Sad But True Department: Some 1,000 pubs have closed around the country over the last three years. Some closures surprised no one – such pubs were closures waiting to happen – anachronisms, if you ask me. They should never have been in the first place.
For these pubs, high footfall days were rarer than a steak sandwich on the Rainbow Warrior.
But in a slimmer, more efficiency-conscious pub-world, rural pubs continue to decline as does the rural ‘community life’ that they once supported – no ‘Hold-The-Front-Page’ news there either, I suppose…
But I was recently asked to what extent do the remaining rural pubs help rekindle ‘community life’ in Ireland and in doing so, rekindle their footfall?
It’s an interesting question to mull over in the night’s darkness and I discovered that successful pubs take a widely different approach by way of an answer.
All have one thing in common. They’re pushing the envelope in terms of broadening their appeal.
You see it in the signs as you walk into such pubs.
They make their offering clear via signs to those passing by: ‘We’re open from breakfast though brunch, lunch and afternoon tea to dinner’.
Some actually – gasp! – welcome children and with the provision of a family atmosphere in mind, proudly announce that Sunday lunch will be served throughout the afternoon. Well, who’d have thought it? Lunch in a pub…….

One of them is so audacious as to ensure that its environs are suitable for mothers nursing babies on a Sunday. This, no doubt, courts condemnation from the PC lobby for accommodating what are obviously dissolute unmarried mothers.
Still in maternal mood, I also note that such pubs provide all sorts of toys to keep younger guests happily occupied. No doubt these pubs get a crack of the whip from those who think children are being corrupted by the drinking environment, blanking out any argument to the contrary. Such a contrary argument might suggest that the vast majority of parents are responsible drinkers who’d like to enjoy a break from their children’s constant attention-seeking for an hour or two (perhaps with lunch thrown in) now and again. Where better to take time out than at their local – particularly if it’s toy and amusement selection helps soak up some of their offspring’s attention…
Other pubs have no hesitation in offering lollipops to keep the little ones happy and dog biscuits to help broaden the pub’s appeal to its hairier punters (and their owners).
Indeed, the provision of dog baskets around one such pub gives a strong signal that they’re in the business of rekindling community life, thus rekindling footfall.
Some rural pubs with worthwhile outside grounds don’t hesitate to help the visiting family outside on good days through the provision of picnic baskets as part of their food service.
With milder days in mind, another has even established a kind of sculpture garden featuring Buddas, totem poles, Easter Island Heads and other stone curiosities rather than just open a plain aul’ beer garden.
Leading light pubs aren’t afraid to put out for it by ensuring that there are free quiches and biscuits available on the bar for its customers on a Sunday evening. Helps boost trade, you see.
One hostelry likes to appeal to a different demographic a couple of afternoons a week through the provision of film screenings for pensioners. It’s now considering providing specially-priced meals for its early pm pensioner populace at these screenings and is even toying with the idea of extending this to a delivery/takeaway service.
But let’s go back to the more traditional pub offering.
Those selling a large variety of interesting and rare beers are never short of curious customers. Non-locals (like myself, when I’m not in my local) tend to make such a pub a destination venue because these pubs offer something different – especially if they’re giving customers the opportunity to taste before committing, as one pub of my acquaintance does.

As for entertainment, it used to be Karaoke for those quiet nights to make ‘em quiet no longer. Now it’s Nintendo Wii. And just because a pub has a certain profile doesn’t mean that this can’t be updated.
For example, there’s no rule against an Olde Worlde pub offering free WiFi. According to the complaints about levels of business custom there should be plenty of free space for setting this up.

Community initiatives operating successfully through the local hostelry include one which adds a small surcharge to some dishes on the menu which goes towards supporting the local primary school’s health eating education programme.

Another runs a second-hand book sales operation where – over a pint – customers can quietly browse with the proceeds going towards village improvements…

Yet another offers locals a prescription service in conjunction with a not-so-local chemist where the pub’s  customers (or even those who’re not yet customers) can drop off and collect their prescriptions.

One particular pub decided to convert what was a straightforward bare boozer into a bustling beach bar – a summer draw.

Another……. but by now I’m sure you get my drift.

But HERE’S THE KICKER – all the pubs I’ve mentioned above are in England.  Isn’t it about time that pubs in rural Ireland took another look at to what extent they’re really rekindling community life, putting something communal back into their environment rather than treading on its coat-tails?

As the saying goes, ‘Nodding the head does not row the boat’.
If you’re able to match or outdo any of the above activities, I’d love to hear from you…..