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By Matt Furnell, 28/01/2010 3:49 pm

Greene King Pub Partners has launched a new consumer attracting campaign “SWAGs” with the help of their female licensees to encourage more pubs to attract the Sassy, Wise and Grown Up, 35+ female market.  A group with cash to spend and according to research conducted by retailers, John Lewis, a passion for “me time”. 

Speaking about the initiative, director of recruitment and training for Pub Partners, Caroline Hollings said, “We’re trying to get pubs to really get behind offering the right things for these women.  Pubs often fail to accommodate women eating and drinking alone or out with other female friends. Typically pubs generally target mainly men, under 25’s and families and we need to redress the balance”.

Pub Partners asked fifty of their female licensees, at a recent Public Housewives away day, to assess what they offer at their pubs for the SWAG market and then got them to consider how they could attract these women away from the usual places they visit.  They were given advice on how to communicate with this key target audience with practical social media tips to help them achieve this.

Adding, Hollings said, “Our ladies really went to town, after all they should know what women want.  They’ll be introducing much larger wine glasses, glossy magazines, more flowers and toiletries alongside different menu options, drink and quality coffee offers and the facebook fan pages have really taken off.  It’s not rocket science but pubs really need to look at themselves with fresh eyes and see where they can tap into this very lucrative market”.

Greene King Pub Partners is communicating on a monthly basis to its “Public Housewives” in the leased and tenanted estate to help increase SWAGs in their pubs highlighting the ideas and best initiatives by the pubs involved in the campaign.

Trish McManus, licensee of the Hare Arms in Stow Bardolph set up a fan page for the pub on facebook and gained over 100 fans in the first week.  “I hadn’t realised how easy social networking was and it’s revolutionised the way I now market my pub and the events we hold, 61% of my fans are women so this really is the way to talk to them”.

Initial research of 1,000 women aged 35 to 45 conducted by High Street retailers John Lewis, identified the SWAG group as those most likely to spend time with their children and enjoy “me time” ahead of time with their partner.  The research found the group have experienced life and spend more on quality leisure time than that of other age groups.

ENDS

Press Contact: Elaine Beckett, Public Relations manager, Greene King Pub  Partners, Tel: 07974 132844

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By admin, 21/01/2010 2:19 pm

A spirited team of 21 cyclists from Greene King are to take part in a challenge of a lifetime and raise £63,000 for charity in the bargain.  The riders will be participating in Stage 3 of the Dallaglio Cycle Slam challenge, hosted by rugby legend Lawrence Dallaglio and in support of Sport Relief and the Dallaglio Foundation.

A spirited team of cyclists from Greene King

Stage 3 starts on 23 February and travels from Stade de France in Paris to Twickenham, clocking up 410 km in the process. Lawrence will begin the challenge himself on Friday 12^th  February in Rome, when he will depart on a gruelling 1,330 Km cycle up the West coast of Italy, and through to Paris where he will join the Greene King team for the third stage that takes him through to Twickenham. The Cycle Slam will then move on to Wales eventually covering all the Six Nations stadiums during the tournament. 

Speaking about the challenge, marketing manager for Greene King IPA (the official beer of England Rugby), Keith Ironside said, “This is a huge opportunity to achieve a great deal of fundraising for these amazing charities.  The whole team have been training throughout all the cold weather and are really getting prepared for this fantastic event and getting behind Lawrence, Sport Relief and the Dallaglio Foundation.  We’re looking for sponsorship and if anyone would like to help they can donate on www.justgiving.com/team-greene-king.  Everything will be gratefully accepted and appreciated”.

Lawrence Dallaglio Cycle Slam Challenge

Lawrence Dallaglio commented, “It’s brilliant to have the support of the team from Greene King.  It’s no doubt going to be hard work but the money we’ll raise will make a real and valuable difference to the charities we’re helping”.

The charities who’ll benefit from the fundraising are Cancer Research UK, Leukaemia Research, Debra, Help for Heroes, PRA Benevolent Fund and Sport Relief.  The event will be featured through the BBC Sport coverage of the RBS Six Nations and you can follow the riders on twitter and the official website: www.dallagliocycleslam.co.uk

Lawrence and his team of seven core cyclists will leave the Greene King team at Twickenham and go on to Cardiff and the Millennium Stadium   clocking up a total of just under 2,900 km in five weeks.

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Press Contact: Elaine Beckett, PR & Comms Manager, Greene King Pub Partners, Tel: 07974 132844

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By Matt Furnell, 15/01/2010 5:08 pm

Greene King said today that they were disappointed with developers, Farnswood, announcing publicly their proposed plans for the land on which the Portland Arms pub is located.  Greene King were in very early talks with the developer to try and understand the viability of their proposals.  No agreement had been reached on any proposal to sell the Portland or any new development.  Greene King has taken the decision to not continue with talks relating to the re-development of the area.

Speaking about the pub, David Elliott, managing director for Greene King Pub Partners said, “We have looked at the scheme put forward by the developers.  Having spoken to our licensees, Hayley and Steve and other interested parties, we have decided not to support this application at this current time.  The Portland Arms is a vibrant and valuable pub and will remain open for the foreseeable future”. 

“We’d like to thank everyone who has been in touch in relation to the Portland, both for and against the proposals.  It shows that, contrary to media interest, pubs are still very much in the hearts and minds of the British public”.

Hayley Yoxall and Steve Pellegrini, the licensees behind the success at the Portland added, “We’re relieved this has now been sorted out and we can get on with running our business at the pub”.

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By Matt Furnell, 12/01/2010 2:04 pm

Cask ale lovers can try their hand at brewing their very own beer with a new free App from Greene King’s Head Brewer’s Club and Pub Partners.  Choose a mix of hops, barley, water and yeast, shake it all about and create the perfect pint all on the iPhone or ipod Touch.

Ibrew Application developed for the Head Brewers Club

It also allows fans find a perfect pint too by helping them discover cask ale pubs certified as having excellent cask ale by Greene King’s quality team and Head Brewer, John Bexon.  All 336 Head Brewer’s Pub Partners pubs are featured and can be found with the iPhone map by name or county or connected with telephone link.

Speaking about the iBrew App, Commercial Manager for Greene King Pub Partners, Anthony McEvoy said, “This is a unique App allowing a bit of fun with its very own brewing game and providing pub lovers easy access to great cask ale pubs all over the country.  The pubs get better publicity than they would from just a standard website and customers can use the iPhone map system to direct themselves straight to the pub of their choice”.

Greene King’s Head Brewer’s Club is an initiative to promote brilliant cask ale pubs and the unique qualities they offer to customers up and down the country.  All pubs have been rigorously assessed for their consistent delivery of real ale.

Download the app here http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ibrew/id347288864?mt=8

Pictured:  Images of the iBrew App screens

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Press Contact: Elaine Beckett, Public Relations Manager, Greene King Pub Partners, Tel: 07974 132844