Bar Manager
The Bushel & Strike — Ashwell, Hertfordshire
Job type: Full-time
Salary: £35,000 per year, plus tips
Hours: 45 hours per week
Schedule: A combination of lunch and dinner shifts, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays as required
Location: Ashwell, Hertfordshire
Job Summary
We are looking for an experienced, confident and hands-on Bar Manager to join The Bushel & Strike, an English village pub in Ashwell. This is a senior operational role with responsibility for leading a team of more than 15 staff, maintaining excellent standards across every service and helping the business run as smoothly as a well-kept pint. The successful candidate will be visible on the floor, commercially aware and committed to delivering warm, professional hospitality.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead day-to-day front-of-house and bar operations across lunch and dinner services, including opening and closing the premises.
- Manage, motivate and support a team of 15-plus staff, leading pre-shift briefings and setting clear standards.
- Prepare effective rotas, deploy the team according to trading needs and manage labour responsibly.
- Recruit, induct, train and coach team members, identifying development needs and addressing performance fairly and promptly.
- Deliver consistently high standards of customer service, drink quality, presentation, cleanliness and pub atmosphere.
- Take ownership of guest feedback and complaints, resolving issues calmly, professionally and with good judgement.
- Oversee stock control, ordering, deliveries, cellar management, line care, stocktakes and waste reduction.
- Monitor sales, margins, labour and other key costs; complete till reconciliation, cash handling and end-of-day reporting accurately.
- Ensure compliance with licensing conditions, Challenge 25, food hygiene, health and safety, fire safety and responsible service requirements.
- Work closely with the kitchen and senior management to coordinate service, functions, events and seasonal promotions.
- Plan, coordinate and manage pub events from initial enquiry through to delivery, including staffing, customer liaison, set-up and post-event review; previous experience of events and event management is desirable.
- Maintain productive supplier relationships and ensure essential products and consumables are available at all times.
- Act as the senior manager on duty when required, making sound decisions and remaining composed during busy periods.
Skills and Experience
- Essential: Proven management or senior supervisory experience in a busy pub, bar, restaurant or comparable hospitality venue.
- Essential: Demonstrable experience of leading a sizeable team and running successful services.
- Essential: Strong knowledge of bar operations, stock control, cellar standards and cost management.
- Essential: A sound understanding of UK licensing, age-verification, food safety and health and safety requirements.
- Excellent communication, organisation and problem-solving skills.
- A calm, practical leadership style and the confidence to make decisions under pressure.
- Commercial awareness, attention to detail and confidence using tills, rota and reporting systems.
- Flexibility to work a combination of lunch and dinner shifts, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays as required.
- Essential: Access to your own reliable transport due to the pub’s rural location and the working hours required.
- Desirable: Previous experience of planning and managing events in a hospitality setting.
Benefits
- A salary of £35,000 per annum.
- Tips in addition to salary.
- A full-time, 45-hour working week across a combination of lunch and dinner shifts.
- A senior, influential position in an established village pub.
- The opportunity to shape service standards, develop a substantial team and contribute directly to the success of the business.
How to Apply
To apply, please submit your CV together with a brief covering note outlining your relevant experience and why you would be a strong fit for The Bushel & Strike. We are looking for someone who can lead from the front, keep standards high and still find the corkscrew when everyone else insists it has vanished.
The Bushel & Strike is committed to fair recruitment and welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.
Pay: From £35,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Ashwell SG7 5LY: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:
- Hospitality: 4 years (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
