Barstaff to have own professional qualification by end of year

Barstaff across the country will be proudly displaying their own professional qualification by the end of this year.

The long-awaited Barperson's National Certificate is being officially launched at the Pub & Bar Show on Wednesday (September 26) by the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), and from December 1 people will be able to take a unique telephone exam to demonstrate their knowledge.

The certificate will form the first module of a bigger barstaff qualification which should appear early next year. Similar to the publican's National Licensee's Certificate, it focuses on knowledge of the law and social responsibility, but, explained BII director of qualifications Cathie Smith, from a different perspective.

"It concentrates on how barstaff can support the licensee," she said.

Interested barstaff should apply through their licensee. They will receive a workbook for the course which is divided into eight units, covering licensing law, young people, trouble, drinks measures, alcoholic strengths, drugs, violence and social responsibilty with regard to issues such as pubwatch schemes and happy hours.

When they are ready, they take the telephone exam, answering 30 multiple choice questions by using the keypad on the phone.

They are allowed two attempts to pass, which must be at least 24 hours apart.

Early in 2002, the BII aims to introduce two more modules for barstaff covering drinks service and customer service.

The qualification goes some way towards addressing concerns about the lack of training for Britain's growing army of barstaff, highlighted in recent research by the Hospitality Training Foundation.