Christmas looks like being a time of good cheer for many of the region’s pubs. While cut-price supermarket deals have made life difficult, many landlords say they are bouncing back. Simon Leonard reports on the state of the industry as the festive season nears.

Pubs in the area are fighting back against the tough economic climate.

And many say bookings leading up to Christmas are looking very promising.

Despite competition from supermarkets offering cheaper alcohol, a lot of new and existing pubs are continuing to thrive in 2011.

Big chains reinventing their pubs, existing pubs offering new offers as well as brand new bars have all attracted customers, despite warnings that people are cutting back on spending.

Many of the pubs are in the town centre and landlords and managers believe you have to redefine your business in order to succeed in this climate.

The Abacus, on Scunthorpe High Street, underwent a transformation from its former guise as Barracuda in January 2010.

General manager Jay Dawson, 30, started eight weeks ago and is determined to redefine the pub as the place to be on a night out.

He said: “We have been concentrating on delivering good quality food and sales have started coming up now.

“We are concentrating on making Saturday nights a really good party night for people to enjoy.

“I do think it is hard times at the moment, but you need to reinvent yourselves and give customers the experience they want.”

Abacus offers special deals to draw punters in, which include two-for-one offers and themed party nights.

Likewise, bosses at the JD Wetherspoon-owned Blue Bell Inn say the pub is performing very well at the moment and its £19.99 three-course Christmas Day dinner has already sold out.

Paul Ferguson, 35, manager of the pub, in Oswald Road, Scunthorpe, said: “Trade has been good at the moment.

“We are fully booked up for Christmas Day.

“There is a culture of people being price-led, but not everyone seeks out the lowest prices.

“We offer a safe, relaxed environment which is important to me, as I used to worry as a teenager of violence in pubs.”

The Warren Lodge in Luneberg Way, Scunthorpe, was given a £500,000 makeover in September and became part of the Spirit Pub Company’s Flaming Grill brand, changing its menu to focus on meat.

Landlady Lynne Plane, 59, said the move had led to an increase in business.

She said: “It has been fantastic. Trade has been going really well.

“Something like this was needed in the area and Scunthorpe people seem to be quite big meat eaters and it has obviously been to our advantage. With our Christmas fare, we don’t do turkey on a plate. It is turkey kebabs and it is proving to be really, really popular as an alternative.

“We have still got some places left for Christmas Day and although some people do like the traditional things, we have got people who are quite happy with the alternative turkey.

“We have still got a massive local following and we have got party nights and band nights in December, which are all quite well subscribed.”

And the signs also look good for Barton-Upon-Humber’s re-opened George Inn, which served its first customers since February last week after undergoing an extensive re-fit.

Landlady Sarah Woodhouse said: “We had a fantastic opening night. The Christmas bookings are looking very good at the moment.

“We are offering a different experience from other pubs, as we don’t serve pub grub. We have trained chefs and we serve an à la carte menu.”

But while the new and modern pubs are thriving in the current climate, some of the older, more traditional pubs are struggling to stay afloat.

The Riveter on Henderson Avenue in Scunthorpe is facing a tough Christmas.

Landlord Philip Taylor, 21, said: “We don’t have that many customers at the moment.

“People are cutting back on spending across the country.

“We don’t offer food here so we will have to see how business goes during the next few months.”

Another traditional pub is the Butchers Arms on the High Street in Winterton.

Landlord Chris Hutson, 43, said: “We are down 25 per cent on our Christmas bookings compared to last year.

“I have been working here for 25 years and I have seen a dip in business.

“We can’t compete with the current prices of the supermarkets as they are offering alcohol at dirt cheap prices.

“A lot of people are pre-drinking now before they go out and they won’t turn up until a lot later.

“We have to monitor the amount of alcohol we sell to people, but the supermarkets don’t. I would say that the new bars are driving business away from traditional pubs.

“The Government should go back to the 2am licence, instead of offering these extended opening hours.”

23 hostelries have shut down

Although the future may be looking brighter for some pubs, a number of pubs and clubs across North Lincolnshire have had to close their doors and surrender their licences in recent years.

A list provided by North Lincolnshire Council shows a total of 23 have closed in the last five years, although some, such as the Magna Charta in New Holland and Epworth’s White Bear have since re-opened.

At the start of the recession, there were 677 licensed premises in the region, including pubs, takeaways and off-licences. The council figures show that number has now decreased to 658 outlets.

The only new on-licence granted by the council in the last 12 months was for the Baths Hall.

According to the council, pubs and clubs which remain closed in the region are:

* The Queens Hotel, Rowland Road, Scunthorpe

* The Crosby Hotel, Normanby Road, Scunthorpe

* The Maple Leaf, Quebec Road, Bottesford

* Bondz Wine Bar, Station Road, Scunthorpe

* The Mayfair Social Club, Cross Street, Scunthorpe

* New Trent Inn, Wharf Road, Ealand

* Kinsleycorrect Labour Club, Cole Street, Scunthorpe

* Brocklesby Ox, Bridge Street, Brigg

* St Philip’s Club, Sheffield Street, Scunthorpe

* The Barge Inn, Station Road, Keadby

* Ukrainian Social Club, Sheffield Street, Scunthorpe

* The Square, Sheffield Street, Scunthorpe

* Brigg Snooker Club, Bigby Street, Brigg

* The Blue Bell Inn, Whitecross Street, Barton-Upon-Humber

* George and Dragon, High Street, Crowle

* Bishops Blaise, High Street, Scunthorpe

* Conroy Hotel, Frodingham Road, Scunthorpe

* Club 2000, Church Square, Scunthorpe

* The White Swan, The Green, Scotter

* The Ancholme Inn, Grammar School Road, Brigg