One year on from the first investments, Orchid Group is reporting success at its All Inns pubs with strong results and continuing growth. Since the creation of the All Inns concept 12 months ago:
- 16 pubs have become All Inns (and there are 26 more in the pipeline)
- Total capex on the new investments = £4.25m
- ROI = +30%
- Average weekly sales uplift from £17k to £21.9k
- LFL performance = +23%
A true family pub
Darren Traynor, Divisional Director at Orchid Group explains: “The concept was created as a true family pub, designed to be welcoming to all. We have invested carefully in several new All Inns pubs to ensure they offer something for all customer groups under one roof.
“From May 2013 to where we are now there has been considerable success. Everyone involved, from our interior designers and pub staff to customers young and old, has been really excited with the new All Inns pubs and we can now look forward to bigger and better things.”
Everyone can find something to suit their mood and palette
Under the “All Inns – We’re a family pub co.” strapline, the division has focused on creating friendly and welcoming pubs where everyone enjoys a high quality experience.
Investments at the pubs have carefully taken into account the buildings’ layouts and how best to use the space to create different areas for different people, from kids’ play facilities and family dining space, to traditional pub areas for bar snacks, sport and drinks. These flexible, zoned spaces mean All Inns pubs work for everyone.
When it comes to food and drink, All Inns offer everything from pints of real ale to world wines, coffee to milkshake, bar snacks to farm-assured cuts of meat, pub favourites to must-have desserts.
This all means that, whoever the customer and whatever the occasion, everyone can find something to suit their mood and palette, which is high quality and great value.
Fuzzy Ed’s Fun Houses
For kids, the All Inns Fuzzy Ed’s Fun Houses are blazing a trail in the industry.
Orchid has redesigned the play centres from scratch to ensure they offer a fun play environment and opportunities for children of all ages to learn and interact. They feature toys and activities such as musical instruments and ball games, each of which has been specially selected to stimulate the senses and allow youngsters to explore their world.
Over the coming months the Fun Houses are embracing digital media with initiatives that include an online party booking system so parents can arrange everything via the website, a Fuzzy Ed’s loyalty scheme targeted at existing loyalty club members with young children, and a smartphone game to bring the characters to life while driving data capture and sales.
The Our Family loyalty scheme
The Our Family loyalty card allows customers to collect points each time they visit, which are then redeemed via a voucher once they reach a set total. The scheme is in operation at All Inns as well as Great British Carvery pubs, and is delivering results.
Year-on-year Our Family performance stats for 2013 v 2012:
- Number of cards used in the last 12 months increased by 25%
- Total spend on Our Family cards increased by 13% to c. £13m
- Transactions linked to Our Family represented 21% of total sales in the group – up 4% on the previous year
- Number of Our Family card transactions processed in the business increased by 14%
- Average number of times a customer used their card increased from 5.8 in 2012 to 7 in 2013
Training
Orchid’s People Team goes to great lengths to boost training and development opportunities each year, and 2014 is no exception.
Sales Ambassadors – employees who are nominated to lead sales growth and exemplify unforgettable service in their pubs – will be treading the boards at Warwick Theatre this year, with 67 taking part in the unique experience-based training session this month, followed by additional groups later in the year.
All Inns General Managers and Chefs will embark on a similar three-day training programme this year, focusing on the customer offer, benefits and features.
Every part of the All Inns division will benefit from the dedicated training sessions, including the company’s 247 apprentices.
Also for 2014 the Springboard to Success internal development programme will invest in Orchid’s industry-leading General Managers who grow fantastic businesses and teams. The 12-month course covers topics such as confidence, appraisals, sales and time management and will highlight and embed the shared goals: focusing on success, being open and honest, sharing experience and growing as individuals, a team and a company.
The future
“We’re really excited for the future of the All Inns division as we have a lot of things planned to ensure the pubs cement their position as being a great place for all the community, all under one roof,” says Darren Traynor.
A further 26 investments are in the pipeline, and each one is being strategically planned to ensure the pubs are a vibrant, colourful and welcoming place for all in their local communities.
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