How can you keep people in a pub?

[Silver]

I've been doing a Saturday night residency in a pub in a market town just outside Bournemouth for 4 plus years. In all the time I've been there we've always had same the same problem... People come in from say 7 o'clock and the pub fills up until about 9ish, we then start to get a mass exodus as everybody does the route around town, by 9.30 you can have just 10 people in a pub that holds 250!

We're open until 1 but you must be in by 12 as the doors shut then as laid down in the license. So from around 11.15 they all start coming back and the place fills up again and we have a great last hour or so.

So my question is how can we (the landlord and I) keep people in the pub for the 2 hours from 9 to 11? The obvious quick fix is to have a 'happy hour' reducing the price of drinks but there must something else that can be done.

I've drunk in the pub for over 10 years and it's always been the same, meet there, couple of beers and go on maneuvers and finish back there.

Has anybody on here got the same or had the same problem and resolved it? Any good gimmicks, promotions that could work on a weekly basis. Suggestions don't have to be DJ based, anything at all would be much appreciated.

Thanks for your input one and all. http://planetsmilies.net/eat-drink-smiley-7820.gif

[Vibrant Sounds]

Lock the doors from 9.

Have some different entertainment to keep them there.

Get a decent DJ in from 9-11 ???

Firebomb all other drinking places within walking distance (bit extreme)

Offer incentives to those that stay between 9-11 (earplugs perhaps?)

Have 'pole dancing' between 9-11

[Candybeatdiscos]

strippers, lapdancers, quiz, karaoke etc between 9-11 - much prefer the first two personally

[Tony Scott]

The punters that do the walkabout thing will probably keep doing that whatever you try as a DJ - that's their thing!

I think you have to get a diferent crowd in for the 9 - 11 slot.

I would try a happy hour and a quiz at 9.00, advertize it really well then you should get a fresh lot of people in at about 8-45 who will hopefully also stay there when the others come back, you never know you might get some of the deserters staying as well.

It's a bit soul destroying to see the place empty though........been there!! :)

[Silver]

The punters that do the walkabout thing will probably keep doing that whatever you try as a DJ - that's their thing!

I think you have to get a diferent crowd in for the 9 - 11 slot.

I would try a happy hour and a quiz at 9.00, advertize it really well then you should get a fresh lot of people in at about 8-45 who will hopefully also stay there when the others come back, you never know you might get some of the deserters staying as well.

It's a bit soul destroying to see the place empty though........been there!! :)

Tony, it is soul destroying, I've had nights off and the same thing happens so it can't all be down to me! (see other post). It's in Wimborne, so difficult to break everybody's habit.

[Ricesnaps]

It's been a while since I did any gigs like this and to be fair I always remember the late licence pub gig to be just like this, so I don't think it's just specific to your location.

I wonder if it's the late licence that causes the problem in a way. Is yours the only venue to have a 1am finish. To me that suggests that the punters are simply looking to drink late and your venue allows them to do that. I'm afraid that's not a great positive for you is it, so I'm sorry to suggest it. If you're venue had a normal closing time, do you think you would still loose everyone after the early bit and not get them back, or do you think they would stay and do the move on when you can't serve any more?

I always remember when i did the pub scene, it was almost always about the drink and not the music I'm afraid, so people would either go to the Cheep beer pub (Wheatherspoons have a lot to answer for!), or simply do the rounds. There was never any obvious pull to one or the other and a lot of the competition in my time had DJ's playing.

I guess you either just have to realise that this is how it is - if the venue is making a good profit from the early / late trade, why is a lul a problem? Otherwise, maybe it's time to see what the other pubs and bars have to offer. Have you been out on a night when you would normally be working and had a night out? What happens, what's on, who's where. Is there a pub serving Kababs, is there a DJ pulling in the totty - always remember that the girls wearing belts tended to attract the lads!

Hope something helped!

[CRAZY K]

I've been doing a Saturday night residency in a pub in a market town just outside Bournemouth for 4 plus years. In all the time I've been there we've always had same the same problem... People come in from say 7 o'clock and the pub fills up until about 9ish, we then start to get a mass exodus as everybody does the route around town, by 9.30 you can have just 10 people in a pub that holds 250!

We're open until 1 but you must be in by 12 as the doors shut then as laid down in the license. So from around 11.15 they all start coming back and the place fills up again and we have a great last hour or so.

So my question is how can we (the landlord and I) keep people in the pub for the 2 hours from 9 to 11? The obvious quick fix is to have a 'happy hour' reducing the price of drinks but there must something else that can be done.

I've drunk in the pub for over 10 years and it's always been the same, meet there, couple of beers and go on maneuvers and finish back there.

Has anybody on here got the same or had the same problem and resolved it? Any good gimmicks, promotions that could work on a weekly basis. Suggestions don't have to be DJ based, anything at all would be much appreciated.

Thanks for your input one and all. http://planetsmilies.net/eat-drink-smiley-7820.gif

Is it worth worrying about too much--after all if we give you a brilliant idea--all the other pubs in the area will immediately copy it:eek:

If it was that easy we could all open a pub and make a fortune:D

CRAZY K

[Dragonfly]

How can you keep people in a pub?

1. set up across the door
2. lock the door
3. back the van right up to the door so once open no one can get out
4. tell all the punters over the mic that a state of germ warfare has been announced and that if they do leave they will all die a horrible slow painful death bleeding from every orifice with no known antidote.


or .................................

long shot .....................

create the ultimate party atmosphere so only a total saddo would want to leave such a rip roaring party.

In all seriousness though if the pub is a "circuit" pub you probably won't keep people in it .... I used to have a residency in one the upside .... new customers in every 45 minutes so ..... only one cd needed. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Penfold42]

Is this not all to do with how much eye candy you can get through the door??
Bit sexist but that's what drifting trade look for.

Does the bar serve all the 'In' drinks including ****tails and shooters??

Do pubs still do promotions on fun nights??

[DMX Will]

It's in Wimborne, so difficult to break everybody's habit.

Did you work New years eve last year? I was in a pub in Winbourne..... and there was a DJ....

[Silver]

Did you work New years eve last year? I was in a pub in Winbourne..... and there was a DJ....

I did I was in the Green Man........... ooooo err Missus

[Silver]

It's been a while since I did any gigs like this and to be fair I always remember the late licence pub gig to be just like this, so I don't think it's just specific to your location.

I wonder if it's the late licence that causes the problem in a way. Is yours the only venue to have a 1am finish. To me that suggests that the punters are simply looking to drink late and your venue allows them to do that. I'm afraid that's not a great positive for you is it, so I'm sorry to suggest it. If you're venue had a normal closing time, do you think you would still loose everyone after the early bit and not get them back, or do you think they would stay and do the move on when you can't serve any more?

I always remember when i did the pub scene, it was almost always about the drink and not the music I'm afraid, so people would either go to the Cheep beer pub (Wheatherspoons have a lot to answer for!), or simply do the rounds. There was never any obvious pull to one or the other and a lot of the competition in my time had DJ's playing.

I guess you either just have to realise that this is how it is - if the venue is making a good profit from the early / late trade, why is a lul a problem? Otherwise, maybe it's time to see what the other pubs and bars have to offer. Have you been out on a night when you would normally be working and had a night out? What happens, what's on, who's where. Is there a pub serving Kababs, is there a DJ pulling in the totty - always remember that the girls wearing belts tended to attract the lads!

Hope something helped!

Ours IS the latest finish in town and I think you've hit the nail on the head, probably find people work the circuit so they finish up back at the Cricks. More than likely there's nothing that can be done apart from having beer at a £1 a pint to fill the void. The busiest pub in town has a different dj every Saturday ( I do a Friday gig there!) and they play pretty similar stuff to me, it's the closest one to ours about 30 yards away.

The landlord has tried live bands, they don't work and costly. getting the girls in is more than likely to have the most effect, oh well looks like I'm going to be the first DJ stripper! http://planetsmilies.net/person-smiley-1253.gif In my heart though I think he just have to live with it, many thanks for your thoughts.

[Dragonfly]

one thing a pup landlord round us tried was to do theme nights .... so his pub was a bit different to those around him

northern soul
motown
90s
70s/80s

yes you only appeal to the people that like that music but because you were playing it all night people stayed , and because he advertised it got people in that werent of the usual saturday night 1 drink move on gang.

[Falling Frog]

Had a similar problem when I was working in Spain, it would be quite till 11.30 then everyone would arrive as the all inclusive finishes and leave again at about 1am to go on to the clubs! However by the end of my time out there I had managed to keep them in, simply by playing the music they wanted (normally cheese and party stuff)! Use the mic to create a relationship between you and the punters and they will stay!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I do regular pub gigs in and around my area and I guess it depends on what you play and the type of place you are playing in.
One of my pub gigs is twice a month on a saturday. It's in the centre of town but it's a student/rock/alternative type venue and seeing as there isn't anywhere else like it where I live, I don't have any problems. I do a night called 'The Request Fest' where the punters can request any genre of music they like and I will play it. I add in a quiz now and then and it keeps everyone involved. Before anyone says it ('cos they have in the past), I am not a jukebox..I interract with everyone, have a laugh and do themed nights down there too such as School Disco request fests, 80s only request fests etc etc..

The other 2 pubs I do are once a month on a friday and they are about 3 miles outside the centre of town. They are both older crowds who don't go off clubbing and stay in the pub all night so I suppose I am lucky.

[flatliners]

thisa will always happeneven if you had the best entertainment there (me or pete tong ) ppl dont want to stop in the same venue all night would u stop in the same venue all night if there was other venues near by

[Silver]

thisa will always happeneven if you had the best entertainment there (me or pete tong ) ppl dont want to stop in the same venue all night would u stop in the same venue all night if there was other venues near by

This is my thought also (well it would be wouldn't it ! http://planetsmilies.net/tongue-smiley-8846.gif ) It's my local and I do exactly the same, meet the boys there, have 2 or 3 pints and do the rounds. Trouble is it's different when you're working it! http://planetsmilies.net/sign-smiley-7135.gif

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

thisa will always happeneven if you had the best entertainment there (me or pete tong ) ppl dont want to stop in the same venue all night would u stop in the same venue all night if there was other venues near by

Please don't let's have text speak creeping in again. Thank you.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I disagree - IF the music is good then I would stay there but then I am easily pleased. One of the main reasons I got into it all was to give people what they want to hear and by doing what I do at my nights it seems like I manage to do it.

ALL of the venues that I do like it because it gives everyone a chance of hearing what THEY want to hear. I won't big myself up too much but if I wasn't doing what I was doing and I knew there was a venue where I could go and listen to stuff that I personally request then I would be there like a shot.

[BeerFunk]

Some venues which do play good music let themselves down in other areas - and as a DJ you are powerless to stop people leaving.

Examples of shortcomings which would make me leave - lack of seating (don't mind standing, but not for hours on end), poorly staffed bars (nothing worse than waiting 10 minutes or more at he bar, as your mouth dries up), overcrowding - a full pub is good for atmosphere, but when you have to wrestle your way to the toilet it can start to get annoying

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Some venues which do play good music let themselves down in other areas - and as a DJ you are powerless to stop people leaving.

Examples of shortcomings which would make me leave - lack of seating (don't mind standing, but not for hours on end), poorly staffed bars (nothing worse than waiting 10 minutes or more at he bar, as your mouth dries up), overcrowding - a full pub is good for atmosphere, but when you have to wrestle your way to the toilet it can start to get annoying

And also beer that is too expensive and unclean toilets. Yuck.

I think to stop people leaving, you need to look at every single area and not just one or two.

[Dragonfly]

I disagree - IF the music is good then I would stay there but then I am easily pleased. One of the main reasons I got into it all was to give people what they want to hear and by doing what I do at my nights it seems like I manage to do it.

ALL of the venues that I do like it because it gives everyone a chance of hearing what THEY want to hear. I won't big myself up too much but if I wasn't doing what I was doing and I knew there was a venue where I could go and listen to stuff that I personally request then I would be there like a shot.

no disrespect intended here but I have found that the older the crowd the more likely they are to stay in one venue .... youngsters tend to do the circuit meet up with friends etc wheras 40 pluses in my experience tend to be less likely to be out EVERY friday or saturday night and have their favourite haunts,

I too would gladly go to one venue all night if it was a good atmosphere and good music

[Silver]

I disagree - IF the music is good then I would stay there but then I am easily pleased. One of the main reasons I got into it all was to give people what they want to hear and by doing what I do at my nights it seems like I manage to do it.

ALL of the venues that I do like it because it gives everyone a chance of hearing what THEY want to hear. I won't big myself up too much but if I wasn't doing what I was doing and I knew there was a venue where I could go and listen to stuff that I personally request then I would be there like a shot.

I can see your point about if the music was good you'd stay and to a point I would stay also. However, I doubt if a dj would play four and half hours of stuff that would keep me happy (as I have to try and do) for all that time. I play 70's, 80's, 90's disco, reggae, funk, punk just about everything apart from hip hop and r n b, as the landlord wants an older clientèle. In Wimborne there are 11 pubs with a maximum walk of 12 minutes between the furthest two, so doing a pub crawl for a bit of a change is no hardship.