Steve Nuttall, managing director of Shropshire brewer and pub operator Joule’s has told M&C Report the company is re-evaluating its Craft Beer Bars concept after mixed results art two trial sites.
Nuttal said that while the Angel Inn in Lichfield, Staffordshire had proved “an outstanding success”, the other trail, at the Lower Chequer in Sandbach, East Cheshire, had been “a disappointment”.
He told M&C Report: “It’s made us think again about what areas this is going to work in because we were quite surprised at the strength of the reaction from the locals at Sandbach. I think it shows that although we in the industry like to think that craft beer is a very established trend, it hasn’t translated to every part of the country.”
He said future Craft Beer Bars would focus on “larger towns, where there is a slightly more affluent and, for want of a better word, sophisticated market”.
He added: “The audience for craft beer is quite cynical of the mainstream so they don’t want to see the familiar big brands on the bar. What we found in Sandbach was completely the opposite. People were coming in and not seeing anything familiar on the bar. So they were walking out. It’s quite a challenge to get that balance right.”
Nuttall said the company would now seek to “soften” the emphasis on craft beer at the Lower Chequer and re-introduce big name lagers.
He said the company was carrying out rolling refurbishment projects across the 38 core sites of the 43-strong estate, with spend increasing from an average of £120,000 to £250,000.
He said the company would accept offers for its non-core pubs and had funds for acquisitions if suitable targets arose.
