Best Pub Operations Team: Barons Pub Company

Judges described the business as a “shining example of what can be achieved with a first-class operations team and a senior management partnership that exudes passion for the industry and those working in it”.

Since opening its first site in 2000, the business has grown and flourished during this time, where it now has 10 thriving sites in Surrey and Berkshire.

Team dedication

The senior team’s dedication to upskill, develop and nurture staff into great operators was clear with constant feedback on everything from training, customer satisfaction and events resulting in development of sites and the people in them being on a continual path of improvement.

Its promotion of the sector to university students was lauded by judges alongside the level of compliance, standards and high-level training within and across the entire business.

When inducting new people into the team, a thorough training process is undertaken including a practical observation process to ensure team members are up to scratch and “customer ready”.

Company elements

Judges were also impressed with key elements to the company, which hold its values together: 14 Steps of Service and its four key business objectives, all underpinning each operation.

Part of Barons’ excellence in this area was put down to a direct result of the business having brought in people from other industries.

The team, its organisation and processes could apply to any business, in any sector, judges noted, they just happen to be in pubs.

This resulted in a fresh approach to the business of running pubs and it’s no accident success follows that approach.