster than Taylor Swift tickets? The Devonshire, a new pub and restaurant in London, is one of the hottest spots in the world at the moment. This is a great story of how owner and Irishman Oisín Rogers has carefully crafted a world class hospitality business in one of the best served cities in the world. It's one of the most insightful business podcasts I've heard in a long time and a great interview by Dan Pope too. Key insights for me: ➡️ Oisin's deep respect for his customer base 'from the binman to the chairman'. ➡️ The idea of 'giving people stories they can take away and share' from the pub, seeding a breadcrumb trail of interesting things throughout that become little bits of word of mouth. ➡️ The importance of focusing on 'timelessness not trends' and getting the big things right (great Guinness and world class ingredients). ➡️ The deep research and insight he has done into what makes a pub great, including a sense of 'managed chaos' and realising that people actually don't want space, they want lots of nooks and snugs so that they can't be seen. ➡️ The insane level of focus and detail it takes to build something brilliant. Oisin refers to the sound levels in the pub, the type of Victorian wallpaper they've chosen, the old sign writer they got to create the look of a 100 year old exterior and the knives they meticulously sourced. Loads of juicy business, marketing and advertising lessons hidden in here. https://lnkd.in/eJ-PXtMr

Propel's Excellence in Pub & Bar Retailing Conference industry panel features Shepherd Neame managing director Jonathon Swaine, Greene King managing director Clair Preston-Beer, City Pub Group founder Clive Watson, Deborah Whittingham, employee director at JD Wetherspoon, and sector investor Luke Johnson. They talk about the challenge the sector faces in ensuring it maximises the performance of its pub assets in an era of declining alcohol sales. Quick quotes: Jonathan "Moderation, health and wellness is a longer term trend... lower ABV, zero alcohol... the pub model is a 1,000 years old and it will keep surviving... pub with rooms is an ancient concept... the managed pub soon will have a super exciting group of digital savvy managers." Luke "My sweet spot is somewhere I can make money... excellent book called Drunk which gives the case for alcohol, historically perhaps the licensed trade relied on heavy drinkers and the industry needs to adjust its proposition and provide a broader offering... new government: I am looking forward to a liberalisation of planning laws, if the Town and Country Act was junked the country would be a better place... I hope there is not to much more consolidation in the future because part of the joy of the pub industry is that it is relatively fragmented." Clair "Using customer data in how we create pubs is key and we are using it for estate planning... pubs are places to bring communities together... we have great, flexible spaces and our evolving our offer. Young people are living in a far more digital environment and are valuing social contact... we look at a number of different data points, we use HDI and Reputation and we do try and it use it on a hyper local level." Deborah "We appeal to all people, we still see a lot of young people in our pubs... people are eating more... Wetherspoon app is ever evolving... co-working happens in our venues." Clive "What I would differently is I would go for a leasehold model... I would embrace technology a lot more, order and pay. Doing a start up you can establish that from day one... whatever government comes in business rates must be reformed and become a sales tax... small pubs have to be wet led and close to footfall. The future is positive, before covid the young did not really want to mix with the old.. I think the young will be less precious about this in the future." 👉 Read the conference programme: https://lnkd.in/dwmVFMeE

ITS A BAR TAKEOVER!! But… what does that really mean? What does that really do? After orchestrating quite a few over the last few years I would like to explain my racional. I’ve been fortunate to have the platform, confidence and freedom at Proof Drinks to be able to organise these events to support key accounts. It delivers diversity in bars, to first hand see how others work and operate as bartenders learning new techniques. We can bring customer and revenue to a key customer’s venue that may be closed or quiet…absolute key in this climate! We get to build connections with our brand portfolio, making drinks that stand up on a global scale and speak to potential new brand partners. We support customers that have supported our brands through thick or thin as well as climate and staffing challenges. It showcases the talent in bars outside the generalised ‘London circuit’ that wouldn’t normally be put on the radar of the people judging regulated awarding programs. Lastly it’s about the fluid connection between brands and bars something that has been lost through the years but deep in the heart of my passion for the hospitality industry that I have been in most my life. #bartender #hospitalityindustry #drinksindustry

I just had to google who the footballer was 👀 But Chris Fletcher is on to something here and it’s very rare that the man is wrong. ✅It’s never over till it’s over ✅Be courteous ✅Listen to feedback! And to add my own… NEVER STOP LEARNING So.... you need to come and join us: 📆July 9th, 2024! ⏰2:00 PM to 6:00 PM 📍Dojo’s stunning rooftop in Paddington. We will be chatting and learning about payments and how to reduce costs and boost profitability. Insights from industry leaders including Chris Fletcher - Founder Tech On Toast, Nick Fryer CTO Dojo, Hans MJ Arthur - Enterprise Direct Sales Dojo, Mitz Motivates - Head Of IT Prezzo and Andy Maynard IT Director, The Restaurant Group Research shows that processing fees can take up to 2-4% of a restaurant's revenue. 😱 For small restaurants, these fees can significantly erode profit margins. 👎 Transparent payment solutions can reduce these costs by up to 30%, directly enhancing profitability and sustainability and you can learn how at our next event!✅ 👇Register Below! https://lnkd.in/efuEqQ6E

Morning all, So three things i learnt this week from Sport, well from England's football team, 1. Its never over till its over, keep trying and you will find a way to win, and if you don't then try hard anyway. Nothing more endearing than hard work and passion. 2. Be courteous to all, even if you don't connect, you never know who you might need going into the next stage of your career/life. 3. Listen to feedback, even though you think you know best, the reality is someone has been there before you and done it, and bears the scars and successes to prove it, so listen to them. On that last point we have some very smart people joining us a week today to talk about how you can improve costs and efficiencies in your restaurant, bar, hotel or any kind of customer facing environment that takes payment. 😀 The best segue ever? 🌟Rooftop Drinks with Dojo: Empowering Restaurants with Clear Solutions 🌟 So.... come and join us on July 9th, 2024, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Dojo’s stunning rooftop in Paddington. We will be chatting about payments and learning how to reduce costs and boost profitability. Insights from industry leaders including Chris Fletcher - Founder Tech On Toast, Nick Fryer - CTO Dojo, Hans MJ Arthur - Enterprise Direct Sales Dojo, Mitz Motivates Patel - Head Of IT Prezzo, and Andy Maynard - IT Director, The Restaurant Group. ❓Why Payment Fees Matter: Research shows that processing fees can take up to 2-4% of a restaurant's revenue. For small restaurants, these fees can significantly erode profit margins. Transparent payment solutions can reduce these costs by up to 30%, directly enhancing profitability and sustainability. Don’t miss this chance to gain valuable insights and network with peers in a spectacular setting overlooking the London skyline. 📍Location: Dojo Head Office Rooftop, Paddington, W2 1DG 👇Register Below! P.S Gareth Southgate also welcome. https://lnkd.in/efuEqQ6E

This week we spent a day undertaking a high level review of a PubCo. I walked into one of the pubs and was amazed by the quality of the property and high standards of service. Gulp - could we add value? The answer was an emphatic yes, by the end of the day we had worked through 10 key points that would have a significant impact on a business that was already performing very well, with a potential to deliver an extra 10% to the bottom line. #performanceexperts #hospitality #hiddenvalue

🍻 Pub closures seem to dominate the headlines, painting a picture that the days of the boozer are declining. It would be easy to believe that that the only venues that are achieving success are those who are more premium and food-focussed, such as those featured in the recent Top 50 gastropubs.🍽️🥂 The lack of focus given to community wet-led pubs is something that I’ve found fascinating for many years. Admittedly, these venues may not be the most instagrammable, but from a drink’s perspective at least, they continue to be where a large proportion of the volume and value sits, and they very much represent the beating heart of the on trade. It was encouraging therefore to read the comments in today’s Propel Friday News Briefing from William Rice, talking about how “…there is so much investment coming into the sector and that there is so much to be excited about that well invested and well-run pubs offering a quality experience is where people want to spend their money.” Craft Union Pub Company are a great example of a business which is investing in the sector, seeing their philosophy of putting brilliant pubs back at the heart of local communities well and truly paying dividends. Data from Hospitality Data Insights (HDI) shows that they’re the second biggest winner out of a cohort of 55 different Pubs & Bars chains over the last 5 years, with their overall share of wallet 2.7 times higher in the 12 weeks ending 6/2/24 than it was back in 2019. Their estate has grown significantly over this time, but a key part of their success is undoubtedly the fact that they have a relevant consumer proposition which is executed with brilliance – well-invested community pubs at the heart of their local communities. 🏆📈 Interested to know who took the number 1 spot in terms of growth over the last five years? Probably no surprise, but the brand that has seen the greatest growth over this period is Lounge from Loungers plc. Picture shows my local Craft Union, which funnily enough has recently seen Centivo Lounge open a couple of doors up from it! Feel free to get in touch if you’d like to understand more about the types of analysis that we can do looking at individual local markets and/or sites in-detail. 📊🔍 #HospitalityData #hospitalitysolutions #pubs #hospitalitysuccess #ukhospitality