Friday, June 26, 2009

Out in the open

One of my local pubs currently has a large sign saying “Tenancy Opportunity”. In the past, breweries would have waiting lists of potential tenants, and when a vacancy arose it would be discreetly offered around without any need for advertising. But, in the current climate, good tenants can be hard to find, and so pub owners have to resort to making it common knowledge that a pub is available. But I can’t help thinking that it is likely to be offputting to potential customers if they know a pub is under temporary management. People’s decision to visit or not to visit a particular pub can often be swayed by apparently trivial factors, and a sign saying “You could run this pub!” may well be one of them. It also puts across a distinctly negative impression of the trade as a whole if half the pubs in an area are up for grabs.