Pubs: the Community Centre for the new century?

This weekend, the Daily Mail reported on a trend: women across the country are meeting up in the pub in order to enjoy a drink and a gossip – oh, and to knit a scarf or two while they’re there. In case you hadn’t heard of them before, Stitch and Bitch groups are the new knitting circles, but for a younger audience. Knitting has become trendier in recent years, with women (and men) of all ages picking up some needles and yarn in order to adopt a new skill.

What I like about this is their location of choice. The organisers of Stitch and Bitch groups could easily choose a coffee shop, or rent a hall, or even host the gatherings at their own homes. However, they’re choosing the pub. I’ve spoken before about the pub as a central hub in the community, and to me this is positive evidence that it continues to represent a location for neighbourhood groups to meet.

As part of BitterSweet Partnership, which works to ignite a love of beer in women, and as someone who has worked in the industry for many years, I think it’s great that the pub is a location of choice for these groups. While most people consider it a sociable location, it may not be the first venue which springs to mind for local interest groups. However this news report reflects the potential that exists, with the obvious benefits for business in terms of increased sales at the bar. So could pubs be doing more to encourage community groups to use their space? While publicans might already have the trade of a football team, are they doing enough to provide a welcoming place for groups – especially those with a higher female membership?