Venue General ManagerThe Lancaster Lounge — Yaxley, Peterborough
Salary: £35,000 per year + performance-related bonus
Full-time, permanent
Typically 45–48 hours per week
Four-day public trading week — Thursday to Sunday
A senior hospitality role with a difference
The Lancaster Lounge is an established independent restaurant, cocktail bar and events venue in Yaxley, Peterborough.
We've invested heavily in creating a venue we're extremely proud of, with a fantastic atmosphere, a loyal customer base and a growing private events and functions business.
We're now looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Venue General Manager to take ownership of the day-to-day operation.
This isn't a corporate management position with layers of people above and below you. It's an opportunity for someone who wants genuine responsibility, autonomy and the chance to run a venue as if it were your own.
You may already be a General Manager, or you may be an exceptional Assistant or Deputy Manager who's ready to step up and take ownership of their own venue.
The role
You'll have overall responsibility for making sure The Lancaster Lounge runs smoothly, from the moment a customer first contacts us to the moment the doors are locked at the end of service.
You'll lead the team, manage the operation, maintain standards, look after our customers and ensure the venue is commercially well run.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Managing the day-to-day operation of the venue
- Leading from the front during restaurant and bar service
- Managing, motivating and developing the team
- Preparing efficient rotas and controlling labour costs
- Managing bookings and reservations
- Responding professionally and promptly to customer emails, telephone calls and enquiries
- Handling parties, private events and Celebration of Life enquiries from initial contact through to the event itself
- Building relationships with customers and ensuring an outstanding guest experience
- Recruiting and training staff when required
- Maintaining excellent standards of cleanliness, presentation and service
- Ensuring the venue is properly set up and ready before every service
- Working closely with the kitchen team
- Managing stock, ordering and wastage alongside the relevant team members
- Handling customer feedback and resolving problems professionally
- Driving sales through great hospitality, recommendations and upselling
- Helping develop our private events and functions business
- Monitoring sales, labour costs and operational performance
- Ensuring licensing, health & safety and operating procedures are followed
- Carrying out occasional supplier collections and cash-and-carry trips
- Reporting directly to the owner
This is a genuinely hands-on role
We're an independent business, and we're looking for somebody who is happy to get involved in every part of the operation.
One minute you might be responding to a n event enquiry; the next you're welcoming customers, serving behind the bar, checking the toilets, helping reset tables or picking up a cloth because something needs cleaning.
We don't believe in “that's not my job.”
If something needs doing, we get it done.
You'll need to be someone who naturally notices things, takes responsibility and sorts problems without waiting to be asked.
Working pattern
The Lancaster Lounge currently opens to the public four days per week, Thursday to Sunday.
Thursday and Sunday tend to be our more relaxed services, with Friday and particularly Saturday being busier.
The role will typically average approximately 45–48 hours per week, including management, administration, preparation and service.
Hospitality will always require some flexibility, particularly around private events and busy periods, but we're keen to offer a better working balance than the 55–60+ hour weeks often associated with senior hospitality management.
Who we're looking for
You'll ideally have management experience within a quality restaurant, bar, hotel or hospitality venue.
More importantly, you'll be:
- A natural leader who leads by example
- Warm, confident and excellent with customers
- Highly organised
- Commercially aware
- Comfortable managing staffing levels and labour costs
- Confident with email, bookings and general administration
- Able to sell and convert customer and event enquiries
- Calm and decisive during busy services
- Particular about standards and presentation
- Someone who takes initiative rather than waiting for instructions
- Happy being hands-on when required
- Reliable, trustworthy and accountable
- Proud of the venue you run
A full UK driving licence is required, due to occasional supplier collections and business errands.
What we offer
£35,000 annual salary, plus the opportunity to earn an additional performance-related bonus.
The bonus will recognise strong commercial and operational performance, including areas such as sales growth, sensible labour management, customer experience, standards and development of our events business.
You'll also receive:
- Genuine autonomy to run the venue
- Direct access to the owner
- The opportunity to influence how the business develops
- A predominantly four-day public trading operation
- Free on-site parking
- Staff food/discount
- A friendly independent working environment
- The opportunity to build and develop your own team
Interested?
We're not simply looking for somebody to manage shifts.
We're looking for somebody who wants a venue they can genuinely take ownership of.
If you're the sort of person who notices what needs doing, gets stuck in, loves hospitality and gets satisfaction from seeing a venue running brilliantly, we'd love to hear from you.
Please apply with your CV and a short introduction telling us why you think you'd be the right person to take responsibility for The Lancaster Lounge.
Pay: £35,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
