I’m really interested in how small businesses are coping with the oncoming recession and the credit crunch. Needless to say, I’m even more passionate about how pubs are tackling the downturn: too many are closing already.
The Four Crosses in Cannock is playing a blinder: bargain grub is getting people through the doors. One can only assume that once they’re in for the quid eats (and they still make a profit on the food!) that they stay for some much more profitable drinking.
It’s great for two reasons:
1) The guv’nor isn’t sitting around whinging that his pub is going to hell in a handcart. I’ve been in a fair few pubs these last few months where the landlord is just waiting for what he (yes, always a man) perceives to be the inevitable closing down of the boozer. At the Four Crosses they moved beyond the doom and decided it was time to do something.
2) Then they decided to be inventive. £1 food has got them amazing press coverage (check it out: Daily Mail,, The Sun, Daily Express) and it’s getting people in the door. Just proves that doing something different really can work.