What was once listed as “London’s worst pub”, located in Bethnal Green, has been given a shot in the arm from business psychologists helping the drinks trade recover from lockdown.
The Angel and Crown in Roman Road is one of several small businesses getting help from a team of Coca-Cola marketing experts who say they have an insight into people’s behaviour.
“Running a business on my own has been quite overwhelming,” Landlady Melise Keogh said. “But the experts have helped make small changes to encourage regulars to return and get new faces through the door.”
Advice included placing products appealing to younger customers more prominently at the bar and using the space above to promote quiz nights “back by popular demand”.
It wasn’t so long ago that the boozer was named “worst pub” by reputation after complaints from neighbours in Roman Road about noise and anti-social behaviour and alleged crime.
That was before Melise took it over in late 2019 and gave the run-down watering hole a makeover — just in time for the pandemic.
“I hadn’t even considered spending on promotion,” she revealed at the time.
One in three pubs didn’t have any promotion budget, so the fizzy drinks giant stepped in to put selected outlets on billboards and help the trade back on its feet.
Melise got her pub displayed at the Old Street roundabout and bus stops around Bethnal Green and Shoreditch.
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