Publicans seem to give walkers a very mixed reception. Some welcome them with open arms with a “Walkers’ Special” on the menu, whilst others curse them for clogging up their car parks over lunchtime and then disappearing for a few hours simply to call in for one quick drink on their return.
So how do you turn a menace into a meal ticket?
Some thoughts:
- There are 8 million regular walkers in England along, that’s 8 million people working up a hunger and a thirst each month, every month. (Source – Sport England survey)
- Walking is Britain’s most popular outdoor activity. Generally, people on higher incomes participate more in recreational walking than people on lower incomes. (Source – The Ramblers)
- 891 million day trips for leisure in Great Britain in 1998 included a ‘walk, hill walk or ramble’. This is 15% of the total of all leisure day trips. The figures are old but the popularity of walking is even higher today. (Source – The Ramblers)
- Increasing numbers of young people are giving up the stuffy atmosphere of the gym (saving a fortune on their memberships) and getting out into the countryside for their exercise instead. (Source – The Ramblers)
- Ever increasing numbers of older people join walking groups too and we all hear constantly about the power of the “grey pound”.
Need I say more? This is a huge market and many like nothing more than to finish their walk at a traditional pub. Certainly that is my experience from the many walkers I know.
So my advice is seize the opportunity and get a pub walk written down that leads those hungry and thirsty walkers straight to your door, rather than someone else’s. Have copies available in the bar to take away, send it to your local paper and get it on the internet! When people enjoy a walk and are welcomed at the pub, they do it again and again and what’s more they tell their friends.
If you think your car park is being abused by walkers, rather than turn them away with a rude notice, think about what you can do to get them through the door instead, even it its just making sure you have a copy of the menu and the specials board outside (many pubs still don’t).
Finally, why not even offer a free meal to the walker that produces the best walk from your pub? And again tell your local paper. You could be surprised at how this takes off!
For more information on attracting walkers to your pub, visit www.myfavouritepubwalks.com/publicans.
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