Pub insurance customers could be interested to learn that public houses in one seaside town have been using innovation to buck the economic downturn, it has been reported.
Licensees in Torquay are hosting events and adopting loyalty schemes in order to lure hard-up punters back for another pint, according to the Morning Advertiser.
Jim Burkett, of the Sportsmans Arms, said he had boosted sales by a third by selling loyalty cards to regular drinkers for £5.
The cards entitle the holder to buy pints for £2 on a Saturday and Sunday and have proven a hit with the boozer's locals.
Since the scheme began one month ago he has sold 100 of them and as a result business has "rocketed".
"It's like olden times when pubs were really busy. I'd just about had enough, I'd put the pub up for sale, and was planning to move to Cyprus," Mr Burkett explained.
He added that he decided to take a gamble and sold his house and the decision has paid off.
Meanwhile, Colin Bowden of Mojo's Café Bar is selling Christmas trees and regularly stages events for the local community.
The Confederation of British Industry last week claimed that the service sector could be set to see more job losses.
