Turning Tables Into Desks

The latest trend hitting the hospitality headlines is pub desks or “Work From Bars” (WFB).

The curfew situation has created an interesting pivot opportunity for pubs, bars and licensed restaurants:

Open earlier and provide an alternative “office” environment.

Many people are getting tired of working from the kitchen table and are rightly looking to change their environment up a bit, if they still can’t get back in the office.

In this BBC article, the journalist tries WFB at their local pub, and gets encouraging feedback about why pub desks are appreciated by owners and customers alike.

It’s fast to set up and promote too. Here’s a quick checklist for setting up:

• An offer/package. Consider the following: fixed price, guaranteed power socket, food and drink, choice of time slots and durations. 
• Good quality WiFi with strong coverage throughout the venue. Security is important here as people could be handling potentially sensitive work related information.
• A booking system
• Staff to cover any earlier opening hours
• Think about table layout to optimise space near power outlets (or stock up on extension cords)
• Bonus: A Loyalty scheme. Encourage people to use your pub desks more often with a digital stamp card. 

The concept isn’t entirely new. Brewdog recently started offering “Desk Dog” that included a dedicated work space, WiFi, unlimited coffee/tea and a free pint of beer at the end of your booked time. People would naturally hang around after finishing work, and more sales followed.

There’s even a new directory set up with the help of Bar Life UK where you can list your venue as open for office workers. Check out the details here: Bar Life UK

If you’re planning to offer “pub desks” and want to get the message out to existing customers, get in touch with one of the team and we’ll help you spread the word, fast.