Is competitive socialising replacing the traditional pub?

“The gaming element is a great leveller and way of bringing groups together, whatever the occasion. It’s fast paced, engaging and a great way to create memories together which we hope will last long after our guests have left us,” says Juliette Keyte, marketing director, Red Engine.

Research this month from Mintel found that people in Generation Z prefer competitive social entertainment games like axe throwing or table football over pub visits. Two thirds of Gen Zs have played a social entertainment game in the last month, compared with three in five who have been to the pub for a drink.

This research brings into question the place of the traditional British pub in the current climate and whether it has fallen out of vogue. As people are forced to tighten their belts many are looking for more for their money and for more than a regular night out.

The new age

To weigh up how much of a threat competitive socialising is to the traditional wet led pub we must first explain what competitive socialising is. A competitive socialising venue is based around one or an assortment of games, in the case of Flight Club it is darts. Alongside offering the game, venues will often offer food and drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

The introduction of the competitive element takes away the focus of eating or drinking while still offering people that experience. This is especially desired by younger generations as they are on the whole drinking less and have less money, meaning they desire more value for it.

Data from Drinkaware UK found that in 2019 48% of adults in England said they drank alcohol once a week, which was down from 52% in 2015. Alongside this 20% of adults in England said they did not drink alcohol in 2019, which was up from 17% in 2015.

“It’s offering something more than just food and drink. We all know that people are going out less, so when they do, they want their experience to be something that’s truly memorable, that they’re willing to invest in. Competitive socialising provides this.

“The focus point is no longer having a drink together, and as many are now drinking less, or not at all this appeals to groups of all ages. For company socials, you can encourage some friendly competition, which seems preferable over that after work chat with someone you don’t know particularly well. It’s a fun way to spend time together and the fast-paced nature of it keeps everyone absorbed in the game,” Keyte says.

The issues facing the sector

The issues facing the hospitality sector have been well documented over the past few years. From Brexit to covid to the cost of living the sector has not had a moment’s peace in years.

The cost of living is particularly pertinent to the phenomenon of competitive socialising though. As individuals’ costs have risen they are looking for value for money whenever they do something. But perhaps more importantly as hospitality venues’ margins have become increasingly squeezed they have had to innovate to continue to draw in customers, this is where competitive socialising enters the fray.

“Innovation is key, you can’t rest on your laurels and take previous success for granted. At Red Engine we’re incredibly ambitious about seeking new ways to do what we do. That passion drives us forward and that’s an element I think is key. If you do drinks, do them really well, listen to your guests, consider how you can offer them something new to entice them back. Keep your customers at the heart of everything you do, and the rest will follow.

“We spent years running focus groups before our launches, and it’s something we still go back to, always checking in with our customers on what they think when they join us, to really keep us on track,” explains Keyte.

But it’s not just innovation against the traditional formats which is key for companies such as Red Engine. Competitive socialising takes on many different forms meaning customers have a lot to choose from.

Hundreds of axe throwing venues or arcade game-themed bars have popped up in recent years flooding the competitive socialising market and forcing Red Engine to continue to keep its product fresh and appealing to the squeezed customer base.

“Innovation is one of our core values, it runs through everything we do, whether that’s our technology which runs and scores the games, or always looking at ways to improve our experience for customers. Whilst new openings are exciting, we’re constantly revisiting our venues, considering how we can add recent learnings to them.

Fundamentally, we want to be associated with being a great bar, so for us it’s not just about ‘the concept’, it’s the food, drink, interior design. Every element is considered. Everything you experience in a Flight Club or Electric Shuffle is done in house, gaming, technology, interior design, programme management; that passion and deep product understanding drive us forward,” Keyte states.

The end of the traditional pub?

Everything that has been discussed in this piece makes it seem like the traditional pub is an analog offering in a digital age, waiting around for the last of its customers to die before following suit.

However, this is not a sentiment shared by blank. Blank believes that the traditional pub will always have a place and that things like Flight Club and Electric Shuffle are inspired by and built on the foundations that were laid by the Great British Pub.

“There will always be room for the great British pub, our interior design is inspired by the heritage of darts which is the fairground and a traditional pub; they are truly unique and there will always be room for those who are passionate about what they do,” she says.

So while times are tough for wet led pubs it won’t always be this way. There will always be people looking for a quiet drink and a chat.