Nicholson’s enjoys a legacy of history – William Nicholson and his original gin distillery – that has been reinforced by its recent experience of excellent sales growth in cask ales. But, as many pubs and pub groups around the country have found in recent years, history does not secure the future, and Nicholson’s has now embarked on developing its offering to meet present and future demands.
Retaining the best
Retaining its distinctive heritage and the historic environment of its pubs, Nicholson’s aims to maintain its focus on craftsmanship, attentiveness and innovation, but also to provide a relaxed and engaging atmosphere for its growing and discerning audience.
At the same time, it will drive growth using design to further enrich and enhance the environment offered by its pubs, and by sharing knowledge with its customers on the ales, quality food and extensive drink menus that it makes available.
Piloting with The Clarence in Mayfair
The first stage of the scheme to pilot these developments begins with The Clarence in Dover Street, Mayfair, which re-opened just a few days ago.
The £300,000 investment included a ‘refresh’ of The Clarence’s exterior and interior design, blending its rich history and character with a more modern look and feel for today’s guests. The refurbishment is designed to provide an enjoyable and relaxing escape both in the bar and the upstairs dining room with its new, contemporary furnishings.
There is also heightened connectivity between the local cluster of Nicholson’s Pubs and The Clarence’s individual heritage through specially designed ‘interest pieces’.
Communicating drinks expertise
The re-designed drinks and back bar fitting becomes a focal point to help communicate the company’s drinks expertise and knowledge with its extensive and unrivalled cask ale range. Guests can peruse at leisure the Beer Library which includes books and artefacts, or even purchase kegs for sale, or review the extensive – and helpful – newly designed guest ale menus.
Nicholson’s Pubs will continue to build on its cask ale reputation by developing its UK keg offer with UK craft beer and cider to evolve the range further: the current Nicholson’s Beer Festival provides impressive testimony to this, with 60 award-winning real ales and new-to-market beers on offer.
Playing on the heritage, the creation of a concise and focussed gin and sparkling long drinks menu will celebrate the legacy of William Nicholson and his original gin distillery.
Premium British pub dishes
And Nicholson’s also demonstrates and promotes its creativity and innovation by providing Premium British pub dishes delivered in modern style in the upstairs dining area at The Clarence.
The menu offers wide choice to suit the varying customer tastes and budgets, and it will be interesting to see how customers respond to the opportunity to match fine beers with food.
Enhanced training plans for staff
Nicholson’s will also be developing enhanced training plans to help staff deliver the informed, warm and intelligent service that is needed to support its pubs and their product offerings.
All Nicholson’s Pubs are Cask Marque accredited, with fully trained and experienced Cask Masters in each of its pubs nationwide to ensure the quality of the ‘ale experience’, and all members of staff need to be able to guide customers through the extensive choices available to them.
Ben Lockwood, Assistant Brand Manager of Nicholson’s Pubs commented:
“We’re very proud of our passion, drive and expertise within the cask ale sector and feel we’ve been able to push the boundaries in delivering quality products to our guests. We’re constantly reviewing where we can enhance the customer experience further, by sharing our heritage and knowledge through design touch points, but also sensitively transferring product knowledge, from choice of ales to beer and food matching with our menus.”
The H & C News view
The Clarence has been transformed into an attractive, modern environment that has not sacrificed but has actually enhanced the heritage of Nicholson’s with its use of artefacts and decoration that refers back to the locality, its history and famous residents.
And the product offering is formidable: the range of high quality beers on offer is excellent – for the occasional visitor, it’s irresistible to sample a ‘flight’ of three different beers; for the regular, there will always be a ‘favourite’ available.
H & C News looks forward to learning about the feedback from customers that will be obtained in the coming weeks, and also how it is supported by sales. Will the gin and long drinks menu attract new business? Will beer and food matching influence the menu? And will the new, relaxed and comfortable ambience see an upsurge in trade through the day – perhaps lead by the coffee drinkers crowding many other venues in the area?
Some facts about Nicholson’s pubs
• There are a minimum of eight hand pulled beers from national favourites to upcoming microbreweries in each Nicholson pub
• There is a range of 25 guest ales that change with the seasons
• Most of the pubs have a dining room where you can enjoy pub classics and seasonal favourites for lunch or dinner
• Nicholson’s pubs form part of the ‘Nicholson’s Ale Trail’ around London
• Nicholson’s Pubs is part of the Mitchells & Butlers group which serve 22 million pints of cask ale a year, over 4.5 million in Nicholson’s alone.
• Three years ago, 11% of Nicholson’s total drinks sales was cask ale which has grown to 20%.
• Reflecting the diversification of beer styles and flavour profiling over the past five years, Nicholson’s has showcased over 250 beers in the last two years.
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