Skip to main content

Breakfast and the local pub

While the local pub has been faring worse than the local shop, there are signs that operators are starting to think more creatively about how to use their franchise. In particular, pubs are opening at 9am and offering breakfast.

This week the 217 outlet Barracuda pub chain announced it will open at 9am and offer Costa coffee to attract breakfast business.

"Young people value brands and we respond to that. By putting Costa in, we're perceived as taking coffee very seriously," a Barracuda executive told the FT. "If pubs just remain retailers of alcohol, then that is a diminishing market."

While many local retailers fear that unsuccessful pubs might be reopened as Tesco c-stores, they may also find some enterprising publicans see their shoppers as a target.

The trick though is in the execution. While pubs may have more comfortable seating areas, will their staff be as welcoming as yours and will the service be outstanding?

How will they do this? Pretty much by emulating what successful local retailers are already doing - working out what local people want and providing it to them.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The launch of the 2009 IAA

We are launching the 2009 Independent Achievers Academy tomorrow in London with a group of retailers and suppliers. The marketing team have come up with a great practical exercise to help us relive the Academy experience. At its heart, the IAA has a simple concept: set a goal, plan to hit it and celebrate the outcome. I hope to learn lots from participants and will pass this learning on to you.

What do shoppers see

I read a good post (http://www.newsagencyblog.com.au/2009/08/28/what-do-newsagents-charge-for-faxing.html) asking what price local shops charge for providing a fax service. The blogger had attached a photograph of his sign with his prices on it. What struck me was the message on the sign. "You drop, we fax," it said. "Pressed for time, drop your documents with us and we'll do it for you at no extra charge." That is a message that will persuade most shoppers that you want to give them good value, even if they stay to do the copying or faxing themselves.

Local advantage? Sainsbury's boss argues it is from his stores.

Online businesses don't pay local taxes, Sainsbury's boss Justin King argues in a big CityAM interview spread. Unlike the web retail businesses, Sainsbury's  "pay business rates at a local level" and "employ people locally" and "pay people locally" and "they spend their earnings locally". "If we are seeing a shift in consumer behaviour towards purchasing online rather than their local store then the government will have to address that the tax system is being usurped by a change in behaviour," he adds.  The point to notice here is that connection of Sainsbury's with "local shop". It is spin. But very effective spin. As any independent retailers who have talked to their MPs about competition from multiples will know, the grocers are very successful at projecting the "local" benefits that they will bring. Perhaps 10 years ago this was true. But supported by a better supply chain, independent...