Half of pub-goers put off by filthy toilets, poll finds

More than one-quarter of young adults value cleanliness above all else when it came to choosing a pub to frequent, new research has found.

Nearly one-third of people (31 per cent) had walked out of a pub due to poor cleanliness, according to a survey of 2,000 adults, with 27 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds saying it was the most important factor in their choice of watering hole.

The biggest turn-offs among all age groups were toilets which had not been cleaned properly (53 per cent), dirty tables (49 per cent) and sticky floors or carpets (44 per cent).

Choosing a pub to visit came down to three key factors – food, cleanliness and atmosphere, according to research commissioned by P&G.

More than half (51 per cent) of respondents aged over 65 said good food was crucial to their choice. Other priorities included a garden for the summer (30 per cent), clean bathrooms (29 per cent) and plenty of seating (25 per cent).

The survey found that at least three in five visited their local pub.

Half said pubs had the ability to bring people together and 35 per cent said the quality of their pub did not matter as long as they had the right company.

Cricketer Stuart Broad, who runs two pubs of his own, said: “As a pub owner, I know how important the pub is to British culture.

“So I wasn’t surprised to see three-quarters of Brits agreeing pubs play a vital role in their communities.

“But owning and managing a pub doesn’t come without its challenges.

“In order to thrive during these difficult times, it’s crucial to impress your customers the first time around and make sure it’s the kind of place they’ll want to return to time and again.”

The nation’s top drink choices at a pub were beer (38 per cent), soft drinks (30 per cent), spirits (28 per cent) and cider (26 per cent).

White wine (23 per cent), locally brewed beer (21 per cent) and cocktails (19 per cent) followed closely behind. The survey also found that there was a big gender divide when it comes to favourite drinks.

More than half of men (53 per cent) said their go-to drink was a well known bottled or on tap beer. Women preferred soft drinks (33 per cent) followed by spirits (31 per cent). The survey highlighted favoured topics of conversation among pub-goers were old memories (44 per cent), funny stories (43 per cent) and the news (40 per cent).

Summer was the most popular time of the year to visit, with more than half (56 per cent) saying they visit the pub most often in those months. Spring, the next popular season, was behind on just eight per cent.

More than one in 10 (16 per cent) refused to leave a tip.

Berat Onur, from P&G, said: “We know the hospitality sector has had a tough time over the past few years, but so many pubs have been resilient, in finding new ways to bring customers back through the door.

“High hygiene standards are clearly important for pub-goers and that’s where we can help, with getting it right the first time to impress even the toughest of critics.”