Planit : Job Profiles : Bar Manager Hospitality

A bar manager runs a pub or a club which has a licence to sell alcohol, or manages the bars in a hotel or other leisure establishments.

The Work

You could be:

buying in food and drink, setting the prices and controlling the stock
keeping the accounts and meeting sales targets
hiring, supervising and training staff
helping to serve drinks, cleaning up the bar area, collecting and washing glasses
organising and advertising entertainment on the premises
intervening to deal with any problems, such as rowdy or difficult customers, and if necessary calling the police
taking overall responsibility for health, safety, hygiene and the security of staff, customers and premises
ensuring laws relating to the sale and consumption of alcohol and tobacco are upheld
writing reports for the brewery or landlord.

You might be:

an employee of a pub chain
a tenant renting a pub from a brewery
a freehold trader owning and running an independent pub
the manager of a bar or number of bars in a hotel.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:

where you work
the size of the company or organisation you work for
the demand for the job.

Starting pay for assistant managers can range from £18,000 to £24,000 a year, and after experience pay for managers can rise to £40,000 a year or more. Some employers may offer other rewards such as bonuses and some jobs may come with free accommodation as part of the package.

Conditions

You work long and unsocial hours, often in the evenings and at weekends. Opening hours can be up to 3am, or later in hotel bars.
You might have to lift heavy barrels and crates of beer or wine.
Busy periods can be stressful as many people make demands on you at the same time.
Conditions can be crowded and noisy.
Some managers are self-employed, taking a tenancy with a brewery.
If you are the licensee you are personally responsible for ensuring that all laws and regulations are enforced.

Workforce Employment Status

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Useful Subjects

Business

Getting In

There are Higher National Certificates (HNCs), Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) and degrees available in relevant subjects such as business, hospitality management and catering.
You generally need 1-2 Highers or HNCs and HNDs and for a 4 Highers for a degree.
Some pub and hotel chains run graduate training schemes, which can lead to management positions when completed.
You can gain experience as a bar worker and then apply for promotion.
To run a licensed premises you will require the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders at SCQF level 6.
You must be over 18 to serve behind a bar and to be a licensee.

Workforce Education Levels (UK)

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Job Outlook Scotland

Employment

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Job Outlook Scotland and UK

Scotland

2026

6111

0.4 %

RISE

2031

6135

United Kingdom

2026

89936

2.2 %

RISE

2031

91952

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What Does it Take?

You need to have:

a smart appearance and polite manner
tact and assertiveness for dealing with difficult situations
business skills and the ability to meet sales targets
a good sense of humour
motivational and leadership skills
organisational skills
speed and accuracy in number skills.

You need to be able to:

chat easily to a wide range of people
remain calm under pressure
make decisions and solve problems
take responsibility.

Training

Most bar training is on the job. There are Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) in Food and Beverage Service at Level 2 (SCQF Level 5). SVQs at Level 3 cover supervisory and management skills.
The BII awards the Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders.
Under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 all staff serving or selling alcohol must receive at least two hours of basic training before they can sell or serve alcohol. Employers are expected to provide the training.
The BII also runs other courses relating to licensed premises management, such as health and safety.
ServeWise, part of the national alcohol charity Alcohol Focus Scotland, runs various courses for the licensed trade. This includes courses that meet the staff training requirements of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 and a course leading to the Scottish Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (http://www.ServeWiseonline.co.uk/)
The Wine and Spirit Education Trust also offer a range of relevant courses.

Getting On

You usually start off as assistant bar manager and then move on to general bar manager.
After gaining experience and qualifications you can move on into jobs offering more independence: from bar manager to pub tenant, pub free trader or hotel manager.
Alternatively you could work up within a large chain of pubs to area manager and regional manager.
The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 requires all personal licence holders to complete the BIIAB Refresher course within five years of the issue of their licence.

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.

Academy of Food and Wine Service (AFWS)
Tel: 01276 417896
Website: http://www.afws.co.uk
X: @AFWS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Academy-of-Food-Wine-Service/108345349234008

British Institute of Innkeeping (BII)
Tel: 01276 684449
E-mail: enquiries@bii.org
Website: http://www.bii.org
X: @BIIandBIIAB
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BIIandBIIAB/

The BII is a professional body for the licensed retail sector, on or off the premises. It also has its own qualifications awarding body - the BIIAB.

Institute of Hospitality
Tel: 020 8661 4900
Website: http://www.instituteofhospitality.org
X: @IoH_Online
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IoHOnline/

People 1st - Hospitality Guild
Tel: 0203 074 1222
E-mail: eqa@people1st.co.uk
Website: http://www.hospitalityguild.co.uk
Website (2): http://www.people1st.co.uk/
X: @p1stgroup

People 1st is the Sector Skills Council for the hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism industries. UKSP is now part of the Hospitality Guild, which provides information on careers in the hospitality and tourism industry. The website has an online 'personality' test designed to help you identify suitable careers within the above industries.

Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA)
Tel: 0131 523 1317
Website: http://www.scottishbeerandpub.com/
X: @Scotbeerandpub

Springboard
E-mail: info@springboarduk.org.uk
Website: https://careerscope.uk.net/
Website (2): http://springboard.uk.net/
X: @CareerScope_
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpringboardUKCharity

Springboard UK promotes career opportunities in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries.

Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET)
Tel: 020 7089 3800
Website: http://www.wsetglobal.com
X: @WSETglobal
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WSETglobal

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Planit

Bar Manager

The Work

Pay

Conditions

Useful Subjects

Getting In

Job Outlook Scotland

Job Outlook Scotland and UK

What Does it Take?

Training

Getting On

Contacts

Career Area

Career Sectors

Hospitality

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