lee newman, senior gaming & entertainment manager, local pubs
With very strict rules in place governing behaviour in pubs, Senior Gaming & Entertainment Manager, Lee Newman, and team had to find ways to create a familiar, relaxed experience.
For someone like me, whose life is spent visiting pubs to figure out how we can create the perfect pub experience, the pandemic was extremely challenging, both professionally and personally. I lead the gaming and entertainment team for Local Pubs and we’re responsible for creating a fun, innovative experience for our customers, using everything from touchscreen gaming, pool and quizzes to competitive socialising concepts, such as digital darts and Shufl.
Unfortunately, social distancing, one-way systems, mask wearing and table service were enough to restrict a pub’s ambience. But with no sport, a live entertainment ban, a restriction on decibel levels (so customers didn’t lean in close to hear), as well as a discouragement from speaking loudly, and we really did face an uphill struggle. In Scotland, no sound systems were allowed at all. At one point Scottish customers were sitting at spaced out tables watching crowd-free football with no sound on.
It was clear early on in the pandemic that we had to act quickly if we wanted pubs to remain attractive places to visit with such strict measures in place. My role moved from a fun and sociable one to, understandably, very health and safety conscious and checklist-driven.
Cash and gaming machines
When pub closures were announced in March 2020, it was a race against time to empty gaming machines of cash. We didn’t want a security risk – the last thing GMs needed were break ins – so we quickly sent collectors to get as much money out as soon as possible. We had spreadsheets to reconcile the cash, but everyone did things differently because it was so rushed. It was super challenging, but we had to leave pubs safe and secure. Before reopening in July 2020, we had to figure out how we could physically move gaming machines so that customers were not standing too close. I did a whistle-stop tour of pubs to see if we could place machines back to back or at angles, for social distancing purposes. We also had the great idea of adding numbered shelves so that drinks could be pre-ordered and delivered to the shelf, for uninterrupted play.
The use of cash was fast disappearing and I was concerned about the move to contactless transactions. At that time gaming machines and pool tables most definitely relied on cash to operate. We also had to ensure that cues and balls were sanitised between use – and in some pubs, a pool player bending over a pool table with a cue was taking up an essential space that could be used for an extra table for six people. It was a tricky balance and there were regional nuances that had to be taken into consideration: in Scotland, pool playing was banned altogether.
Digital switch
During lockdown, we worked on creating some alternative digital entertainment ideas, such as online games and quizzes that connected pubs virtually to play. These were concepts we’d been thinking about for a while, but the pandemic helped to speed things up. I didn’t want our planned Macmillan fundraising to be ignored just because pubs were shut, as it’s a charity that’s close to our hearts. So we collaborated with the developers of Rock And Roll Bingo™, quiz partner Red Tooth, and the marketing department and in just four weeks managed to launch events via Facebook and the Greene King website. We raised funds for the charity and gave away prizes sponsored by our very own Ice Breaker, which helped to keep people connected to Greene King.
On a personal level I experienced a lot of frustration and uncertainty because I live in Wales but most of the pubs I deal with are in England, and the rules were different between here, there and Scotland. For example, we had a firebreak lockdown here in Wales in October 2020 which meant I couldn’t leave Porthcawl, where I live. The crazy thing was I had colleagues from England travelling here to climb Mount Snowdon to fundraise for Macmillan, but I couldn’t join them. It was really frustrating and I found the restrictions on movement and ever-changing rules hard to cope with. I also really struggled during the times I was furloughed. The first time was very hard. I missed the connections with others and fell into a bit of a chasm. My wife was very concerned.
In contrast, the winter furlough was life changing. I’d got my head straight and threw myself into study, fitness and self improvement. I lost weight, learnt loads and really grasped the opportunity to grow as a person with online courses and meditation. It also gave me the chance to really think about the future of pub gaming and entertainment. I had a fresh perspective and came out of lockdown excited about the new opportunities.