To ask what does your local pub do to impress you?

Brilliant ideas !

My local started last year to have food truck nights where a pizza van/burrito van/chippy van parked in the car park and you could eat inside the pub if you bought a drink. It's been really popular.

They also invite a local butcher, fishmonger and farm shop to sell their produce from the car park from 10-2pm 3 days a week and a lot of locals who wfh pop in to buy things and then grab a coffee and sandwich from the pub for lunch (you can eat in or takeaway - the coffee is fab).

They do the usual quiz nights etc.

The pub is nice and clean. Good toilets. Traditional style. Cozy vibes.

Two main rooms. One allows dogs the other is dog free.

Nice but not fancy beer garden with heaters. Covered smoking shelter that's covered to get to but not near the entrances.

They don't do food/meals as such but have really good pub snacks in addition to the food trucks. So pies/pasties - always a meat and vegan option and sandwiches (great bread and fillings). Really yummy.

smaller portions for people who want to eat less/elderly

A good garden for the summer....pots, flowers, umbrellas, place for the kids.

Themed weeks...sausage week for example in November.

Consider opening for breakfast...a really good cooked breakfast.

Local walk leaflets

Alternatively OP you furnish your pub with leopard print curtains (a nod to the MN scarf of yore) let us know on here where you are and all the MNers from far and wide will come by to revel.

Op.

I want cosy.
I want a fire.
If you have a fireplace but don't want to light a fire or whatever, put something flickering please into the empty grate. I was directed recently to take a seat by the fire. Got there, no fire. I was told we'll no it's warm in here now so we have let it go out.
We don't need bloody fires to keep warm for gods sake. Fine don't burn wood put fake candles or teal one or something in it.

Pubs /cosy /hobbit shire.

There is nothing more sinful in my book than to go into a pub and see a cold black empty grate. Disgusting.

Next lights. Soft soft cosy lighting not glaring wild spotlight mad maximum lighting. No!!..

Then, I want a reasonably priced glass of wine and some tapas style snacks to eat with that wine.
I don't want crisps.
I want olives, cheese but again not 20 quids worth!!

Tapas style!!

Lastly, music.

A juke box.

They host an annual party for the regulars with free food and great entertainment all day.

They have excellent homemade bar snacks (their scotch eggs are legendary)

They have a weekly free cheese/biscuits night

I agree with @TheSoapyFrog . I want a pub to look and feel like a traditional pub. I want a fire and a sleeping spaniel and a series of questionable horse brasses and weird crockery high up on the wall. I don't like corporate plastic and chrome places, or those "industrial" look places. Up upholstery!

The pubs I like have:

• a quiz once a week
• a real fire when it's cold
• Sunday lunch
• a cheap pie mid week
• a happy hour mid week after work (not 4pm wtf)
• a quiet place where I can talk to my friends without piped music (a side room is fine!)
• a decent deal on a bottle of white wine
• a little stack of books or magazines somewhere
• clean loos

Many of them have other good things as well, but this is my core definition of a good pub.

Oh yes.

Probably already been mentioned, but a selection of board games and chess/ draughts boards to use.

No screens, no sports

I meant that if you ask them to they are happy to 'veganise' the veggie options. They change their menu monthly (although keep many of the basics, like posh fish and chips) and often there are no vegan dishes but I know I can always have a tasty meal because they will veganise things if you ask, and they do it really well.

My local was bought by a landlord a couple of years ago who instantly banned kids at any time.
It's great and busier than it's ever been. Serves a decent pint too.
It also means you can play a game of pool without risking taking a kids eye out when you draw the cue back.

Decent beer. None of that Doombar rubbish or Beavertown water. Real indie and cask ales, preferably local.

Keeps the premises dog-free.

Pub local to my parents does a 'whisky tasting' afternoon in their function room once a month, representatives from different whisky brands are there and do tastings. Very popular afternoon out for groups of men in the 30-45 age group, who seem to then stay on and drink there for the evening.

Ours has a piano and does regular "sing-a-longs". These can be themed i.e. Christmas, Disney, old school assembly classics, power ballads... the list is endless! The family friendly stuff is run at weekends during the day and is popular with local families, the more grown up stuff on an evening. It's amazing the power of a piano sing a long!

Good non alcoholic beer is often missed in UK. Not just Heineken 0, but actually nice one. It's not just for drivers. Sometimes I switch in the middle of the night for a pint just to keep in stable condition.

Serve a good bowl of chips in a clean loo and you’ve smashed it! 😂

And clean loos!

The only consistent suggestion is good chips.

@PubFairyGodmother I think you’ll see from the wide variety of answers here that you wont be able to please everyone! I think you’ll need to decide on the type of customer base you want and respond accordingly.

My local pub seems to have done a deal with the local sports pitches and open during training sessions & matches. The actual car park at the pitches is miniscule but you can park in the pub for £5 which includes a free bacon roll and hot drink. They also do the match teas afterwards.

The weekly lunch club is also VERY popular. 3 courses and a hot drink for £5 (£1 for kids and they get squash). A space on the minibus can be booked for £2 each way. My kids love the lunch club during the holidays.

And possibly the biggest, fattest, laziest ginger tom cat ever. He sits on the bar and yourself think he was a soft toy unless you're lucky enough to see him move.