Gerry Price blog

Gerry Price, Enterprise leaseholder, The Inn, West End, Surrey.

Welcome to my blog. Follow my blog posts below:​

• 19 June: rent review shockers​​

• 10 June: pinch has now really hit​​

• 25 May: why don't I like the big boys?​​

• 15 May: pubco report could cause years of turmoil​​

• 6 May: tread carefully on staff disciplinaries​​

• 24 April: is the pubco model right?​​

• 16 April: Rent review is worst April Fool's joke​​

My pub life​

I am 53 years old and first worked behind a bar at the Hitchin Working Mens club in 1972. No-one asked how old I was and I never told!

I studied agriculture at Newcastle upon Tyne university and worked in farming for a time before taking my first full time job in a pub was in 1979 when I worked at The Thatched Tavern at Ascot.

I did a six month long haul spell with BA in 1984 as a trolley dolly and then ran a pub and wine bar in Windsor for three years before taking my first tenancy with Courage in 1987 at The Brickmakers Arms in Windlesham, Surrey.

I had a second pub in 1990 just as the country went into recession and nearly lost my shirt but managed to sell it and minimise the damage after twelve months — another story!

At The Brickmakers I went through all the dramas of change from Courage to Grand Met to Inntrepreneur and finally sold the lease in December 1998. I worked for Albion Pub Company for over a year as an area manager looking after pubs and restaurants in receivership before buying the lease of my current pub in February 2000.

I have always worked with food led pubs and am better at building a business than I am at the nitty gritty of running one, but I have a wonderful wife and great staff who fill the gaps. I am however, the one who does the spreadsheets, breakevens, marketing and promotions that keep our heads above water, just!

I am an FBII, long term member of the Institute of Hospitality, Bsc and lapsed member of the British Entomological Society! My interests include game shooting, bird watching, narrowboating, fine wine, reading, writing, travelling, gardening etc.