Learn the legal requirements
Ensuring you’re acting in accordance with the law is the most important part of managing a pub. Go to the government website or ask those with experience to get an understanding of the legal requirements.
Regulations include specific requirements like alcohol and premises licensing and general business guidelines such as health and safety obligations and consumer and employee rights.
Get on top of your finances
Your next step should be getting to grips with your financial situation. Establish a budget including how much you have to invest, projected spending and profits, and an emergency fund. You could also consider taking out a pub insurance policy which can provide financial protection should problems arise.
While your budget will have to be adjusted as you go, it gives you an idea of what would be a healthy cash flow and a warning if you’re straying out of the black.
Prioritise staff recruitment
Before opening the doors, get a great team in place to assist with running your pub. Quality employees able to serve customers with a smile, mitigate risks and handle complaints and stressful situations calmly are essential to your success.
Start by deciding on the team you need and advertise the relevant job openings online and around your local area. You’ll then need to sort through the applications and conduct interviews with those who seem best for the roles, asking pertinent questions and assessing how well they would work with you and others.
Perfect the customer experience
Reward loyal patrons and attract more people through the doors by making your pub an enjoyable place to visit.
Request reviews from visitors and use this information to identify and fix issues, concentrating on the basics such as solid service, good food and drinks, and a great atmosphere. You can then move on to the extras that will set your pub apart such as live entertainment, special events and superior interior design.
Market your pub effectively
Finally, there’s no point in putting together an exceptional establishment if no one knows you’re there. Take steps to market your pub within the community, to consumers and other businesses you could collaborate with.
Begin by forming an online presence to take advantage of the power of digital marketing, building a website and setting up social media accounts. Ensure you remain active online to give the impression of a thriving business, posting recent reviews and short-term special offers.
You can also advertise using offline marketing strategies which can be key to local business success, driving word-of-mouth recommendations and handing out flyers for one-off events.