Publican
Publicans manage licensed premises like pubs and bars.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
As a publican, you would:
- order stock and take deliveries
- serve customers
- organise events, functions and activities to maximise sales
- maintain the premises, bar equipment and cellar
- handle wages, bookkeeping and accounts
- recruit, train and supervise bar and kitchen staff
- build good relationships with breweries, suppliers and customers
Working environment
You could work in a pub or bar or at a restaurant.
Your working environment may be noisy and physically demanding.
Career path and progression
If you're employed by a pub chain or brewery, you could become a regional manager. You might also use your skills to move into catering or restaurant management.
You could go self-employed and expand your business by buying additional pubs or bars.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- customer service skills
- leadership skills
- the ability to work well with others
- business management skills
- excellent verbal communication skills
- the ability to motivate and manage staff
- the ability to understand people’s reactions
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Restrictions and Requirements
You'll need to:
- get a licence to sell alcohol
- be over 18 to sell alcohol and other restricted goods
- pass enhanced background checks
How to become
You can get into this job through:
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- applying directly
- a graduate management trainee scheme
You could apply to do a Hospitality Manager Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.
This might help you find work as a deputy bar manager. You could apply to become a pub landlord once you've built up your experience in the drinks trade.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
More Information
You could start as a bar person and get experience on the job. You might then move on to become a bar manager or landlord through further training and promotion.
There are no set requirements to apply directly for jobs, but you'll find it useful to have experience in hospitality, catering or customer service at a supervisory or management level.
You'll usually need to do the Pre-Entry Awareness Training e-learning course before you apply for jobs.
You'll also need to complete the British Institute of Innkeeping's Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders to apply for a licence to sell alcohol.
It's possible for anybody with enough financial backing to buy a pub or bar.
As a manager of a pub or bar that sells food, you may need a food safety qualification accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.
Some larger pub chains run graduate management trainee schemes.
You'll usually need relevant work experience and a degree in an area like:
- business
- marketing
- hotel and catering
- hospitality management
Career tips
Some jobs will include live-in accommodation as part of the benefits package.
Professional and industry bodies
You could join the British Institute of Innkeeping or British Beer & Pub Association, for professional recognition, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.
Further information
You can find out more about a career in the drinks trade from the British Institute of Innkeeping and the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.
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External links
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.