Operators said to be seeing benefits from free wi-fi deal
PUNCH Taverns lessees are said to be reaping the benefits of a new deal between the pubco and wi-fi provider The Cloud.
The pubs firm is working with The Cloud to install free wi-fi across its tenanted and leased estate, with the programme expected to be complete by the end of the month.
Punch is providing free wi-fi for two years with free installation, including a support pack from The Cloud to promote the new service.
Julie Clamp, machine development manager at Punch, said lessees already signed up to the wi-fi deal are reaping the rewards, with statistics showing high usage levels during the day. “This free initiative puts our pubs on a level with managed houses, national coffee and restaurant chains,” said Clamp.
“We have already seen pubs making the most of the opportunity wi-fi offers, through introducing meeting space for business users, adding or upgrading a coffee offer to increase dwell time or adding social media followers through use of wi-fi.”
Vince Russell, MD at The Cloud, said: “As the largest wi-fi provider to the pub industry, with nearly 9000 pubs live on our network, we’re seeing demand for wi-fi constantly increase – usage on our network nationwide has doubled in the last 12 months.”
