How Facebook is helping one pub thrive

One of the best-known pubs in the Golden Triangle is using social networking to connect with its customers. Run by a landlord in his 20s, he’s proving they can move with the times.

The Garden House on Pembroke Road has been a pub since before 1900. Now in 2010, it’s 29 year old landlord has set up a Facebook page. With over 400 followers, it’s a place where he can converse with his customers. It’s also a space where he can tell regulars what’s coming up that week.

Facebook has helped his Monday quiz night become so popular, they’ve been known to attract over 100 people. Unlike other quizzes, each team gets a chance to win the jackpot – if they get the final question right. This adds to the tension and means that you can take home the prize money, even if your team didn’t know all the answers. This Monday, the quiz will have a wine round, as part of the Norwich Wine Festival, and a jackpot of £200.

On Tuesday, the pub staged their first Poker Night, updating their Facebook status to: “Don’t forget to bring your poker faces to the G House tonight starts at 7.30 til 10! It’s our first time so be gentle!”

The landlord, James Linder, has also set up a Twitter account. Through Twitter he’s engaging with over 500 other customers. Some have made bookings through the social networking site. Others, such as a quiz team, even got together through Twitter. It’s the pub’s Twitter followers who’ve helped pick out the dishes for the weekly Curry Night. James says: “Reaching out to people online is a great way to give people a say on the pub.” A typical tweet from last week: “Had lots of artwork proofs back today, new menu, Christmas menu looking all festive and something top secret!!”

Inside the pub, they’re offering the community use of their upstairs function room. So far a chess society, amateur dramatics and a working Mums group have all taken them up on the offer. James Linder adds: “The idea is that people come in and enjoy themselves. I was reading in a recent article that the biggest threat to the pub industry is landlords themselves. Times are tough in the pub trade, but you’ve got to remain positive. In my case, I asked myself, how can the pub run better? And I think involving the customers has always been the key and social networking can provide instant feedback on an idea.”

You can join the Garden House on Facebook or Twitter, or find out more on their website.