There is a place like home

A sector under pressure, community pubs can be still be warm and inviting places if licensees focus on getting service right. Noli Dinkovski reports

W With rising beer prices, spiralling rents, the smoking ban and poor weather, it's fair to say pubs have taken a something of a battering over the past year.

And community pubs have taken more than their share of the hit - a recent study of 2,500 outlets by the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), showed one-in-10 pubs in this sector has closed in the last 12 months. It claimed the main reason was the cost of running the average pub had risen to 52% of turnover.

Such pessimistic figures are reflected in our latest round of results, with none of the 12 pubs surveyed managing to score a "five-star" rating. General serving was the main let-down, with some pubs failing on simple customer service - neglecting to offer any extras or provide cutlery with food, were just two areas picked up by our mystery visitors.

However, this is not to belittle the achievement of this month's winning pub, the Fox & Hounds in Copmanthorpe. In his brief time at the helm, licensee Gary Craven has managed to put together a crack team of customer-focused individuals who are motivated to better themselves in the trade. Careful mentoring and monitoring of each individual's progress has resulted in a family-friendly pub that serves its village well.

And as ever, it's the little things that don't cost money, such as smiling to customers and acknowledging them when they leave, that make all the difference

Success stories like these fly in the face of current market conditions, and no matter how difficult the circumstances, pubs like the Fox & Hounds should serve as inspiration for those who are not faring so well.

Winner of the month: FOX & HOunDs, COPMANTHORPE

Pubs were hit hard by the devastation of the floods last summer, and the Ship Inn, at Alcaster Malbis in North Yorkshire, suffered worse than most.

Gary Craven, licensee at the time, had no option other than to abandon the pub when the adjacent river Ouse burst its banks in June 2007, and even now, the Ship is six weeks away from re-opening.

But good things can come out of bad circumstances. With the loss of the Ship, the appropriately named Waterline Leisure took on a third pub on an Enterprise Inns lease to add to its boat-yard business. And Craven, as business manager for the group, became licensee at the Fox & Hounds.

"We have a hands-on approach to all three pubs, and they are all different to each other," says Craven. "There's no point in offering the same thing in such close proximity."

Craven says the Royal Oak, also in Copmanthorpe, is a drinker's pub while the Fox & Hounds has much more of a "community feel". To achieve this, when the Fox & Hounds underwent its recent refurb, pool tables and a dartboard were noticeable absentees, while disabled access and a large car park were made priorities.

With a healthy selection of cask ales, the pub has a 50/50 wet-to-dry split, so both food and drink service are equally important.

"We have a core group of key staff who push through the standards we require on a daily basis," adds Craven. "We try not to set aside days for training, but see it as an on-the-job process. We like to move people around the various roles, so they can get a broader understanding of running a pub and how their action in one area affects those in another."

Any new starters are paired up with a core member of the team for the first two weeks. The mentoring is followed up with one-to-one sessions to find out what further training is needed. "Many new staff don't actually know what area of the pub they want to work in, and some see it as short-term work," says Craven. "So if you're going to get any kind of loyalty, you need to encourage them and be seen to offer a career path."

Anyone can be trained says Craven, but personality is the key ingredient he looks for in his staff. "We look for people who are customer-focused and who have a pleasant attitude in general. We frequently prefer to take on staff who have had no previous trade experience, as they often look at the job from a customer's point of view."

Fact file - Gary CRAVEN

Age: 35

Background: Has only been in the trade for three years. Previous career was in boating and continues to oversee the boat yard still owned by Waterline Leisure.

Who he admires: "Duncan Ballantyne (Dragon's Den), because he is willing to try new things and is determined to make them work."

Top Tip: Gary says running a pub takes dedication. "You have to treat it as a 24/7 lifestyle if it's to have any chance of working."

Training approach

l New starters are paired up with core team members for first two weeks

l Training takes place on the job with regular follow-up discussions

l People from outside industry are encouraged to join

l Having a customer-focused attitude and good personality is key