Bars deliver a huge youth orientated audience, which is increasingly difficult to reach through traditional media channels. An incredible 77%* of 18-19 year olds and 86%* of 20-24 year olds visited a pub, bar or club at least once in the last year. They are central in UK society and lifestyles, where they play a variety of roles depending on the type of venue, its location and décor. Over recent years there has been a massive change in the marketplace with a definite shift from the old traditional pub to more branded chains targeting different consumer needs.
The Managing Director of Luminar, the largest operator of licensed venues in the UK, was quoted as saying “It was an absolute revolution in drinking habits, we changed hundreds of characterless boozers into thriving social centres.”
Spirit Group and Mitchells & Butler (once the Bass estate) are now the two largest managed pub companies. However, their pubs are spread across several sectors, including pub restaurants, whereas the high street is still led by JD Wetherspoon plc*, with some 500 fairly traditional pubs and 60 Lloyds café bars. Mintel’s consumer research into brands carried out for this report shows that JD Wetherspoon pubs were used by far more adults than any other bar brand.
Most Wetherspoon pubs are traditional, are not heavily branded and do not allow advertising, and it is the smaller companies which have succeeded best in creating striking young people’s venues (YPVs). Among these has been the Yates Group, with Ha! Ha! Bar & Canteen as well as the Yates Wine Lodges. Continue reading