Brits drive far for good food

Brits are abandoning their local pubs and taking to the roads as their hunt for good food sees the resurgence of the old fashioned ‘weekend drive’, says a leading insurer.

New research from Privilege Insurance reveals that for many Brits the ‘local’ is no longer local. Just three in ten (29 per cent) say their regular drinking spot is the pub round the corner, and just 15 per cent eat at their local pub.

But Brits do love their pub grub. Two thirds cite good food as the reason for choosing a pub, compared with just three per cent who say location. Of those that go out for a pub meal regularly (49 per cent), nearly half (44 per cent) will drive more than ten miles to guarantee good food at reasonable prices. And one in ten is willing to drive more than 20 miles.

Those aged between 18 and 30 are the biggest fans of the gastro pub experience. Two thirds regularly go out for a pub meal, with more than a third happy to travel for more than 10 miles. But this age group is also the most likely to ignore the drink driving laws, with five per cent admitting they accompany their meal with more than the legal limit of alcohol and still drive home.

Only 7 per cent of those in living in the West Midlands eat at the pub round the corner, but it’s the Welsh that will travel the furthest for good food. A quarter (24 per cent) of those in Wales say their favourite gastro pub is more than 10 miles from home, compared with just nine per cent of those in living in Yorkshire and Humberside.

James Gore, spokesman from Privilege Insurance says: “With so many great gastro pubs out there serving great food at reasonable prices, we are seeing the return of the weekend drive, as more and more people travel further afield to try out new places. We advise food-loving motorists that, if you do like a drink with your lunch, stick to a pub within walking distance, or be prepared to take a taxi home. Alternatively, you could ask a friend to drive you – as long as they are insured - or take turns being the designated driver.”

The research also revealed that drivers on long car journeys are just as keen to have good food. While only nine per cent of drivers eat at a pub en route, two thirds (66 per cent) said they would do so if they knew where to go, with over a quarter (26 per cent) willing to make a detour of four miles or more.

Just a quarter of people currently eat at motorway services stations, with munching a sandwich in the car park a preferred option for most drivers (33 per cent).

Some 80 per cent of all British pubs now serve food, compared with about half in the mid nineties, serving nearly 1.1 billion meals last year. The average pub now gets more than 25 per cent of its turnover from meals.

Janet and William Hutchings, owners of award winning The Bell in Skenfirth, identified in Privilege Insurance’s Gastro Pub Guide says: “'We have always placed the utmost importance on the provenance of our food and have only ever used our organic kitchen produce, local and sourced suppliers. The Bell is perched on the banks of the River Monnow in one of Wales's smallest and prettiest villages and our customers come from near and far. They are normally people who appreciate good food, good wines and beers, good exercise and a good sleep!”

Natasha Crowe, (26) a housewife from Torquay loves to find good gastro pubs to drive her family to at the weekend: “My husband and I love eating out, and take our kids out for a pub lunch every Sunday. We try to always go to a different pub each time, and often travel more than half an hour to get there. Our local pub is ok, so we tend to pick this one when we fancy a drink and don’t need to drive.”

Privilege provides top tips on how to avoid drink driving:

- Choose a pub within walking distance from home
- Take a taxi home from the pub, and collect your car the next day
- Ask a friend to come and pick you up
- Organise a rota system, so there is always a designated ‘drink-free’ driver
- Find pubs that are easily accessible by public transport
- Make a pact with friends that nobody will drink, so the driver doesn’t feel left out