Changing a West End pub into a great local

How I got here

I've been working in pubs for 22 years. I moved from Coventry to London and worked at the Tattershall Castle for five and a half years before I was offered the Salisbury. I've been manager here for four years. It used to belong to Scottish & Newcastle and then Spirit bought it three years ago - now Punch owns it.

What makes the pub a success?

1. Beer - it's my passion. I'm from Coventry and when I worked there, I did a lot with Marstons. I was voted runner-up in their cellar masters' course. And then I worked on the Tattershall Castle, where there was no real ale and I missed it. But the cellar there was a barge with no draining system, so we had to keep it immaculate - that was a very good discipline to learn. My customers are interested in ale - in summer we have two guest ales every week and in winter we have three. I have a list of about 21 guest ales and the customers pick their favourites. They come back to try them and become more involved in the pub.

2. The décor - The marble bar dates all the way back to 1892 and the glasswork behind the bar is even older than that.

3. Customer care - When I moved here, the ales were really good and looked after properly but the standard of customer care was terrible. The previous manager had the attitude that his staff were paid to talk to the customers - he didn't consider it to be his job. Several staff members were afraid of him and, of course, they didn't enjoy their jobs. I think it's important to work with people and I love interacting with our customers. My job is here, behind the bar. People who felt driven away from the pub in the past have started to return.

4. The locals - People come from the local book shops and offices because there's no TV or games machines - just a friendly atmosphere. It's a West End local.

The award

As a manager you have lots of responsibilities. You have to do certain health and safety checks and paperwork or face losing your job. It's a long day, but you have to run the pub as your own and take pride in it. That's why I went for the Beautiful Beer Platinum Award. When it comes down to it, you're the face of the pub and you're the one the customers come to. I would let the people here come into my living room.

1. Beautiful Beer menu - Customers really respond to this. We had a staff meeting with Mark Peters from our head office when we explained how beer is made and described the different hops. Then we did some beer and food matching - did you know that raspberry beer and plain chocolate is a great match? We've found that our customers do buy the recommended beer when they order a particular dish.

2. The cellar - You have to wear protective gloves, goggles and an apron. I clean the pipes with water every five days, when a barrel goes, or with bleach if they last longer. If a customer ever says that the beer tastes funny, I'm happy to take them down to show them the cellar.

3. Cost - £175 to enter the award. Punch paid the entry fee.

4. The process - The assessment took five hours. Inspectors shine torches into the Guinness to make sure it's clear and examine every inch of every pipe. They look at the ice machine and pick the glasses off the shelves. I actually achieved 100% for my beer quality. I didn't spend a particular amount of time preparing for the award because I've just developed the standards every day since I arrived at the Salisbury four years ago.

Business tips

1. The award - Benefits include publicity, for starters. People need to know that licensees are professionals - the award assessment taking five hours underscores that.

2. Training - As a manager, you have to train your staff very well. The beer menu has been great because all my staff have learned to recommend different beers according to taste, and we set out our wine menu with a tasting guide. If customers' needs and wishes are met by competent staff, they will come back.

3. Hard work - sometimes I do long shifts lasting 12 to 14 hours and then I have to tackle the paperwork as well. We try to offer table service whenever possible.

The future

I recently got married and had to make sure I put as much effort into our wedding as I did to the Beautiful Beer Award! I've managed to introduce my wife to real ale - Beautiful Beer half-glasses look a bit like wine glasses and the ladies tend to like them.

We have one no-smoking area and we're planning for the ban. I may introduce a smoke ban in January as one of my New Year resolutions, but we're waiting for some canopies for outside. We already have a good ventilation system to keep us going in the meantime.

I know it's a cliché, but we are just very committed to keeping up our good work.

When you win this award, one great thing is that the inspectors return every six months to reassess you and your pub, so you really have to maintain your standards.

Me, my staff and my customers make up our pub family at the Salisbury and we all work together to keep it going.

My Pub

My favourite beer: Young's Bitter, Charles Wells Bombardier, Caledonian Deuchars

Weekly turnover: £23,000-£28,000 a week

Barrelage: 40 a week

Wine: 350 a week

Wet:dry: 70:30