Although the tourism trade in the north west of Ireland is booming, there are still many pubs within the industry who feel under siege from a decline in alcohol sales and a drop off in pub use by millennials. In response to this, one-day workshop has been planned for Thursday, May 3rd in the LYIT Tourism College, Killybegs, to help publicans Step Up To The Plate!
The addition of simple tasty food offerings can help rejuvenate your public house and the use of modern social media can help bring your business a whole new customer base that is looking for more than just a pint.
Organiser, Mary McGettigan from the Taste of Donegal, said “We are only too aware that with tourism figures rising, publicans have a golden opportunity to seize the moment and diversify by offering low cost tapa style food, complimented with wines, craft beers and barista style coffees.”
Fellow organiser, Hugh O’Donnell, a well-known publican and chef said “The time has come for publicans to take the step into providing light, easy to assemble plates of food, aimed at daytime tourists looking for an authentic local food experience. It’s a very lucrative market and pubs are ideally located to take advantage of this gap in the market.”
Publicans attending the workshop will be shown a range of easy to prepare dishes by top chef, Peter Campbell, formerly of Cafe Bang and the Village Tavern. Recipes will be emailed to all participants.
There will be a simultaneous wine tasting and food pairing by Wine Direct and a demonstration on producing a barista quality coffee, using an automated coffee machine, by Clint Walsh from Johnsons Coffee.
After lunch, the focus will switch to creating and managing a digital footprint for the pub business. Participants will be offered a custom-made website, built on a mobile phone platform with an eCommerce facility, presented by Craig Murray, Dublin, winner of 2017 Huffington post online marketing award.
There will be a simultaneous wine tasting and food pairing by Wine Direct and a demonstration on producing a barista quality coffee, using an automated coffee machine, by Clint Walsh from Johnsons Coffee.
After lunch, the focus will switch to creating and managing a digital footprint for the pub business. Participants will be offered a custom-made website, built on a mobile phone platform with an eCommerce facility, presented by Craig Murray, Dublin, winner of 2017 Huffington post online marketing award.
To ensure the website is fully used and managed, top media guru, Michael Gallagher from Maud Communications will create and manage your social media pages, link and manage your website content for a very reasonable weekly fee, exclusively on offer to course participants.
Included in this package is an innovative new app that allows anyone globally to buy their family and friends a drink in your pub. An ideal way to make pubs relevant for birthdays and celebrations.
“The day starts early at 9.30am, but we guarantee that by afternoon those attending will go home with an action plan to increase sales and gross profit,” added Hugh O'Donnell.
The organisers are inviting publicans from all over the northwest to attend this important workshop. Bookings are by texting "Request To Attend Workshop" with your name and contact number to 087 7975704.
A fee is €50 per participant is payable on the day at registration.
Contacts: Hugh O’Donnell 0877975704 or Mary McGettigan 0871777140
Zack