As the team at The Watering Can celebrates winning its third Liverpool City Region Tourism Award during the six years I have worked with them, it feels like a good moment to reflect on what long-term PR commitment and partnerships in the hospitality sector really looks like.
Launching a venue is often seen as the headline moment for PR, but in reality it represents only a small part of what is required to keep a hospitality business relevant, visible and ultimately profitable over time.
The Watering Can had already been open for a year when I began working with the team and was performing very well and already making a name for itself. So, the question was: why invest in PR, and what have we achieved together over the past six years?
Over that time we have jointly as a team:
- Successfully supported and secured a long-term planning application to expand the kitchen
- Built positive relationships with members of the community who were initially opposed to the café – many of whom are now regular guests
- Positioned The Watering Can as a destination venue within the region
- Encouraged visitors to travel further, stay longer and increase spend
- Launched multiple seasonal menus to maintain guest interest and relevance
- Delivered high-profile and commercially successful events
- Developed a highly anticipated and consistently popular Christmas programme
- Won multiple awards including 3 LCR Tourism Awards, MIB Awards and Downtown in Business Awards for Excellence
- Built strong relationships with charities, local residents and community supporters
- Secured coverage across major platforms including LAD Bible, alongside extensive regional and national media exposure
- Navigated significant economic and industry challenges
- Built lasting relationships with loyal and supportive customers
- Adapted to changes in the leisure and hospitality landscape
- Contributed to a Liverpool City Region national tourism campaign
- Attracted high-profile guests and celebrity visitors from across the region
- Hosted countless milestone celebrations for guests
- Introduced a new booking system to support operational growth
- Represented the venue in local and regional hospitality stories
- Reinforced the venue’s reputation as a place for a relaxed, high-quality dining experience, not simply a quick stop
- Managed operational challenges ranging from flooding to “dine and dash” incidents
- Created one of the city’s most talked-about Sunday roasts through the “As Good As Ya Ma’s / Return of the Roast” campaign
- Built a strong reputation for quality ingredients and thoughtful menus
- Developed a Mother’s Day event that sells out year after year
In short, we have worked consistently to ensure that The Watering Can remains relevant, visible and a place people actively choose to visit over a long period of time.
This level of success is only possible when working with operators who understand the long-term value of strategic PR, and who are open to collaboration and new ideas.
In today’s fast-paced digital environment, where social media can generate rapid attention, businesses can also disappear from the conversation just as quickly.
Sustainable hospitality PR requires long-term commitment, strategic thinking and strong partnerships. In many ways, the real work begins long after the champagne corks have popped on launch night.
I’m fortunate to work with Phil and Keith at The Watering Can, who are excellent operators, consistently open to new ideas, and committed to working as a team with one shared objective:
keeping The Watering Can relevant, top-of-mind, profitable and moving forward.
