The landlord's blog Getting people in
January in a pub: how to get through the quietest month
January is skint, cold and full of people doing Dry January. Here's a practical plan for pubs: what to sell, which nights to push, cheap events that work, and how to keep the regulars coming in until payday.
Every landlord knows January. Christmas has emptied people's wallets, payday feels a long way off, it's dark by four and plenty of your regulars have promised themselves a month off the drink.
You can't change any of that. What you can do is plan for it now, while December is still paying the bills, so January isn't a month of staring at an empty bar.
Know what you're up against
- Money. Most people are paid at the end of the month. The first three weeks of January are the hardest. The last weekend usually picks up.
- Dry January. Run by the charity Alcohol Change UK since 2013. It started with 4,000 people, and the charity says 200,000 people took part globally in 2025. Not all of them stay home. Many still want to go out, just not to drink.
- Weather. Cold and dark nights keep people in. A warm, bright pub is a reason to go out.
Make the pub a good place to be sober
If a chunk of your customers aren't drinking, give them a reason to come in anyway.
- Stock a proper low and no alcohol range. A couple of alcohol-free beers on the shelf, an alcohol-free cider and something better than a cola for adults.
- Put them on the menu and the screens, not hidden in the fridge. People feel awkward asking.
- Hot drinks. Good coffee, hot chocolate, tea. A walker or a parent at the school gate who comes in for a coffee might come back for a pint in February.
- Don't make a fuss. Nobody wants a lecture either way.
Push value, not discounts on drink
Cheap pints aren't the answer, and pubs have to be careful with drinks promotions anyway. The mandatory licensing conditions ban irresponsible promotions. These include games that encourage people to drink a quantity of alcohol within a time limit, and unlimited drinks for a fixed or discounted price where that carries a significant risk to the licensing objectives.
Value works better in other ways:
- A meal deal on the quiet nights. Pie and a drink, a burger night, a curry night.
- A Sunday dinner offer for families.
- Soup and a sandwich at lunchtime for people working nearby.
- A loyalty card for coffee or food.
Events that cost little
Your quiz, but louder
January is when a weekly quiz earns its keep. People want something to do that doesn't cost much. Make sure everyone knows the night and the time. At our place in Washington, the quiz is Tuesday at 7:30pm, every week, and we don't move it. Our post on how to host a pub quiz has a running order you can use.
Burns Night
Monday 25 January 2027. Haggis, neeps and tatties as a special, a Scottish quiz round and a toast. It works outside Scotland too.
Games nights
Board games, dominoes, cards, a darts or pool competition. Cheap to run, sociable, and good for people who aren't drinking much.
Music bingo
A good midweek event that people come in groups for. Our music bingo guide explains how to run one, including the licence you'll need.
The Six Nations
It starts on Friday 5 February 2027, so plan it in January and take bookings for the opener. Our Six Nations 2027 guide has all the fixtures.
Look after the regulars
The people who come in during January are the ones who keep you going all year. Notice them.
- Learn names. Say hello.
- Keep their seat, their table, their pint ready.
- Ask them what they'd like to see. They'll tell you.
- If you're dog friendly, say so loudly. Dog walkers come out in all weather.
Plan it in December
Most of this works better if it's on your screens and socials before New Year.
- Pick your January events now and put them in the diary.
- Get the low and no range in before the first week.
- Put a "January at the pub" slide on your screens from Boxing Day.
- Post the plan on your socials in the week after Christmas.
- Email your own customer list, if you've built one. Our post on building your own email list legally explains how.
There's more in our post on getting more customers in on quiet nights.
How StockTap TV helps
At Teal Farm, our Quick Fire phone quiz runs on every TV every 20 minutes during the day, five questions a round, played in the phone's browser with no app. The weekly winner gets a £20 bar tab. It costs nothing to play, which matters in January, and it gives people a reason to sit a bit longer and come back tomorrow. See Quick Fire, or join the founding pubs.
Frequently asked questions
Why is January so quiet for pubs?
People are short of money after Christmas, many are doing Dry January, and the cold dark nights keep people at home. The first three weeks before payday are usually the hardest.
How do I get customers in during Dry January?
Give non-drinkers a reason to come: a proper low and no alcohol range, good hot drinks, food offers and events like a quiz or games night that are fun without a pint.
Should I discount drinks in January?
Be careful. The mandatory licensing conditions ban irresponsible drinks promotions. Food deals, meal offers and free-to-play events are safer and often work better.
When is Burns Night 2027?
Monday 25 January 2027.
Sources
- Alcohol Change UK: About Dry January
- legislation.gov.uk: The Licensing Act 2003 (Mandatory Licensing Conditions) (Amendment) Order 2014, Schedule
- Irish Rugby: Men's Six Nations fixtures confirmed for 2027
We checked every source on 24 October 2026. Rules change, so check the latest version before you act. Nothing here is legal advice.