Oisin Rogers, currently in his sixth year at the Ship in Wandsworth, south-west London, has won Young’s general manager of the year for the past two years.
The pub is achieving substantial year-on-year growth and is Young’s most profitable pub, banking £84,000 in takings in just one day on the royal wedding bank holiday Monday last year.
He was asked by Young’s to look at how to increase profitability at the struggling Thatched House in Hammersmith, which was failing to make a good profit despite having a good turnover. In an unusual deal Rogers will not be paid a salary, instead earning on a profit-share basis. The pub is still trading with a “back to basics” refurbishment scheduled to take place next month. “We are working on plans and it is very exciting,” said Rogers. “It’s to our advantage to build sales.
The shape of the business and customer experience will change to fit a gap in the market in Hammersmith for better quality at lower prices.” Rogers will use some ideas that work well at the Ship but the overall offer at the Thatched House will be tailored to the local area.
The Ship’s former deputy manager Phil White has been hired as general manager and the head chef also has experience at the Ship. The pub is close to Sipsmith gin distillery and will sell between eight and 10 varieties as a reaction to recent spirit trends at the Ship.
“Jägermeister has been the top-selling spirit for about three years, and is outgrowing vodka weekly,” said Rogers. “I think it is to do with the party atmosphere at the Ship. The pub is often at the forefront of trends on the drinks side and for the first time last year we sold more gin than Jäger. There is a buzz around gin and it is a heritage London product.”
Rogers will cease to run the Orange Tree in Richmond to focus on the other two pubs.
He will stay at the Thatched House for a minimum of three years and plans to take on another under-performing business in a year or two.