Consumer Surveys
CAMRA conducted a major consumer survey in July 1998 (963 people).
The research showed that:
- 71% of people believe that the pub is one of the centres of the community;
- 81% of people believe that the rural pub is essential to a rural community;
- 80% of people visit a pub at some time;
- 41% visit a pub twice a month or more;
- 61% of real ale drinkers visit a pub at least twice a week;
- 86% of men use a pub, 74% of women;
- 59% of the under-24s visit a pub twice a month or more;
- 37% of the over-55s never visit a pub.
This shows that the big pub chains, by their pushing often-short-lived town centre
retail concepts, are putting pressure on the pubs which matter to the general public.
Prices
The results of CAMRA's annual prices survey for 1998, with rises since the 1997 survey.
| Region | Beer | Lager
|
|---|
| London | £1.92 | 7.3% | £2.12 | 8.7%
|
| South East | £1.85 | 4.5% | £2.00 | 5.3%
|
| Scotland | £1.80 | 2.3% | £1.77 | 4.1%
|
| East Anglia | £1.78 | 4.1% | £1.93 | 5.5%
|
| South West | £1.77 | 4.1% | £1.90 | 2.3%
|
| UK | £1.71 | 4.3% | £1.87 | 4.5%
|
| North | £1.64 | 1.9% | £1.80 | 5.9%
|
| E. Midlands | £1.62 | 3.8% | £1.76 | 1.7%
|
| Wales | £1.58 | 2.6% | £1.82 | 4.6%
|
| Yorkshire | £1.57 | 5.4% | £1.75 | 1.7%
|
| W. Midlands | £1.55 | 0% | £1.77 | 3.5%
|
| North West | £1.47 | 2.8% | £1.72 | 4.9% |
|
What's Important
The Scotland on Sunday of 25th October had an article called
"Last orders called on theme pubs", based on a MORI poll about what was important in a pub.
"Clean toilets" topped the list at 82%, closely followed by "clean bar".
"Friendly staff" and "quality of food" were around 70%, followed by
"speed of service" at 60%. "Choice of lunch" only scored 30% and lastly
"range of real ale" only rated 18% (note: not "quality").
As quoted by Ray Proven on the Internet news group
uk.food+drink.real-ale.
ALE November 1998 No. 292
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