Pubcos go head to head in ALMR's Operations Manager Awards

Related tags Management Public house

Tenanted pub companies Greene King and Pubmaster will go head to head in the finals of the 2002 Operations Manager Awards, organised by the...

Tenanted pub companies Greene King and Pubmaster will go head to head in the finals of the 2002 Operations Manager Awards, organised by the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), and sponsored by Miller Genuine Draft.

Both groups have two nominees each in the shortlist for the business development manager section of the awards.

The finalists will be subjected to the judges scrutiny in the coming weeks, before winners are announced in September.

"This year's list has been the best ever," said Nick Bish of the ALMR. "The quality of entrants has been top class and the judging of their entry papers was very hard.

"However, we have got the cream of the crop, ready to do battle in the forthcoming rounds."

The awards are split into two sections: area managers (managed houses) and business developments managers (tenanted and leased). Four finalists in each section are selected from the entry paper judging.

The next key step is a hosted visit around each finalist's pub estate with an industry expert, before the final judging day at the Institute of Directors in early September.

"Getting to the finals is hard enough," said Mr Bish. "But going all the way and winning the award is a major feat. First they have to convince ex-Bass Taverns boss Tom Morkill as he accompanies them on a working day out around their pubs. Tom knows all the tricks of the trade and will be hard to impress.

"Next, the finalists will have to face a grilling from a panel of judges on a range of subjects including training, marketing and operations. Once the judges have made their minds up, the winners will be announced during an awards luncheon at the Pub & Bar Show at Olympia, in September."

The awards have a habit of throwing up stars of the future.

Past winners include Simon Longbottom, now head of Six Continents Ember Inns division, and last year Guy Arnold was made regional director of Enterprise Inns shortly after claiming the business development manager award.

The prize will be an autumn trip to the Miller Brewery in Milwaukee and then on to Chicago, where the winners will embark on a retail study tour.

The ALMR Operations Awards' Finalists

Business development managers