Taking ale to new heights

As CaskForce heads into its third year, Tony Halstead finds out how life has improved for 2007's winner, Mike Ford at Punch's Farmers Arms in Cheshire

Running a pub rent free for a year is the kind of bonus that most licensees can only dream about. But it actually happened to Mike Ford last year when he scooped the top prize in a

national cask-ale quality competition.

Ford, who runs the Farmers Arms in Kelsall, Cheshire, is now two thirds of the way into his rent-free year and admits life in the trade has never been better. His triumph in the Marston's-sponsored MA CaskForce competition has led to valuable investment in his business and a boom in real-ale sales at the pub.

"I've done things this year which would probably not have been possible because of normal financial constraints," he admits.

"Money has been spent on the pub and a thriving cask-ale business has been built on the back of the award.

"It's all been done without the need to borrow money or put cash flow at risk, and a different sort of pub has emerged as a result."

Ford walked away with his big prize last May after being selected from a group of six other monthly winners. He had only been running the Punch-owned Farmers Arms for six months, but was put forward for the contest by his business retail manager.

Ford had arrived in Kelsall after a 20-year spell running businesses in South Africa and admits he was already looking at ways to

revive the pub. "The business needed a new direction and I identified the cask-ale market as one way of turning things round," he recalls.

Extending the range

When Ford won one of CaskForce's monthly awards, which entitled him to free beer for three months, he decided to extend his real-ale offering.

"We had just two pumps on the bar, but winning the monthly prize enabled us to

extend our range without any financial risk.

"We added three more pumps simply to test the water and attracted extra drinkers to the pub almost at once," he says.

Instead of using the money to cover all his rent, Ford decided to invest some of the cash in much-needed improvements to the pub.

The interior was refurbished, new furniture was bought and a garden patio built in anticipation of the smoking ban last year.

About the same time, Ford took the decision to franchise his 24-seat dining room to local Chinese-restaurant operators. The move took all catering responsibilities out of his hands and provided a handy cash spin-off through incremental wet sales over the bar.

"Drinks for diners in the restaurant come from our own bar, and we are also getting a good return from people calling in for take-aways because most have a drink while they wait for their orders," he says. "We are getting food business with none of the hassle and a handy income from extra drinks thrown in."

Ford reveals that wet-trade volumes have risen by 25% since the launch of the cask initiative and, when you consider 70% of turnover is draught, this underlines the importance of beer sales to the business.

A course of cellar training provided by Marston's as part of the prize has also paid dividends as the Farmers has now developed a local reputation for some of the best cask beer in the area.

There are two other pubs in Kelsall, one a gastropub, so Ford knew it was important to provide something different.

"There is big competition from pubs in other outlying areas so we have to keep on our toes, and that means providing an offer which will keep customers coming back," he says.

The Farmers currently sells Black Sheep, Wheatwood and Jennings Cumberland Bitter as its three permanent ales alongside two changing guests.

"I do not think we would have risked putting five ales on without the benefits winning CaskForce has provided. It gave us possibilities that would not have existed, and we have used the cash as a buffer to help us build the pub and business to the level we wanted."

The Farmers' cash handout officially runs out in April but Ford is confident he will not notice any difference.

"I didn't want to get out of the habit of paying rent so decided to use the money for other things. I think it was the right approach because the business has changed for the better," he says. "The growth in cask now represents the key element of the business. CaskForce has given me a memorable year and put the Farmers Arms on a strong business footing."

what is CaskForce?

Thousands of licensees have benefited from the MA's CaskForce scheme inaugurated by Marston's and now in its third year.

It gives hosts the chance to improve their cask-ale offering through professional advice and cellar training from Marston's experts, helping them to achieve the BIIAB-approved Award In Beer & Cellar Quality (ABCQ).

THREE CHANCES TO WIN: THE ROUTE TO GETTING YOUR RENT PAID FOR A YEAR

Stage one: the BIIAB Award in Beer & Cellar Quality (ABCQ)

Apply online or ring the hotline for a chance to be chosen for the unique in-cellar training for licensees and pub staff.

From January to August we'll be sending our team of beer-quality experts to pubs around the country to deliver the nationally-recognised ABCQ.

A monthly draw will pick 20 pubs to go forward for the free training course.

Another 360 pubs will be nominated by Marston's freetrade and national sales teams.

In order to qualify for this, you need to be eligible to stock any beer from the Marston's beer portfolio.

All qualified CaskForce members from previous years that have not been drawn will have automatic entry.

Stage two: Cask Marque accreditation

Once you've got your ABCQ under your belt, you automatically go through to a draw to be in with a chance to win the respected Cask Marque quality accreditation.

Each month 20 pubs are picked from a draw and given the chance to gain the Cask Marque accreditation, or have their annual fee paid for a year. To qualify, you need to have achieved the ABCQ, or already hold the Cask Marque accreditation.

Stage three: new this year - the BBPA Gold Award

Each month 10 pubs with Cask Marque accreditation are picked from a draw and given the chance to receive the Beautiful Beer Gold Award and £500 to invest in pub improvements.

One of these elite pubs every month will then go through to the grand final, with the chance to win their rent paid for a year (or the freetrade equivalent).

Join our hall of fame

To win free ABCQ training in your pub go to www.caskforce.co.uk, or call 0800 0281969.

Pubs will be drawn each month on the dates shown below to receive the ABCQ training and will be notified by telephone.

A suitable date will be arranged for the training to take place at your convenience.

For the chance to win £500 towards pub improvements or the ultimate prize of rent paid for one year, again, go to www.caskforce.co.uk, or call 0800 0281969.

Draw dates

15 January, 12 February, 11 March, 8 April,

13 May, 10 June, 8 July.