Be in it to win it — and improve your offer

Have you ever entered the Publican's Morning Advertiser (PMA) Great British Pub Awards? We have and found it a great tool to analyse ourselves.

Having entered these awards this year, for the fourth time in succession, and in three different categories, we were surprised that we only managed to be visited in just one category.

This shows us the increase in support the PMA has for the awards within the trade, as only applications of the highest standards are processed. These high standards are now being attained by thousands of British pubs. I see the application of each category as a benchmark to reach and for other pubs that did not enter to aspire to.

Entering the awards sharpens up your act and your offer. Yes, it takes time, care, effort and professionalism to produce a top-class application which builds into a portfolio of your outlet, business style and modus operandi, highlighting good and the not so good aspects of your operation, and enabling you to act on your findings.

We usually come up with about half-a-dozen things to act on just by entering the awards.

On one occasion, while being judged for the best cellar award, it was highlighted that the cooling system was not working efficiently — so we got cellar services, courtesy of Thwaites, to install a brand-new top-of-the-range system with low electricity consumption.

Other lesser things such as a cleaning rota for the ice machine, not using two-way plug adaptors under the bar and glass mats — apparently we had some missing — are all picked up on by the judges.

They don't cost a fortune to fix, and like us you could benefit by having a major capital expenditure project carried out.

Don't forget: the judges are not from any government department. They are there to help you and your outlet to grow, be safer, more professional, and more profitable.

In these challenging trading times we need all the help we can get to be a cut above the rest and one step ahead of our competitors.