Hackney bar sees business boom after urging punters to stop single-file queuing

A pub which urged people to stop queuing in single-file lines has said that its pleas were successful and business has boomed as a result.Hackney Church Brew Co put up signs around their brewery asking people to stop forming lines and instead spread out along the width of the bar and trust the bar staff to know who’s next.Staff even resorted to shouting “please stop queuing” to a line of customers so long that it was forming out onto the street. “A bar is not a post office,” the east London pub wrote as they shared a photo of the lengthy queue, in a post which they described as an “intervention”.“You do not need to form one enormous, beautifully polite British queue stretching halfway across the taproom while four members of staff stare forlornly at 15 feet of completely empty bar.”The post, and the bar’s plight, soon gained traction online, with many applauding Hackney Church Brew Co for calling out the “exceptionally British” behaviour.Speaking to The Standard, manager Hamish Glenn said the intervention appeared to have worked, with the single-file queue largely disappearing entirely.He said that their story has particularly resonated with those working in pubs and hospitality,Hackney Church Brew CoHe said the business has seen a 20% increase in like-for-like sales compared with the previous week, which he attributes largely to quicker service. “People spent less time queueing and more time enjoying themselves and, ultimately, ordering drinks. “The atmosphere felt more like a pub again, and customers weren’t spending half their evening standing in a line.“It’s better for the customer, better for the staff and better for the business.”He said that their story has particularly resonated with those working in pubs and hospitality, who understand the frustration of needlessly large queues.“YES!! I've never understood why people do this here,” wrote one user, whilst another said: “Nothing weirds me out more than a queue at the bar.”Read MoreHowever, not everyone was receptive to the idea, with some online favouring the more ordered approach. “Silly us, we shouldn't be so polite and respectful,” one user wrote.Glenn said he expected a debate to kick off surrounding the post, but stressed that they are “not declaring war on people who queue”.He said the business has seen a 20% increase in like-for-like sales compared with the previous weekHackney Church Brew CoHe said he can understand the argument that a single queue can feel fairer and eliminates any uncertainty on who is next to order. “We just don’t think it’s the most efficient way for a busy pub bar to operate,” he stated.“We’re trying to preserve a little bit of traditional British pub culture while getting everyone served faster.“And if someone really loves standing in a single-file queue, there are plenty of opportunities elsewhere in British life to enjoy one!”Glenn attributed the pandemic as a factor that has contributed to the way the population interacts with one another public spaces.“We’re trying to preserve a little bit of traditional British pub culture while getting everyone served faster,” said GlennPA Wire“During the pandemic we were actively taught to keep our distance, follow marked routes, queue in designated places and avoid crowding around each other.“Some of those behaviours seem to have stuck.”He also said there is likely an element of “misplaced British politeness” involved.“People see one person standing behind another and instinctively think, ‘That’s the queue,’ and join the back. Within a few minutes you’ve got 20 people stretching across the room while half the bar is completely empty.”Glenn stressed that personal space and manners don’t need to be sacrificed in a busy bar, but punters should place their trust in the staff to know who’s next.“It’s quicker, more sociable and, judging by what we’ve seen over the last week, considerably better for business too.”