Family Factors

The decision to run a pub will affect the whole family. Aside from the risk factor of running your own business, there are practical issues too. In particular, the effect on children, if you have them, needs a great deal of thought. Difficulties vary depending on the ages of children. The issue of childcare can be a problem. Long hours behind the bar make spending time with your children difficult. Expecting children to amuse themselves alone upstairs, or encouraging them to spend time in the bar with you, should be avoided. If you have children, you will need to work out how to balance family life and business commitments.

Your Support Network

Friends and family can provide you with lots of support in your business venture. Whether it be looking after the pub while you take a night off, or giving you encouragement when things haven’t gone well, good support can be vital. You may already rely on family or friends now, to help your life go more smoothly. Bear in mind how running a pub might change things. Moving away from your support network means you have to manage things on your own, at least until you have developed new support networks nearby. Alternatively, you may decide that taking a pub close to your support network is a way of maintaining the support, as well as gaining a few extra customers into the bargain!

Training

Running a pub requires a range of skills and these are discussed throughout this book. By comparing these with your own skills, you will identify which of your current skills are transferable and which ones you need to gain.

Bar work, on-the-job training and more formal courses will all help prepare you, and give you the necessary skills. Many breweries, pub companies and other training organisations offer excellent courses and attending these should be viewed as an essential requirement. These range from general courses for new licensees to more specific ones – like handling cask beer or pub marketing. There is a cost for attending these courses but this is more than outweighed by what you will learn.

Qualifications

Qualifications Required To Obtain A Personal Licence

To make a successful application for a personal licence you must hold an accredited licensing qualification. The aim of the qualification is to ensure that licence holders are aware of licensing law and the wider social responsibilities of selling alcohol to the public.

The personal licence syllabus must cover:

• personal licences;
• licensing authorities;
• alcohol;
• unauthorised licensable activities;
• police powers;
• duties of the personal licence holder;

• premises’ licences;
• operating schedules;
• permitted temporary activities;
• disorderly conduct;
• protection of children;
• rights of entry;
• prohibitions.

 

This is normally a one-day course including a short exam. Tuition is provided by means of a training booklet and sessions are led by a qualified trainer.

The Secretary of State has approved the following Personal Licence Qualification courses:

• The BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) Level 2 National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders.
• The GOAL (Global Online Assessment for Learning) Level 2 National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders.
• The GQAL (Graded Qualifications Alliance) Level 2 National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders.

 

Information on course providers can be found in the Appendix.

Licensed Trade Qualifications

There is a number of other qualifications available to those interested in a career in the licensed trade. These include HNC and HND courses in Licensed House Management, and degree courses in Licensed Retail. Such courses are not widely available and you will need to check with your local college or university if you are interested in pursuing any of these.

The British Institute of Innkeeping offers a comprehensive range of courses for new and experienced licensees and bar staff. As well as their National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders, they run courses on topics such as cellar management, drug awareness, pub entertainment and conflict management.

Other Qualifications

If you do have qualifications in subjects such as business studies, accountancy or marketing, they will be put to good use when running your pub. Knowledge of these subjects can give you an added advantage when it comes to operating the business. Running a pub draws on all your experience and skills and these, plus your business ability, are crucial factors in how successful your pub will be. Gaining knowledge and skills in these specific areas should be a priority.

Brewery And Pub Company Requirements

The majority of pubs are leased and tenanted through breweries and pub companies. Application must be made to them through the Recruitment Department and Business Development Manager/Area Manager dealing with your submission.

With the exception of the requirement for you to hold a recognised licensing qualification, breweries and pub companies will not insist on you having any other qualifications in order to be considered for a lease or tenancy with them. Factors such as your experience, personality, financial situation and a convincing business plan tend to be key areas they would be more interested in.

That is not to say that qualifications would be ignored. Relevant qualifications will certainly strengthen your case, and together with your other skills, should be featured on any application.

Buying A Freehold Pub

If you are proposing to buy a freehold pub, you need to have someone who holds a recognised licensing qualification running the pub. Otherwise there are no legal requirements to hold any other qualifications. However, should you need to raise money to acquire your property, additional relevant qualifications can help inspire a lender’s confidence in you.