My Star News February 2026

NEW GAMES OFFER REVIVES FUNCTION SPACE

A decline in private function bookings at The Alma Tavern, Worcester, and an increase in enquiries about darts and pool, led licensee William Bradley to redecorate and repurpose his function room as a games area called The Alma Battle Sports Bar. The move installed pool, darts, table-top football, shuffleboard and a TV with a Sky box. Previously the room was used just two hours twice a week.  It now attracts 20 to 30 people watching football or teams playing darts on evenings from Monday to Wednesday and even more from Thursday to Sunday.  Says William: “Families and friends play darts, pool and table football and three football teams use the space on a Sunday after their games. It’s attracted new customers and also allows us to show different fixtures upstairs from downstairs when there’s a clash.  It has its own bar, so we also hire it out with or without catering.   In December we had three events.  For £16 a head we included unlimited tabletop football, darts and shuffleboard.  Guests paid an extra £1 per game of pool. 

 “Coming in at £5000, The project wasn’t expensive, and we hired the pool table to keep costs down.  Before doing any transformation make sure it is what customers want. Involve them in the journey to ensure they’re on board; that way they’ll use the space.”

RUGBY FOCUS PROVES A PULL

Looking for a unique proposition, when Robert Wood took on The Old Tigers Head, Blackheath, he researched the competition to identify the main sports focus at other local pubs, which was invariably football.  Although Blackheath is a rugby stronghold, no one majored on it.   He made it the pub’s lead sport and arranged a low-cost sponsorship with the local rugby club. For £500 the pub has its name on a pitch-side board, gets a free match ticket and has a framed rugby shirt on the pub wall.  The strategy has helped pack out the pub for rugby matches and made it a club hub.  Inspired by his success, competitors are now showing more rugby.

Says Robert: “We’ll screen pretty much anything except football including bob sleighing, cricket, NFL and Aussie Rules. We turn down TV volumes on non-rugby days so as not to put off diners and drinkers.  Last summer we showed the Lions Australia Rugby Tour.  We made it a ticketed event with full English breakfast, tea, coffee and juice included.  For the Six Nations we theme our match burgers to each home nation.  This summer there’s no rugby. Everybody understands that to survive pubs need to do lots of different things so we are considering making an exception and showing some World Cup matches if England passes the knock-out stages. Given the time difference, we need to weigh up how it would impact trade.”

LOCAL OUTREACH PUTS PUB ON MAP

A 2025 refurbishment renamed a Forest Hill pub The Stuffed Walrus after an exhibit in the local Horniman museum and installed natural history related bric-a-brac. New licensee Alex Turner approached the museum to leverage the link and see how both parties could benefit.  Says Alex: “They were thrilled.  We held a joint brainstorm and came up with ideas.  We give museum staff a 10% discount, making the pub the go-to destination for their get-togethers, and hosted their Christmas party bringing in extra revenue. They’ve given us old signs to complement our décor and sketches for children to colour in. The pub is promoted in their newsletter and on posters and signage in the museum. There’s even a film of the pub including an interview with me on their social media. Talks by their award-winning researchers who will show off exhibits at the pub are planned. We’ve also approached Transport for London to see if the bus stop outside the pub can be named The Stuffed Walrus. The response was positive, and we’re confident this will happen. It’s worth looking at nearby leisure places with good footfalls - whether it’s a cinema, stately home or other destination – and starting a conversation.”

CALLING THE SHOTS WITH ROCKAOKE

The King’s Arms in Bexleyheath, Great British Pub Award winner for best entertainment, introduced Rockaoke as a Sunday night winter attraction.  A professional singer sings between guests’ performances and also acts as a backing vocalist.  The singer brings their PA kit and the pub provides an extra mic.  Guests use QR codes to download the artist’s play list with words to singalong to. Says licensee Pete Marshall: “I hate karaoke as you hand over control of the mood of the room to a guest, much like you do with a juke box.  Rockaoke works as you’re still in control.  If the person at the mic isn’t the strongest singer, you can play with volumes, increase guitar or the backing singer, giving people in the room a more enjoyable experience.  We brief singers in advance to make the performer look good without impacting the atmosphere. The singer costs £200, so if you’re not making £600 it’s not worth doing.  50 people initially attended but it tailed off so we’re looking to reintroduce it on a Thursday night and also offer Rockaoke as bookable entertainment for private parties.  Weekends are already busy and there’s a limit to how many times people will visit the same venue over a weekend.  To create a buzz and attract customers, you have to test events and look at how they’d best work from different angles.”

SINGALONGA BINGO

On the last Wednesday of the month the atmosphere at The Red Lion in Shepperton becomes electric thanks to the Music Bingo sessions the pub introduced two years ago.  Up to 60 people pack out the pub increasing sales by 20%.  Conventional bingo numbers are replaced with well-known tracks.  You don’t need to be a music buff as the DJ names the tunes after 30 seconds.  Players dab the sheet and when they get all the correct songs cry ‘house’.  There are nine prizes including a free pint, a mini bottle of prosecco or a 750ml bottle for each of the three first house winners. Says licensee Steve Orme: “It’s the most mid-week fun you can have for a fiver.  By round three no-one gives a hoot about getting the right answers and it becomes a good-natured riotous party with customers singing along. Rather than having teams on separate tables everyone plays as individuals, maximising participants. We pay £150 for a DJ, who is key. It's so popular we recently introduced our first Saturday Bottomless Bingo lunch and sold 40 tickets.  For £49 you get bottomless booze and pizza and bingo for 90 minutes.”

DRAG BAPTISM ATTRACTS YOUNGER CROWD

A move to give young first-time drag artists a space in which to hone their skills has proved a great success for The Fox, an LGBTQIA+ pub in Birmingham. It has transformed Sunday trade and brought in a new demographic.  Held 5pm – 8pm, the free events – known as drag baptisms – attract a younger crowd increasing trade by 90%. Performers get a free drink. There’s also a separate quarterly competition for 10 budding artists with four heats and a final, all held on one night. The performers’ competition entrance fee is given as prize money to the winner.  Says licensee Andy Bentley-King: “Drag is popular in Birmingham – and not just at LGBTQIA+ venues.  Other pubs can do similar events. Everywhere has budding artists who want to be performers – not just aspiring drag artists - and will bring friends to support them.   These events give young people a chance who normally wouldn’t be booked unless they were a recognisable artist.  A bonus from our Sunday drag baptisms is that the younger clientele who attend now come to see different shows too. For example, we hold drag karaoke and drag acts every Saturday evening giving a £250 fee to a professional host who invites guests.  It’s up to the host how much they give to their guests.” 

FAMILY DRAW FOR ZERO COST

The Bridge in Nottingham was spending £250 a day to hire a bouncy castle for charity fundraisers and other events.  Looking to save money, admin and staff time, publican Louise Mason approached her supplier with the proposal that they erect their bouncy castle in the garden for free but charge customers using it.  The arrangement has proved a win-win for both parties over the last three years. The company typically charges £2-£3 for single use or sells £10 wrist bands for the whole day and discounts for multi-child families.  Says Louise: “It was a young company at the time so wanted profile.  They are fully certified, have liability insurance and provide supervision. The bouncy castle has made the garden a draw for families at zero cost. It increases trade by at least 30% encouraging customers to stay longer. It’s key as we don’t have play equipment. In 2026, when the weather is good, we’ll have a bouncy castle throughout the weekend and, if our partner doesn’t have bookings, they’ll erect it during half term and other holidays, too.   If you can find someone who will do a deal, it’s absolutely worth doing, but check them out thoroughly and make sure all documents are up to date.”

DIY KARAOKE BOOSTS PROFIT

85% of customers visit The Newcastle Packet in Scarborough because of its karaoke, which appeals to holidaymakers and locals alike. It is on every day in the summer and in the winter on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.  For 30 years the pub paid an external supplier to host it.  By 2025 the cost had risen to £250 per session. Looking to reduce overheads, licensee Lizanne Myers, decided to purchase the pub’s own kit for £3,500 consisting of two TVs, speakers, a computer, amplifier, and microphones.  She now employs someone to operate it in-house, giving her greater flexibility.  Says Lizanne: “We get a lot of coach trips and sometimes they don’t ring in advance so it’s great to have someone trained to operate the karaoke equipment, who I can call on with little or no notice.  If you’re thinking of taking it in house, you need your staff operator to be able to set it up, fix it if it goes wrong, and have an outgoing personality to compere and create atmosphere and a sense of fun. They crucially need to have the banter and the voice to sing themselves.  Investing in our own equipment and operator was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It paid for itself in three weeks and customers were none the wiser.”