Save the Pubs
A local town event in St Albans, to support the community and celebrate the local pubs.
Challenge:
Since the national lockdown, the hospitality sector has been one of the most affected in the country. Specifically, the local pubs, some of which have had to permanently close as a result of the COVID crisis. Not only this, but the pubs have been suffering economically from rent prices rising and changing business rates for years.
St Albans is said to be known for having the most pubs in a square mile in the UK, this is quickly changing, with around 40 pubs closing in the last 10 years. Like many towns, St Albans’ pubs rely on community spirit and contribution, they have often been described as the heart of the town. The pubs also carry a lot of history, which is something St Albans takes a lot of pride in, so now is the time to increase local support.
Solution:
Every year CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) hosts a beer and cider festival in the local arena, but for this year I felt like they needed to do something different to support the pubs, so I have conceptualised a festival. CAMRA will team up with the local pubs and the council to create a week-long "Save the Pubs” event.
The event would be in place to attract a larger portion of the community and not just the normal beer enthusiasts. Its aim is to introduce all the residents to other pubs and encourage support across the town. The event would give the pubs an opportunity to showcase all of their drinks, food and entertainment, with them all offering something different. Celebrating the town’s history and culture, the festival will also bring a much-needed sense of community after a long year in lockdown.
Visual Identity:
The visual identity has taken inspiration from the history of the town, with the mosaic-like pieces and tone of voice. I wanted to keep the original colours of St Albans (Dark blue and yellow), with some added extras to make it more family-friendly and bold. The event has three cohesive identities to represent the three trails - Beer and Cider, Wine and Gin and Family-friendly. I have created various illustrations to sit in the mosaic pieces, creating icons to differentiate each trail and hinting further to the history and architecture of St Albans. The bright colours, type and mosaic pieces lend to the environmental design and create a modern, fun identity for the event.
