Our community pub: the Stanley Arms

Licensee: Steve Bennett

Pub:​ The Stanley Arms

Location:​ Portslade, near Brighton, West Sussex

Time in the pub:​ 7 years

Staff: ​7

Sales mix: ​95% wet/5% dry

GP:​ 62 per cent wet/ 40 per cent dry

Website: ​www.thestanley.com

What are the best things about your pub? ​

"The ale, the staff, the atmosphere, the community spirit. It's still a proper pub where ladies can come in on their own and relax - and we have a zero-tolerance policy for the idiots."

What are the challenges facing your pub? ​

"No daytime trade, being a one man band, with no one to turn to for support. And the increases in utility costs, business rates, Sky and everything else is not helping."

What are your current plans to cope with them?​

"Keep providing a quality offering, keep good staff, constantly be open to new ideas - and to not let the bastards grind us down!!!"

What do you hope to learn from Sell More, Save More? ​

"We are a wet-led award-winning CAMRA pub of the year. But I wish to take the pub to another level . Wine and spirits are two areas we can improve our profit margin on across the business, and I'm keen to get some help on staff training too.

"It is extremely difficult being a one man band with no outside help. I know we buy are products cheaper, but that is not the whole story."