In 2000, Tony Blair described his vision of a British cafe society. Two years later Alastair Campbell, one of the architects of New Labour, conceded his party “might have got it wrong” when it introduced all-day licensing in 2005 – and said David Cameron should now consider reversing the move.
Instead of creating a new “continental café culture” as Mr Blair had hoped, Campbell said it simply increased the availability of cheaper supermarket booze and helped kill off thousands of pubs where alcohol was traditionally more tightly regulated.
The reasons and arguments over why the country has seen so many pubs close over the last decade are varied and continue to rage, but one points is undeniable the UK pub of 2015 is very much a different beast than 15 years ago. It has changed for the better and is now playing a key role in the shaping the café society the former prime minster envisaged.
Pubs are building on their established value-for- money credentials, improving their food offers and embracing ‘hybridisation’ by offering more reasons to visit. In the process, they are providing consumers with a more attractive ‘third space’ in which to enjoy more food and drink occasions throughout the day.
Last month, JD Wetherspoon said it would be introducing more competitive prices for breakfasts and coffee, with an aim of tripling its coffee and breakfast sales over the next 18 months. As chairman Tim Martin said: “We are targeting Pret, Starbucks, the cafés in the supermarket. We think our coffee is far superior to Starbucks or Costa. We use Lavazza 100% Arabica which is a better quality bean than either of those companies are using.
“We see ourselves more in the space of attracting people who have got 30 minutes to spend with us. We do get people who come in and use our free WiFi and enjoy the refills but we are comfortable with that – we have large sites so there’s generally not an issue with space and it helps to give the pubs atmosphere.”
Simon Stenning, executive director at Allegra Foodservice, said: “It is inevitable in terms of resources and location that Pret would look to make this move, although the table service part doesn’t feel like a natural fit. As for JDW this a natural evolution for the business after launching its coffee offer over five years ago. What people forget is that at a JDW site there is no music, free WiFi, free refills and unlike say Costa or Starbucks, usually a guaranteed table.”
When I put this development to Pret A Manger chief executive Clive Schlee he played a very straight bat: “Breakfast is a fast growing segment and it’s not surprising that it has become a focus area for Wetherspoons.” Little did I know that Schlee was thinking of returning the favour in small way, with Pret dipping its toe in JDW’s, and pub’s traditional heartland of evening trade, with its new casual dining-influenced Good Evenings pilot site.
And I suppose the key word here is traditional. What is a traditional operation these days? The lines between pubs and restaurants have been blurring for years, followed by the ones separating them from coffee shops and cafes. Day parts are following suit as operators follow consumer trends but also take advantage of their expertise and locations to stretch their brands. Every hour, not just breakfast, lunch and dinner, is being fought over more fiercely than ever.
Breakfast is becoming a vital opportunity for operators and is highlighted in the rise of all-day dining. As a result, operators are looking to open earlier to provide consumers with more choice and to make sure that their premises are earning their keep. Over the last 18 months, a swathe of casual dining operators have launched breakfat options, to vary degrees of success. Alex Scrimgeour, joint managing director of Cote, says: “One thing that is striking though is our cover growth outside the traditional peak lunch and dinner trade where we have seen marked increases year on year. In particular breakfast has been a stand out success story for us, which points to a fundamental shift in dining out habits and increased customer awareness.”
Pret is not the only company mpoving out of its comfort zone. BrewDog will focus on introducing a food and coffee element to its bars over the coming 12 months, while Novus Leisure recently opened its new neighbourhood premium bar & kitchen format. Chief executive Toby Smith makes the point that while his company is exploring ways to make better, all-day use of its larger London-based sites, it is the advent of the 24-hour tube that should play into the hands of a business that has over 20 units with 3am licenses.
YO Sushi! is soon to open its first grab and go unit in Charing Cross station; The Restaurant Group is eyeing a further growth brand through trials of an evolved version of its Joe’s Kitchen format; whilst TGI Friday’s has already tipped a nod to the fast casual sector, with its Fast Track site in Manchester. Nando’s is gaining some traction with its breakfast menu at its Gatwick Airport site and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the group trial it or a version of its, complete with chicken sausages, at a more traditional location soon.
However, while the race to be all things to everyone at all times continues, successful outliers remain, as witnessed by the on-going success of Be At One, which trades the majority of its sites from a 4.30pm start. Not even chance for a liquid breakfast there.
