publican

The work

Publicans, or licensees, manage licensed premises such as pubs and bars, providing alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and sometimes food. Some pubs/bars also have entertainment areas, fruit machines, and rental accommodation.

Publicans/licensees are responsible for:

• organising deliveries 
• the general running and maintenance of the pub/bar areas 
• making sure customers are served within a reasonable time scale
• health and safety, and hygiene 
• supervising staff (to carry out some of these tasks)
• closing at the time specified on the premises licence.

Other duties are likely to include:

• stock taking
• handling wages
• book-keeping and accounts
• counting takings.

In order to maintain or increase the popularity of a pub or bar, it may be necessary to devise new ways of attracting more customers. Building and maintaining relationships with breweries, suppliers, staff, and customers is also very important.

When a licensee is employed by a company or brewery/landlord, they are expected to make regular reports regarding sales, orders for new stock and other matters.

Publicans/licensees are responsible for enforcing the law regarding the sale of alcohol on licensed premises. All such premises require a personal licence holder (usually the publican). Licences are valid for 10 years, and applications are made through licensing authorities (units within local district, county and borough councils); see Training section for details. Scotland is governed by different legislation, and licensing applications are processed by local licensing boards.

Hours and Environment

Licensees work long hours. During 2005, the Licensing Act of 2003 introduced new laws which allow flexible opening hours for premises - up to 24 hour opening, seven days a week (subject to objection). This may impact on the hours and shifts worked by the publican/licensee and their staff.

Pubs can be very noisy and smoky at busy times. There are long periods of standing and the work may involve lifting and carrying crates, barrels, etc.

Many publicans/licensees live above the pub/bar rent free.

Skills and Interests

As a publican/licensee, you will need:

• organisational and planning skills
• financial/numeracy skills for handling cash/book-keeping
• physical fitness for standing and lifting
• the energy and stamina to cope with long hours
• the ability to recruit, train and supervise staff
• knowledge of the laws relating to licensing, and health and safety
• a friendly, outgoing personality
• an open mind to identify new ways of attracting customers.

Entry

Publicans/licensees can be bar managers (employed by pub chains and breweries), or leaseholders, tenants, and free traders (business people who put their own money into the pub and business).

Becoming a publican, licensee, or bar manager usually requires prior knowledge and experience of pub and bar work, and many people start out as bar staff (see Bar Person job profile for more details).

You may be able to join a large pub or bar chain on a management trainee scheme. Entry requirements usually include a foundation degree, BTEC HNC/HND, or degree. Relevant subjects you can study at this level include:

• foundation degrees in Brewing and the Licensed Trade, or Licensed Trade Management
• BTEC HNC/HND in Licensed House Management, or Hospitality Management (Licensed Retail)
• degree courses in Licensed Retail Management/Hospitality.

The entry requirements for a degree are likely to include five GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) plus two A levels/three H grades. For a BTEC HNC/HND or foundation degree, you are likely to need four GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) and one A level/two H grades. An Access to Higher Education qualification may also be accepted for entry to certain courses. Please check with colleges or universities for exact entry requirements.

Pub/bar owners tend to select trainee managers with relevant experience plus a mature, conscientious and responsible attitude to work. 

Becoming a tenant and leasing a pub from a brewery or pub chain operator involves demonstrating throughout the recruitment/selection process that you have the experience and managerial ability to run a pub successfully. Tenants tend to be between age 30 and 55.

It is possible for anybody with enough capital to buy a 'free house'.

Training

Many large pub chain operators run graduate traineeships/management trainee schemes that can take around one year. Schemes usually include placements as well as studying areas such as:

• business and management
• marketing
• staff training and development
• practical matters like cellar management
• legal aspects to the licensed trade.

Entry onto a scheme usually requires a relevant degree (see Entry section for details).

In England and Wales licensing laws require every alcohol-serving licensed premises to have an identified personal licence holder (likely to be publican/licensee), named on the premises licence as the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). All supplies of alcohol must be made by or under the authority of the personal licence holder. There are four criteria which must be met before you can apply for a personal licence. You should:

• be aged 18 or over
• not, within the last five years, have had a personal licence forfeited 
• possess an accredited licensing qualification (or you are a person of prescribed description)
• have no convictions for any relevant or foreign offences.

Three awarding bodies have been approved by the Secretary of State to offer the Level 2 National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders. The awarding bodies are the BIIAB (British Institute of Innkeeping Awarding Body), GOAL, and GQAL; see Further Information for contact details.

Many tenants undertake further training, such as:

• the National Certificate in Licensed Retailing offered by the BII
• the BII Award in Beer and Cellar Quality, or other BII course on a specific aspect of this work
• NVQ/SVQ Level 3 in Hospitality Supervision
• NVQ/SVQ Level 2 in Food and Drink Service
• a WSET (Wine and Spirit Educational Trust) course.

Licensing laws differ in Scotland; local licensing boards assess individuals to ensure they are a fit person to do the job; for more information contact Alcohol Focus Scotland, who also offer the ServeWise On-licence course.

Apprenticeships may be available for those under the age of 24. In England these are currently Apprenticeships (level 2) and Advanced Apprenticeships (level 3). To find out more about these, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk

Apprenticeships may be different in other areas. For further information see Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland

Opportunities

Within large pub or bar chains, promotion may lead to running larger or busier pubs, or to area or regional manager posts. Managers are employees but there is usually a generous bonus scheme related to the takings of the pub.

Managers have to sell beers produced by their landlord and obtain their agreement before making any changes. The money-earning and expansion potential may be limited by the rent which is payable to the brewery. However, the brewery may help finance improvements.

Freeholders may sell a smaller pub and buy a bigger one, or an additional pub. They have a free hand in new developments, within the licensing laws, providing they can raise the finance for it.

The main opportunity for increasing earnings (through extra bonuses for managers and increased profits for tenants/freeholders) is by expansion of the trade of the pub. This may be done by improving the facilities, service, and the range of services offered.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Income will vary depending on the location, turnover and size of the pub/bar. Some breweries offer bonus schemes. Free accommodation and in some cases, food, increase the value of the salary.

Trainee or assistant pub/bar managers can earn around £15,000 a year.
With experience, the salary may rise to around £25,000.
Licensees in the most successful establishments may earn up to £50,000.

Further information

Wessex House
80 Park Street
Camberley
Surrey
GU15 3PT
Tel: 01276 684449 International Wine and Spirit Centre
39-45 Bermondsey Street
London
SE1 3XF
Tel: 020 7089 3800 2nd Floor
Armstrong House
38 Market Square
Uxbridge
Middlesex
UB8 1LH
Tel: 0870 060 2550 Tel: 08707 202 909 Tel: 0845 170 0001 2nd Floor
166 Buchanan Street
Glasgow
G1 2LW
Tel: 0141 572 6700

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