Considerations When You Want To Rent A Pub

Many people dream of becoming a publican and running a pub, which can be a rewarding and satisfying career that offers lots of variation and good times. However, before rushing into changing your careers and finding a pub for you to run, there are various factors you must consider. Ensuring you have the required skills and selecting an appropriate pub is vital to ensuring your venture is a resounding success. There are various factors to consider that can help you make the correct decision, and you can see some of the most vital ones listed below to help you get started.

The Required Skills

Before looking at pubs to rent in your chosen area, you must ensure you have the skills to make it a successful venture. You will need to gain a National Licensee Certificate, which will give you skills in health and safety, employment legislation, and other areas. However, you will need to ensure that you have different skills, such as:

• Customer Service
• Attention To Detail
• Man Management
• Communication
• Planning
• Marketing

There are plenty of ways you can brush up on these skills to ensure you are ready to start running a pub, and if you start working for a brewery, they will often send you to courses to help you.

A Free House Or A Tenancy

The next consideration is whether you work for a brewery and get a tenancy or buy a pub and run a free house not tied to a brewery. If you have not run a pub before, running a free house can be a lot of hard work, and there is not as much support as you would get with a tenancy for a brewery. Whatever option you decide, options are available nationwide, so once you have chosen, you will need to start looking at the different pubs available, which also throws more considerations for you.

The Ideal Location

When looking at pubs for your new venture, the location is a vital factor that can make or break your success as a pub landlord. You want to select a location with the potential for a higher footfall, bringing more customers to your establishment. If you have your heart set on a more rural location with a quaint little pub in the country, you may have less trade, which means fewer profits. It may also mean you cannot employ as many staff members to do the various roles within the pub, meaning you will have to do much more work yourself.

The Type Of Pub

There are different types of pubs you can consider running, so you want to select one that suits your preferences. You can run a local pub that also sells food, a trendy pub for a young audience, a sports pub concentrating on live sports, or one with a primary focus on food. You must examine the various options and decide which suits you best. When you are running the type of pub you prefer, it will feel a lot less like work and will give you much more energy and enthusiasm for your job.

The Size Of The Pub

Another factor to consider is the size of the pub. The bigger the pub, the more work it will take to keep it running smoothly. A larger establishment will also require more employees, which may stretch your man-management skills and mean you may have more customers to cater to. However, the larger the pub, the higher the running costs, so before taking on a larger establishment, you must ensure that you put together a strong business plan to help make it a resounding success. Pubs in the UK come in all shapes and sizes, so no matter your preferences, there will be something suitable for you if you look hard enough.

The Condition Of The Property

The condition of the pub is another vital factor to consider before choosing the perfect establishment for you. You want to ensure that your chosen pub is in decent condition and will not require too much investment to make it look presentable. Refurbishing a pub can be expensive, as items like the bar, carpets, and furniture must be hard-wearing and durable to cope with the wear and tear they will receive. You may find you can get a better deal on a more run-down pub, but you must balance whether it is worth the investment once the work is complete and whether you can earn the money back through your profits.

The above are a few factors to consider before looking to rent a pub, but there are more besides these few. You will also need to look at your target demographic, local competition, staffing, future growth, and financial viability, to name but a few. Running a pub in the UK can be highly rewarding and enjoyable, but ensure you do your homework and put together a decent business plan before you rush into making a decision.