People: Drink talking

When pubcos get the training right, licensees will take part, writes Phil Mellows.

Pub tenants not interested in training? Perhaps it depends on what you're training them in. Within two hours of news of one new course landing on the doormats of Union Pub Company licensees, more than 70 had elected to go on it - filling three days straight away.

True, the workshop had a jazzy title - Drink, Drunks, Rocks & Your Role - and was free, but it was the subject matter that caught the imagination. The course focused on what publicans need to know about the government's policies on alcohol misuse and binge-drinking.

"There's a lot of interest in this kind of thing," says Union commercial director Andrew Cooney. "It's more about the threats pubs face than about taking opportunities - which is what we'd like to move to with our training."

Even so, TTC 2000, the company hired to run the workshops, urges licensees on the course to see the government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy in a positive light, as an opportunity to improve their businesses rather than as a threat to it.

TTC has made its name running rehabilition courses for drink-drivers, and the government's focus on social responsibility in the licensed trade has given it a new outlet for its expertise.

"Alcohol has been second fiddle to drugs," TTC director Graham Wynn told delegates at one Union course, held at the Marston's brewery in Burton-upon-Trent. "But because of negative press around binge-drinking and health factors it's now come to the fore.

"It would be easy for pubs to be quite gloomy about all this but there are lots of positive opportunities. The strategy doesn't say it's about getting people to drink less alcohol, it's about how it's sold.

"The government says the industry must take a lead in this, you are in the frontline, it's up to you to produce positive messages, to promote sensible drinking."

Graham went on to summarise the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, highlighting the proposals that are likely to have an impact on pub businesses.

In particular he warned delegates to watch out for more "sting operations" around underage drinking similar to those carried out in the government's enforcement campaign in the summer - which will itself be repeated over Christmas.

"It will be looking for how your staff react to someone who looks underage, for evidence of what training they have had."

He also emphasised that licensees' responsibilities extend outside the premises. "It's about getting involved with the local community, raising your profile and showing them that you're not the enemy, you're an important part of the community."

A code of practice will be in place by the end of 2005 and a review will take place in 2007.

"This is the industry's opportunity to self-regulate," Graham continued. "It's up to you to build stronger links with the police and your local authority - to work out strategies with them.

"You should see all this as a chance to steal a march on your competitors. You can promote your pub as a safe environment and work with the local community.

"If you grasp your social responsibilities you can create a trouble-free pub, gain the respect of your local authority and get closer to them," he added.

"With their own responsibilities under the 2003 Licensing Act they'll be looking for guidance from you. You can get involved and help shape their policies."

Pictured: Licensees on the first course with Graham Wynn (far right)​

How many units?​

The units method of describing how much alcohol is in a drink still causes plenty of confusion, even among licensees.

Union's course includes a session on alcohol units that shows, if anything, it's not getting any clearer.

A unit of alcohol, for instance, is based on a 25ml measure of spirits, a 125ml glass of wine or a half-pint of standard beer. But pubs are increasingly upsizing spirits to 35ml and wine to 175ml and selling more premium strength beer, so judging how much people are drinking is becoming more difficult.

"It's typical that most licensees don't understand units, they are no different to the public in that," says Graham Wynn. "But you are the ones supplying the alcohol, so it's your business to know."

Drugs spot​

Drug taking and dealing continues to be a big problem for many pubs and - as former police officer John Price told delegates on the Union course - the main thing is to keep your wits about you.

He went through different kinds of drugs and explained how to spot them and how to recognise their effects on people. There was also a glossary of terms used in drugs culture.

So-called date rape drugs were dealt with, including a new one on the market called fry.

"Drug users are very good at disguising what they are doing," said John. "They use their own language and they may look perfectly normal - there are no stereotypes."

Drinks, Drunks, Rocks & Your Role workshop​

Union has had encouraging feedback from licensees who have been on the Drinks, Drunks, Rocks & Your Role one day workshop.

"The response has been 100 per cent positive," says Union's Skill Pool co-ordinator Angela Rigby, pictured above with the course materials including a drugs identification kit. "Many licensees feel they are in the dark when it comes to the government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy. They want to be proactive and have preventive measures in place, not reacting to developments at the last minute."

Taking control​

Customers! You can't live without them but they can wind you up sometimes. It's important, though, that if you are going to demonstrate that you are in control of your pub, you need to be in control of yourself.

That was the subject of a session on anger management run by former probation officer Reg Bywater. "Nobody can make us angry," he told delegates. "We can make choices".

There are five stages of anger, he explained, and if you understand them you have a better chance of staying in control under pressure.

They are revealed by small physical symptoms which vary according to the individual but may include sweating, trembling, an increased heart rate or butterflies in the stomach. They imply your body is getting ready for a fight even if that's not what you're thinking.

"These are the clues that imply you need to take charge," said Reg. "Most of all you need to know yourself and how your behaviour is perceived by others. It's about communication."

There are basic ways of reacting to a situation, he continued - aggressive, passive and assertive.

Communication in these situations, Reg pointed out, has little to do with your choice of words. Sixty per cent is your body language, 25 per cent your tone of voice and only 15 per cent what you say.

As well as being given suggestions about how to control their temper - taking a deep breath really can help - delegates were shown how to calm down aggressive customers using body language, being assertive without being threatening, and to better understand their customers' behaviour and the idea that people may be more complicated than we think.

Pictured: Reg Bywater (left) demonstrates what not to do with colleague John Price.​