Getting the right training - what skills do you need to run a pub?

For many people who would like to enter the world of running their own pub, the training and skills required can often be seen as barrier to entry.

However, it might surprise you to find that you possess many of the necessary attributes needed. And even if you’re not in the pub trade already, you are likely to have transferable skills that are invaluable in taking over a pub tenancy.

From people management and excellent customer service, to the more practical aspects such as food hygiene and barrel changing, many of these skills can be honed or learnt on the job once you’re in your pub.

Of course, there are some specific skills that you will definitely need to be able to run a tenanted or franchise pub but a first-class training scheme (like the one offered by Greene King) will ensure that you are setting out on the right foot.

When applying to run your own pub, there’s always a list of essential skills and those that are desirable too.

Let’s explore what are the “must haves” for running a pub first – if you don’t feel you possess these, then running a pub might not be for you…

Are you a people person?

This is the number one trait you need. Pubs are community hubs, full of people socialising and making connections. As a potential landlord, you need to be able to welcome everybody into your pub and make them feel that they belong there.

And this doesn’t just relate to the customers but your own team too. Creating an environment where your staff don’t just look forward to coming to work but thrive, is just as important as creating a welcoming atmosphere for your customers – in fact, the two go hand-in-hand.

You need to be able to communicate easily and effectively, fostering team relationships and ensuring you’re providing a great place to work.

There will, of course, be times when you’re faced with unhappy customers and staffing issues so being able to handle this in a professional, empathetic manner is crucial.

Happy staff + happy customers = successful pub.

Do you have business know-how?

There’s no expectation that you will have run your own business before. In fact, stepping into the world of pub management, especially via a franchise opportunity, is perfect for someone coming from fulltime employment within the pub or hospitality environments.

However, you do need to have a degree of business acumen because running a business that turns a profit is what it’s all about at the end of the day.

Many pub companies and breweries offer training courses to help increase your understanding and confidence in this area, but it’s vitally important that you have the drive and a passion to succeed – and that can’t be taught!

For example, at Greene King Pub Partners, we offer our own Pub Power welcome programme which includes Pre-entry awareness training (PEAT) which will provide you with everything you need to know about taking a pub tenancy, lease or franchise agreement.

And you won’t be alone, you’ll be supported at every step by a regional trainer who can provide in-pub training, plus your own dedicated Business Development Manager (BDM) who can help you to shape your business and ensure you’re leading it in the right direction.

Are you organised?

No matter what business you run, there’s going to be a lot of plates to spin. There’s managing staff, deliveries, stock control, financial planning, running a kitchen, maintenance, cleaning, events, marketing…and that’s just to name a few! So having excellent organisation skills will really help you in this area as well.

But so will delegating – you don’t have to do it all yourself. By employing the right team and clearly communicating your expectations, you can delegate tasks to your staff to ensure the smooth running of your pub.

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If you feel confident that you can deliver on the skills mentioned above, then there’s a few additional “nice to have” skills which will almost certainly make your life as a landlord easier…

Balancing the books

Managing the financial aspect of your pub is very important. A holistic view of your finances and the ability to swiftly respond to changes and address issues that might arise, means you’ll be on the right path to plan for the future and grow a successful pub business. These are skills that can be learnt if you don’t have this experience and pub companies offer tailor-made training courses to help manage costs and profitability.

As part of the Greene King Pub Power Welcome for example, you will get to understand the financial controls for your business and how you can drive profitability and sustain financial fitness. It covers business finance, setting targets, driving profitability and controlling costs – plus making it all actually happen!

Making the most of marketing

If you have some marketing experience or even an instinctive flair of thinking creative and innovative ways to attract and retain your customers, then producing promotional ideas to drive trade is going to be much easier.

For franchise operators, you’ll have a marketing team on hand to help you promote your pub, and there’s plenty of help such as social media courses for tenanted landlords, plus don’t be afraid to take inspiration from successful competitor operations too!

At Greene King Pub Partners, it’s all included as standard in the four day welcome course – you meet with the marketing team and learn first-hand about the tools at your disposal.

Maintaining food standards

It’s a common leap for people moving from catering backgrounds into the pub trade. Even if you’re not planning to run the kitchen yourself, understanding what’s required in a professional kitchen is a useful skill to have.

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If you possess those “must have” skills to be a pub landlord and are looking for your next challenge, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch with the Greene King Pub Partners team today and find out about the opportunities we have that are right for you. Because every partnership begins with you.

Call 01284 843200 to speak to one of the team directly.