Initiative to help pubs transform into food shops gains momentum

An initiative that enables pubs to trade as food shops and transform into ‘click and collect’ nodes of their local communities has gained further industry backing.

Almost 500 pubs across the country have now signed up to the mypubshop platform, along with 6,500 customers.

Costcutter, All About Food, Heineken and its Star Pubs & Bars pub business have now joined launch partners Brakes, Budweiser Brewing Group, Coca-Cola European Partners and pubcos Admiral Taverns, Greene King and St Austell in the initiative.

The platform, powered by online marketplace for the drinks industry StarStock, gives pubs the ability to host a web shop and offer their local community essential household food items and takeaway meals.

“mypubshop has allowed us to manage orders and effectively stagger our click and collect customers as well as prioritise those buying food for vulnerable locals. Through its partnership with Brakes, mypubshop has also given us a reliable supply of essential goods,” said Shiv Lewis, manager of the Garibaldi pub in Redhill, Surrey.

Licensees are able to select items for the pub shop ‘inventory’ and provide an online payment service. Once orders are placed by customers, pubs then operate a collection (and now delivery) service from their venues. 

Sam Ulph, founder and chief executive of StarStock, said: “When we launched this initiative,the aim was for it to be much more than just an online pub service. In this period of extended lockdown, mypubshop offers pubs a way of staying connected with their local communities through providing an essential service, helping to reinforce their role as social hubs.

“We’re thrilled with the progress so far and with the support we’ve received from all our brand partners. We’re having some exciting conversations with a number of brands and suppliers who recognise the value that our e-commerce technology offers.”

Each transaction made via mypubshop accrues a 2 percent fee to cover operational costs. However, the venture is being run as a non-profit, with any surplus revenue donated directly to the NHS.

The platform is available nationwide and pubs can register at www.mypubshop.com.