But that’s really just the start of the story. When we say that 85% of our regular business has disappeared, that’s because 85% of our business usually comes from an incredible customer base of pubs, bars, venues and restaurants that we’re fortunate to work with week-in, week-out.
We have customers that have been buying our beer for 7 years (!), customers that have just opened their doors, micro pubs that buy an occasional cask of Suspended, central London hotspots that will clear us out of Soundwave with a last minute drop, and pubs on the other side of the planet that do us the honour of pouring Broken Dream for their locals. It all amounts to an ecosystem of hospitality that is truly special and we are very lucky to be a part of, that we miss dearly, and is taking a severe hit.
Starting with this blog, we’re aiming to showcase the thoughts of some people behind the pubs. The challenges they’re up against, but crucially also the work going into transforming businesses, changing plans on the fly, making improvements behind the scenes to come back bigger, better and with even more to offer on the other side
The Fox & Hounds, Reading
We start with one of our favourite pubs, visited frequently by our team members in Reading and host of our 2019 Christmas celebration. It’s one of the best spots for beer in the town with an enviable keg and cask selection and fridges that always throw in some temptation. It’s the home of super fresh Suspended on keg, and pretty much always something extra from ourselves on cask, lining up of course next to some of the finest the UK has to offer.
The team spirit behind the bar is a joy, and the garden has to be one of the best places to drink Siren beer when the sun’s out, well, anywhere. We caught up with Kev, who explains a sadly not uncommon issue with rents, a pivot into live streaming and plenty more to make the most of the downtime.
Watch his full interview below.
Follow Kevin's new pub channel here https://www.youtube.com/user/thedurks1 and track the pub's progress here https://www.facebook.com/Foxandhoundscaversham/
The Ten Tun Taphouse, Alton
It's always exciting to see new dedicated craft beer places open up, especially when they're a first in the town. For Alton in Hampshire, there's been an underlying craft beer scene bubbling under the surface, waiting to rear its head. With Triple fff Brewery just down the road in Four Marks and their flagship pub, The Railway Arms, both being solid stockists of Siren (and other craft beer) it was only a matter of time before a dedicated craft beer pub opened.
Up stepped Jason Delaney with a bold venture to open Ten Tun Taphouse right in the centre of town. From the offset, Siren had been in touch with Jason to offer our support with POS and glassware and promotion. Everything looked set for a bright future, and then pandemic. The Taphouse opened on the Wednesday and was told to close its doors on the Friday.
As a citizen of Alton myself, I've watched Jason very quickly shift his entire plans, creating new outlets and driving business to continue. Here's his story:
Give us a quick intro for our readers
The Ten Tun Tap House is a brand new independent micro pub in the centre of Alton, Hampshire. We have 8 keg and 4 cask lines, with fridges stocked with some awesome cans from around the country.
How has the pandemic affected your business?
We opened 2 days before the lockdown. Alton had been crying out for craft beer and people were excited for us to open. But despite a cellar full of great beer, the opening week was a bit of an anti-climax. And being such a young business, we didn't qualify for some of the government support packages.
What had to change?
Opening a bar with zero experience isn't easy. Months of research, planning, building, decorating, licensing, etc. really takes its toll. I have an amazing wife who has been incredible throughout and instilled a lot of positivity, so we weren't going to let all of that effort be undone. It's normal for craft bars to have a takeaway offering, so we already had a small off-sales capability. We focused on that and, in two days our website was online and my car insurance upgraded! We were ready to safely take our beer to the customers , and it worked. Really well.
What's inspired you to keep going?
The British are a resilient bunch and we help each other through the tough times. The sense of community support for the bar has been incredible. The people of Alton and surrounding areas have been amazing in their support and have really helped us get through the initial lockdown. It's strange having regular customers who have never been to the pub!
What are you most looking forward to after all this over?
Finally getting people into the bar and enjoying the hard work we put in. The hospitality industry is all about people enjoying themselves, and to achieve that with my own creation would make me very happy indeed.
If you're in the surrounding areas, visit tentuntaphouse.com to order keg, cask or canned beer delivered the same day to your door!
Stay tuned for more stories from within the industry, and get in touch if you'd like your business featured!
