Smugglers staff pour effort into contest
A Father Ted-style video series on Facebook has helped Smugglers Pub and Cafe become the best Guinness bar in the South Island, and the third best in the country.
Since July more than 170 bars competed to win the chance to be called the best bar along with a trip to Ireland.
Co-owners Mike Thomas and Paul Davenhill said those entrants were whittled down to 10 and from that only three bars from the South Island were in contention.
‘‘It was not so much about who could sell the most, it was about how you could promote your business and your bar about Guinness. We did the best in the South Island,’’ Thomas said.
The team thought about what they could do to stand out and decided a Father Ted-inspired video series starring staff and locals would be just the ticket.
‘‘It was a mini-Guinness chronicle series that we put together,’’ Davenhill said.
‘‘One of our regular customers was our star because he fitted the bill quite nicely and we made a bit of a comedy of it.’’
They also opened the bar up for customers to trial pouring their own Guinness, added more of the beverage into the menu and brought out a large inflatable Guinness hat that sat on the roof of the pub.
The nationwide competition was judged by mystery shoppers, Facebook voting, volume targets and how bars promoted themselves.
‘‘It motivated our staff through those winter months and everyone got behind it, our customers won, our staff won and we had a great time. We had a great deal of support from a lot of our locals, without them we wouldn’t have gotten there.’’
The bar won $500 towards a staff experience which would go towards a staff appreciation day.
The videos can be seen on the Smugglers Facebook page.