Wales

Salt

Mermaid Quay, Cardiff

Salt is strategically placed to cater for locals as well as the increasing number of visitors and tourists attracted to the bustling Cardiff Bay waterfront. James Dixon took over as its manager 15 months ago and was attracted to Salt by "its décor and layout, and the fact that its atmosphere differs from that of city-centre pubs".

Competing for custom

Even so, James, right, recalls: "Attracting new customers was always going to be difficult because Cardiff Bay is riddled with competition. But we have overcome this by evolving and adopting a continental style of service at Salt. For example, floor servers take orders for food and drink at the table, which you don't find at any other bar in the area."

The same attention to detail is devoted to all other aspects of customer service at the S A Brain's managed house. Apart from undertaking a Salt induction course, new employees attend Brains' bronze award course, which sets out the ground rules for providing good customer service. Training is also available via Brains' computer-based creative learning package, known as "EL Box", which teaches basic and intermediate levels of food hygiene, together with health and safety procedures.

Tastings galore

Staff specialising behind the bar undergo dispense and product knowledge courses such as Every Serve Perfect by Diageo,

whiskey tastings with Jamesons, vodka tastings with Finlandia and coffee training with Masterbrew Coffee. There are also in-house wine and cocktail training sessions.

James says all members of the bar staff "have different personalities, but everyone works together as a team and is encouraged to have fun while working".

The bar has a cosmopolitan flavour and includes employees from Brazil, Portugal, Poland, Albania, Algeria and Tunisia.