PubAid research shows disconnect between pubgoers support for local pubs and appreciation of the support pubs give to charitable causes

Those of us involved in the industry on a daily basis understand the support pubs give to charitable causes day in and day out.

However Industry body PubAid has published interesting research that reveals a disconnect between pubgoers support for their local pubs and appreciating that those premises can support grassroots sport.

The key findings of the report were:

• 93% of those surveyed felt that pubs are ‘somewhat important’ in creating a vibrant community
• Although 90% of pubs raise money for charity, far fewer of those surveyed realised this
• Pubs raise over £100 million pounds per annum for charity
• Of that £100 million, £40 million is directed to grassroots sport
• Giving behaviour has changed during the pandemic with local charities proving more popular than national institutions

Of the report, PubAid co-founder Des O’Flanagan says

“Pubs are powerhouses of fundraising, whether they’re collecting for a national charity or local cause. Thousands of charities benefit every year from the tremendous fundraising efforts by licensees and their teams, while their support for grassroots sport is keeping countless local clubs afloat. Most pubgoers will be aware of some fundraising going on in their local, but it seems the pub isn’t everyone’s first port of call if they want to raise money for charity, or to seek support for their sports teams. We know that there’s an appetite among licensees to get more involved in their communities, so what we want to do is square the circle and ensure that charities and grassroots sports players think about the pub as a partner.”