A drink on the home! How property brokers are advertising and marketing homes based mostly on their proximity to good locals as homebuyers crave pubs
It’s a love affair that shows no sign of fizzling out.
In fact, such is a Briton’s fondness for a pub that estate agents are marketing houses based on their proximity to good locals.
Industry insiders say a buyer can be ‘sold instantly on property’ if it is near a renowned public house – much like a golf course or good school.
Meanwhile campaigners for the beer and pub trade have suggested people who live near a good local pub rate themselves as ‘significantly happier because of it and have more close friends’.
Estate agent Jackson-Stops singled out houses for sale in a marketing email distributed to thousands of potential homebuyers, entitled: ‘Pillars of the community – properties for sale close to good pubs’.
The tactic followed research by the firm – including a survey of 3,000 customers – which found 75 per cent of people viewed a pub as the ‘most important lifestyle amenity’ when buying a home.
Industry insiders say a buyer can be ‘sold instantly on property’ if it is near a renowned public house (Stock Image)
Research found 75 per cent of people viewed a pub as the ‘most important lifestyle amenity’ when buying a home (Stock Image)
Its list of properties on offer included a Georgian-style detached family home on sale in Sandwich, Kent at a guide price of £2,950,000 near a renowned local pub.
An attached description read: ‘Close to The Bell at Sandwich – a hotel that boasts a beautiful pub, restaurant and terrace with some of the town’s finest food and drink – Oak house is an impressive Georgian style detached family home offering 6,985 sqft of well-planned accommodation with fantastic proportions, set in an enviable position within the sought after sandwich bay estate.’
Another possible purchase in nearby Herne, Kent, priced at a more modest £1,650,000, was billed as ‘within walking distance of The Prince of Wales, Hoath – a beloved establishment nestled amidst the serene landscapes near Canterbury, Kent’.
Similarly, two homes in Marden, Tonbridge, priced respectively at £1,650,000 and £875,000, were offered for sale alongside the following blurb: ‘Bringing expertise in fine dining to a modern grill house is the ethos of those behind The Stile Bridge, and this popular pub is close to two of our current properties for sale.’
A £2.4 million home in Oxted, Surrey, was marketed as close to ‘The Carpenters Arms, a cosy pub situated in the heart of the beautiful National Trust managed Limpsfield Common’.
In Rotherfield in East Sussex, Dewlands Hall, part of an Edwardian country house built in the style of a Mediterranean villa in around 1900 – and on sale for £1,250,000 – was described as, ‘close to The Neville Crest & Gun, an intriguingly named pub with over 500 years of history’.
Campaigners for the beer and pub trade have suggested people who live near a good local pub rate themselves as ‘significantly happier because of it and have more close friends’ (Stock Image)
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) say having a pub within walking distance can really make a difference to new homeowners (Stock Image)
Nick Leeming, Chairman of Jackson-Stops, said: ‘In the face of depleting local pubs, the popularity of villages and homes near well-regarded watering holes will continue to grab homebuyers’ attention.
‘Just like our homes, our local pubs can represent more than just a place to eat or drink, acting as a local focal point to make new acquaintances and connect to the community. They say a dog makes a house a home, then perhaps for British homeowners a pub makes the perfect community.
‘In an economy where many small businesses such as pubs and farms are struggling to survive, those villages and towns with genuinely thriving high-streets and well-regarded eateries will be harder to find, and as a result those left will become the focus for prime homebuyers.’
Toby Leek, President of NAEA Propertymark, a trade body for estate agents, added: ‘Some buyers are on the hunt for great quality local amenities as well as somewhere to fulfil their hobbies, interests and lifestyle ambitions near their future potential homes. Part of an agent’s role is to gather all of this information into a package to make the prospective buyer’s life easier when deciding if a property is the right fit for them.
‘Whether that be a good quality country pub, a top-of-the-range golf course, or highly rated schools, everyone’s priorities differ and some buyers will be persuaded and sold instantly on a property purely on these factors.’
Ash Corbett Collins, of the Campaign for Real Ale added: ‘Having a pub within walking distance can really make a difference to new homeowners, as it provides a local focal point to make new acquaintances and connect with the people in your area. Pubs are not only a place to enjoy beer and real cider or perry, but they also play a vital part in people’s social lives and wellbeing.’
