Top Tips For Your Application
How To Make Your Application Stand Out
Every great landlord starts somewhere, and it usually begins with a clear vision and a standout tenant proposal. Here’s how to make yours shine for all the right reasons and ensure it doesn’t get lost in the pile. Take a look at these pub application tips and see how many you’re already naturally applying before you submit your application.
What’s The First Thing I should Do?
Visit the pub. Seriously! It might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people skip this step, dreaming of running a cosy country inn when they’ve barely set foot outside the M25. Standing behind the bar on paper and actually standing in the bar are two very different things. You need to get a feel for the pub, see who is coming through the door, take note of what they’re ordering and see what the atmosphere is like. If you can make a few return visits, that’s even better. Check it out at different times of the day and days of the week. What does it feel like on a weekday afternoon versus a Friday night? Does the type of customer change?
And while you’re there soaking it all in, chat to the locals and get a feel for what they love (and don’t love) about the place. A standout tenant proposal will demonstrate that you’ve done your homework and help you speak confidently about what makes that particular pub tick. It also gives you insight so you can share your vision for the pub and plan for building on what’s already working.
In addition to being a key pub application tip, visiting the venue will also help you weigh up whether the location and lifestyle associated with the type of venue you’re considering are right for you. Coming from a city without much experience of rural life can be a shock to the system if you don’t do your due diligence.
How Important Is Local Knowledge?
Knowing the area is not just a tick-box exercise; it’s your secret weapon. Understanding the community, the competition and the customer base puts you well ahead from the start. Take time to visit the surrounding area to get a feel for it. Is it a village that enjoys a sleepy Sunday carvery or a high street that comes alive with a live football match? While you’re there, make a point of visiting the competition. See what’s working well for them, what the customers are responding to and where there might be gaps in their offering that you can fill with yours. These insights will help you tailor your application and demonstrate you’re not just interested in any pub opportunity, you’re genuinely passionate about this one.
Do I Need To Know The Operating Models?
Knowing Greene King’s main operating models will help you understand which option suits you best. Greene King offers two main types of operating agreements: Tenancy & Lease and Franchise. A tenancy is ideal if you want flexibility, as they are usually shorter agreements with fewer property maintenance responsibilities. You can’t sell on the goodwill of the business when you leave - in other words, the intangible value you’ve built up that makes it worth more than just its physical assets, but you will have the freedom to make the place your own while you’re there. A lease is a much longer agreement with full property repair obligations and allows you to sell on the goodwill of the business if you leave.
The franchise model is the ‘ready-to-go’ option that gives you the keys to a fully equipped pub, with proven business concepts. Greene King’s franchise models are Hive Pubs and Nest Pubs. The franchise model with either Hive or Nest allows you to focus on customers, staff, and day-to-day running, while Greene King handles the rest. It’s a lower-cost way to start your own pub business with built-in support.
Your application should demonstrate that you understand these differences and can match yourself to the right fit.
Is It Important To Have A Vision For The Pub?
It’s easy to claim that you plan to make your pub a “family-friendly village pub”, but what does that look like? If you have conducted your own research, you should be able to drill down into the finer details, explaining how you will attract new customers, what events you envisage, how community engagement will work and how you will market the pub. It’s also worth considering longer-term growth too - where do you see the pub in two, three or five years? Could you expand the business and what opportunities might there be for additional revenue streams? The more vivid your vision, the more memorable your application.
What If I Need Help With The Application Itself?
At Greene King, we are big believers in making the process accessible for everyone. If you have dyslexia, a learning challenge or anything that makes form-filling tricky, don’t let that put you off. You can always ask for support - whether that’s someone talking you through the questions or submitting your application in a different format.
It probably won’t come as a huge surprise that most of the pub application tips for a standout tenant proposal come down to planning! After all, as the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail.
Are You Looking To Take Your Next Step With Us?
If you’re confident you have covered all the necessary pub application tips for a standout tenant proposal, complete your application or get in touch with us by phone on 01284 843 200 or by emailing pubpartnersrecruitment@greeneking.co.uk