Gerry Price, Enterprise lessee at the Inn at West End gives his views on August, sausages and banks.
August is a bit of an odd month, presumably because most people are on holiday, schools are shut, businesses are only lightly staffed and pub trade is umm, unpredictable.
We have certainly found it to be so — one minute manically busy, the next eerily quiet. We have various promotions on the go including The Times Fine Dining Offer which seems to me to be an all win promotion where we give two courses for £15 and three for £20.
This may seem toppy for many pubs but if you have six chefs and are a pub based round dining, it is actually good value for all concerned. It has, so far been a great success for us and I hope will continue to be.
Bangers
Another event that worked was our Sausage night last Monday which attracted 40 diners on a Monday evening for a great fun evening. Zulu sausages (Pork with hot chillis), Pigeon and Juniper, Beef and Horseradish and the like, made for a really tasty supper especially when accompanied by different extras such as Toad in the Hole, Caramelised Onions and Mash, Bubble and Squeak and Spinach or Cassoulet style Bean sauce. I didn't realise how popular the great British Sausage is, especially if you make a bit of a thing of it.
There is no two ways about it, give people a good value reason to come out and you will have a response. I was also tweeting as the evening went on and in my enthusiasm made some comment about ice cream and chocolate sauce sausages to finish with. I had I text the following morning asking 'did you really have ice cream sausages?' Hmm, should I answer? Heston would.
Banks
Banks are getting a slagging at the moment and I suspect some may deserve it. I am not their greatest advocates and they certainly feature well in the Profit and Loss account which means that they aren't always my greatest mates. However, we have a project on the go at the moment which needs finance and they have come up with the goods, at a bit of a price, but funding nevertheless. If it comes off I will discuss it in detail, but suffice to say, I am happy to have been able to progress this far on the bass of track record and trust.
Rent review
There are great sites and great operators and sometimes the two arrive together by happenstance. The rest of us have to make do with being one or the other and so it was that it came up in a Rent Review discussion last week. Our discussions are on hold at the moment and we have until February next year to accommodate each others demands, so no rush. However, in conversation with a reputable property agent about the merits of The Inn @ West End, he casually remarked that
'Were it not for you and your wife, this would be another 2k per week site or operating with temporary management, maybe even boarded up. 90% of the value of this place is you!
For about 24 hours it didn't really sink in, as it was part of a much larger, wide ranging discussion, but then I thought
'Yes! That is exactly what it would be. And what would the value to Enterprise be then? Who is making this property worth anything? Yes, it's us. Not the site or the bricks and mortar, it's us!'
Why was that so important? Well, it comes back to the value of The Pub. In most cases it isn't the property, or the location, it is the people who run it, who add the love and standards and personality that make it a place that people, customers, want to visit. What do the pub companies add in this scenario? Err, sorry, but I do struggle on that one. Answers on a postcard please…
Staff
Staff are like teenage children and I have to say are a complete pleasure and a complete pain! At this present moment there is a huge amount of pleasure in the roles they are fulfilling, the way they are growing and maturing and the skills that they are acquiring and developing.
Lee is my Head Chef and joint manager who has worked for me for nearly ten years. Crikey, long time isn't it? He is a very good chef and an outstanding manager of people. What was he ten years ago? A bloody nuisance!
To get him to come for an interview for the job of Commis Chef wasn't easy. After he started he would forget to come to work, often late, sometimes 'sick' (hungover) and he gave Clive, our then Head Chef a tough time. He has grown sooooo big that he doesn't yet realise himself what a star he is, even though we tell him. He is currently learning to be a trainer/assessor so he will be able to bring our junior staff up through their NVQ's.
Rosie is our assistant Front of House Manager and has worked for us for just over four years. She now has a Diploma in Hospitality and is getting real sharp end experience of management and learning lots. She has struggled learning the difference between whingeing and managing, how to upset people and how to motivate them, how to manage seniors and juniors. However, she is making strides now that she has broken the barrier between doing and getting things done and you know what, she is a happier person for it.
I could mention the strengths of all our staff, full time and part time, but it would be a long diatribe. They are all invaluable to the business and contribute hugely to our success. They have contributed to my grey hair and to my lack of hair, but I couldn't do it without them.
Promos
The Inn has been pretty busy the last few weeks which is great, but we have made things hard on ourselves by doing lots of promotions as well as moving house, which happens this week. At times like this you need to keep making those lists and ticking things off; delegating and looking for support; telling both customers and staff what is happening. They love sharing your experiences and are very forgiving if you aren't there when they expect you to be or turning up with a van when you need one. That is part of what a good pub is - support and friendship in times of change. Hurrah for the pub, long may it survive and prosper.
See you soon,
Gerry Price
The Inn @ West End