Off to a flying start

Licensee Neil Organ, of the Manvers Arms is determined to put his pub on the map for quality food and service, says Nigel Huddleston

Neil Organ is just a week into his first pub tenancy when word reaches him that his pub has come out top with a 100% record in this month's Quality Tracker.

He's happy to acknowledge that the accolade was secured by the Passionate Pub Company during a three-month tenure as interim custodian of the pub after the last Enterprise tenant left.

But just days after taking a new Enterprise tenancy on the Manvers Arms, in the South Yorkshire village of Adwick-upon-Dearne, Neil has set about drawing up a formal staff training programme to ensure that standards are further improved.

"You need to get it right from day one — that's when you get people coming in out of curiosity to see what the new people are like," he says.

Neil gave up his career as a mortgage advisor in light of the downturn in consumer lending and took on the Manvers, which was faced with closure if a new permanent tenant didn't come forward.

He has experience of relief-managing pubs and wife Rachel is a trained chef, who, according to Neil "has never been happier than when she was working in pubs".

The Manvers "ticked all the boxes" with a 70:30 dry:wet split, with what Neil calls "good quality pub food".

Like the full adult menu and the lunchtime bar snacks, the children's menu is all home made, with baked-bean lasagne and cottage pie in place of the oft-found chicken nuggets and chips.

The clientele tends to be the more well-heeled of the rural population between Rotherham and Mexborough and the couple plan to introduce a fine-dining element as their time in the business progresses.

"The village only has 70 or 80 houses, so it tends to be more of a destination place for people to come and eat," says Neil.

As well as introducing a new training manual, the couple have recruited new bar manager Matthew Squires, who worked with Neil in his previous job, but is a trained sommelier.

"The pub has a very affluent clientele, who like good service and perhaps have seen that it's been lacking a bit in the past," Neil says.

"We want to encourage staff to meet and greet customers and help them find a table when they come in to eat. It's not just about being able to operate a till or find your way around the back bar. You need to have some enthusiasm."

Appearances matter too, says Neil. A staff uniform has been introduced and details like hanging baskets are being used to spruce up the pub's image. The outdoor area — a beer garden and kids' area — has been tidied up, while the kitchen was closed for the first two days after they took over, while hygiene standards were brought up to scratch.

"It sacrificed some revenue, but word gets round and people can see what we're about," says Neil.

He's also been making sure that customer views are canvassed on what changes they've seen so far - and what they'd like to see in future. "It's not enough just to ask their opinions — you've got to implement things you say you're going to, as customers then see you have an interest and care about what you're doing."

Staff views are also important in taking the business forward. "We've had an initial meeting for staff, to get their input. We had a bit of a brainstorming session to see what they thought was good and bad about the place and what we could improve on. The idea is to mould it into the general way we want to go, but incorporating their ideas."

A tiered training structure has been introduced, with staff being rewarded with extra salary levels once specific parts of the programme have been passed."

But the natural abilities of staff are the biggest key to success, says Neil, who will be looking for adaptability and commitment in new starters.

"We want people who really want to do the job and even learn enough to go and have their own pubs one day. We want people who are happy to be at work."

Fact file

Neil Organ

Age: 33

Background: Worked as a pub manager before becoming a mortgage advisor. Wife Rachel is a trained chef who has worked in a variety of pubs and restaurants. The Manvers Arms is their first owned pub.

Top tip: "You're only as good as your last month. A pub is a business, not a lifestyle. You can't afford to be complacent — start every day as if it's the first. A lot of long-standing hosts have become trapped in the same way of doing things. If customers don't like what you're doing you've got to be able to change."

Who I admire in business: "Chris Evans. He works hard and plays hard. He realises you have to invest money before you can enjoy the benefits and that you have to work for the rewards. He hasn't achieved anything through luck."

Training

n New staff to be recruited with personality and ambition above pub experience

n Tiered training policy. Staff learn a task or a business area before moving on to the next

n Front-of-house staff to have or acquire all-round pub skills

n Senior staff to mentor new starters