Strength to strength

As Caskforce reaches its climax, the year's winner Mike Ford tells Noli Dinkovski how he plans to make the most of his prize

Tensions were running high at a presentation lunch in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, last Wednesday, where a golden envelope was the only thing separating seven licensees from living rent free for a year.

Each of the hopeful monthly winners of the initiative run by Marston's and the Morning Advertiser lined up on stage with their randomly-picked passports to prosperity in anticipation of claiming the ultimate CaskForce prize.

Fate smiled on Mike Ford, landlord at Punch pub the Farmers Arms in Kelsall, Cheshire. As overall winner, Ford receives a cheque worth a year's rent, which he plans to spend wisely.

"I'm over the moon - this money will help me build a better business," says Ford.

"I'm not looking for a fancy holiday, because I've done all that already - I just want to make the Farmers Arms a really good pub."

Now in its second year, CaskForce aims to improve the quality of beer in pubs through free in-pub cellar training and Cask Marque accreditation.

Since September, Marston's has sent out its team of beer-quality experts to deliver the nationally-recognised BIIAB Award in Beer & Cellar Quality (ABCQ).

And it has proved a roaring success - in the two years of CaskForce, more than 1,000 pubs have achieved ABCQ certification, with more than 1,700 bar staff benefiting from in-pub cellar training.

Boosting the cask-beer industry

"Thousands of pubs have participated in this unique quality initiative, which gave hundreds of licensees the opportunity to improve the standard of their beer," says Marston's managing director Alistair Darby.

"Our research shows cask beer sales of £8m have been generated as a direct result of CaskForce, which is fantastic for the industry."

As a result of becoming a monthly winner last December, Ford says he has been able to double his cask beer sales.

"After I won the free CaskForce beer I was able to install three new lines on my pumps. Now I've become the overall winner, I'll be able to extend my range even further.

"I want to have all the beer pumps serviced to ensure that they provide top-class beer.

"I'm also planning to re-upholster the furniture and improve the lighting at the Farmers Arms. What I want to do feels clear now, whereas in the past it was always a case of having to think about cash-flow."

Ford only became a licensee nine months ago after returning to the UK from South Africa, where he developed a business supplying marine equipment.

"I was semi-retired and took on the Farmers Arms because I needed to keep busy. I invested £12,000 in the pub and worked hard to achieve a standard I was happy with.

"CaskForce shows that if you work at making your pub better, the rewards are there."