Taking the lead

John McNamara has fronted the BII since the beginning of the year and has spent his time tackling challenges head on. Michelle Perrett reports.

When John McNamara took on the role of chief executive of the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) at the beginning of the year he had a major task ahead of him.

As well as following in the footsteps of successful predecessor Mary Curnock Cook, he was walking into an association that was seen by some as too removed from its members and was witnessing a drop in membership as a result.

Nonetheless, he embraced the challenge head on.

But things haven't exactly gone to plan. His intention to spend more time getting out and meeting members is still a primary aim but is proving more difficult as he is spending about 40 per cent of his time dealing with licensing reform.

Attending licensing meetings in Westminster and preparing information for the government can take a huge chunk out of his working week. But while it is time-consuming, he believes that it is essential for the organisation to be at the sharp end in determining the changes in licensing.

He believes that the BII needs to be more proactive and forward thinking. Consulting with the government on licensing reform is a huge part of this.

"Because it is an industry of enormous change we need to be ahead of that change. We intend to be seen as a supporter of the industry moving forward," John said.

"We are all concerned about change. Change is a threat but it is also an opportunity," he added.

And the institute is in a perfect position to communicate the trade views to the government, John believes. "We are keen to make sure licensing costs are controlled. All of us that represent the trade are attempting to safeguard licensees," he said.

He has consistently encouraged licensees to accept that local authority control is now inevitable and has asked them to be positive about the move by building good relations with local authorities.

"The time has surely come for licensees to start building relations with local authorities to show that pubs are successful small businesses which play a responsible role in society," he said.

One of John's first tasks on joining the Institute was to meet more of its members and increase membership levels, especially among young people. Numbers have suffered over the last two years as the pub market saw an increasing amount of pubs convert to tenancies.

But by expanding the sales operation to include a new tele-sales department, he has seen a rise in the number of new recruits and existing members are staying longer. The BII website is also becoming an increasingly useful tool in the bid to increase membership. And a commission-only sales structure is in operation for members who have been made redundant or who are working part-time to cold call and sell memberships on its behalf.

One of the most revolutionary moves has been to broaden the membership base of the association. In August, the BII changed its constitution to admit student members. And John believes it shouldn't stop there with the potential to include other people working in the industry such as door supervisors and off-licence managers.

Its newly launched Professional Barperson's Qualification will also help to broaden its reach into the sector.

"It's a massive opportunity for us as a body to increase professionalism across the sector," he said.

Seven of its qualifications are now nationally recognised and although it is not currently mandatory to have a qualification in order to run a pub, it is looking increasingly likely that this could be the case when the new licensing bill is pushed through Parliament.

With about 70 per cent of magistrates already asking applicants to have the BII's National Certificate for Licensees before granting them a licence it puts the organisation in a strong position. John is also confident that the BII has good relations with local government associations and local authorities.

The Hospitality Training Foundation (HTF), of which John was previously commercial director, has predicted that the hospitality sector will create 400,000 new jobs over the next 10 years.

The BII is, therefore, pushing the careers development arm of its services and its website Barzone is helping to communicate to youngsters the enormous opportunities in the sector.

The BII is also currently working with Jobcentre Plus on a programme to train the long-term unemployed in an attempt to encourage them to look at the hospitality sector as having career potential.

What's more impressive is that it is looking likely that the hospitality and leisure industry will soon have its own Sector Skills Council - an aim the BII and the HTF have been heavily involved with. This is an employer-led initiative funded by the government to promote skills and learning in the sector.

If the industry is successful, it will be given public funding to finance initiatives aimed at improving training within the pub trade - something which everyone agrees is essential.

Is the BII going to be involved in ensuring the industry gets this much needed cash to boost industry training? It has if John has got anything to do with it!

The British Institute of Innkeeping​Wessex House80 Park StreetCamberleySurrey GU15 3PTTelephone: 01276 684449Fax: 01276 23045Websites: www.barzone.co.uk www.bii.org