For many who move from pouring drinks to being in charge of the premises, being a bar manager is not just a job, it’s a way of life.
After all, you work long hours with employees and regular customers who, through the years, begin to feel like family.
You only have to look at any soap opera, from Corrie to Emmerdale, to appreciate the pub is the centre of the social universe.
But what does it take to be successful in this business? We met Scott Clark, owner and manager of Clarks pub in Dundee, to find out.
How did you get where you are today?
Like a lot of people in the pub trade, I came into this by accident. When I was a student I did a lot of part-time bar work and ended up working full-time in a friend’s bar.
When that closed I worked as the manager of a brewery-owned pub then, in 2011, I opened Clarks.
There’s a huge leap between being employee and businessman. You have to have an eye on every aspect of the job, from being behind the bar to future planning for the business.
Have you seen many changes?
This sector of the hospitality industry is constantly changing, which makes planning more important than ever.
Training, for example, used to be completely informal – just picking things up as you go along – but now it’s structured.
That’s good as there is more emphasis on everyone knowing their responsibilities legally and socially. No-one is even allowed behind a bar without two hours of training at the very beginning.
Is this a career for anyone?
There is more of a career path for people who are really serious about working in the hospitality industry.
Someone who wants to work in the bar trade must have certain qualities – you really have to like people and enjoy interacting with them. That’s the priority.
What are the biggest challenges?
Anyone contemplating the job needs to take antisocial hours into account. To be honest, though, to me it often feels like a social night out even though you’re working.
Any top tips to get ahead in management?
One major change has been the product knowledge required. The number of new products is mind-blowing compared to when I started.
If anyone is thinking about it, there are courses. One of my duty managers is doing an HND in Hospitality Management. And having a job like this will ensure he comes out with great experience and transferrable skills.