Since its launch in October 2021, el Tab, the pioneering London nightlife app that offers monthly subscribers nightly free drinks at participating venues, has boosted local bars and pubs by contributing more than £1.5 million in revenue. This pay-out to local businesses reinforces the commitment of el Tab’s founder, Oliver Carew, to support the hospitality industry in increasing their footfall and subsequent revenue following the pandemic, whilst at the same time partnering with major drinks companies like Diageo, Pernod Ricard, and Edrington to enhance their own on-trade product visibility.
The app’s concept is straightforward, encouraging Londoners to discover new venues and enjoy the city’s vibrant bar scene. el Tab allocates bar tabs of between £750 and £1,500 at up to six venues each night. Subscribed members are then notified of the location of the bar tabs via the app. They can redeem up to four free drinks every single night, until the tabs run dry.
The venues change nightly across the month from a roster of more than 300 bars in London’s central zones 1 and 2, to ensure something for everyone’s taste. For example, venues participating in February include Coupette, Flight Club, Mercato Mayfair, Callooh Callay and many more.
Membership of el Tab starts at just £19.99 per month, the equivalent of two drinks (or less) in most London bars, potentially saving subscribers up to £2,000 annually. el Tab also offers additional membership tiers, providing further perks to enhance the subscriber experience. Each night, subscribers will also have the chance to try drinks from branded cocktail menus, providing a direct marketing opportunity that is also supported in-app and on social media with pre and post promotions to el Tab users.
Oliver Carew, Founder of el Tab, said: “el Tab is the perfect mix of technology and traditional hospitality, enabling us to support London bars and at the same time deliver free drinks to our subscribers – it is a win-win for everyone. We want to make nights out about discovery and fun, opening up venues to customers who might not usually consider them. Our aim is to get everyone exploring our great capital city’s nightlife, one free drink at a time.”
Simone Crepaldi, Operations Manager at Callooh Callay, said: “We’ve worked with el Tab for over a year now. It’s a really smart, simple way to drive footfall and introduce the venues to a new, engaged audience.”