The Sweet Sound of Happy Hour: Programming the Jukebox to Draw in the Post-Work Crowds

According to a new poll by pub industry magazine, the Publican Morning Advertiser, 5.42pm is officially the most common time for the British public to grab their first post-work pint on a Friday.

The research shows UK employees are generally quick to head to their local pub or bar, though peak times vary across regions with those in the East of England making it to their chosen venue in just seven minutes.

Clearly, this rush of consumers represents a major earning opportunity for landlords, who must perfect their venue’s offering to attract customers to their pub over their rivals. Jukeboxes can provide one useful tool to enable pub owners to achieve this, since music plays a significant role in shaping a venue’s atmosphere.

Through Hire Jukebox, landlords can choose to offer periods of free jukebox selections to encourage consumers to visit their bar, waiving charges for a pre-set time slot. Taking advantage of this function, they could provide free jukebox tracks at the start of the evening to invite customers in, or alternatively set the jukebox ‘happy hour’ offer later to encourage pub-goers to stay longer.

Beyond jukebox promotions, the jukebox’s available track listing can also be altered to create the right mood for certain times of day. Selections could be limited to more relaxing genres or low tempo music during the day, for example, with more energetic, upbeat tracks automatically becoming available after 5.30 on a Friday, as customers look to celebrate the weekend.

Of course, every pub or bar has its own customer base with a unique set of needs, and the jukebox schedule must fit this accordingly. Understanding this, Hire Jukebox profile each pub or bar before advising on the most effective settings to generate a welcoming, engaging atmosphere and at the same time boost takings for the venue.

To discuss how the right jukebox model could help your venue capitalise on the happy hour trend, contact Hire Jukebox.

Author: Marc Bird