Starting a Bar-Making a List of Bar Equipment

March 17th, 2011

When starting a bar, getting it equipped is one of the first challenges you have to face. Ensuring the bar has the right equipment to meet customer’s needs is essential if you are to get off to a smooth start.

A lot of equipment and accessories are needed behind the bar, and trying to think of everything that is required and trying to think of it all can be difficult. By far the easiest method of establishing what you need is to draw up a list.

When compiling a list of required bar equipment, it is a good idea to list things as you think of the, and perhaps place them in two columns. Equipment that is essential and you can’t do without, and other equipment that may be useful or desirable. This way, you can ensure you get the essentials first and if there is any money left in the budget for other items they can the be acquired.

For the essentials, there this may vary from establishment to establishment, but there are some fundamental bar accessories that virtually every establishment will need:

Shakers and stirrers – even if you are not a cocktail bar, more and more people like mixed drinks these days so you will be bound to be asked for something at some point in time. Ensuring you can know how to make a Screwdriver or Black Russian may be useful too.

Knife and chopping board – a lot of soft drinks are consumed in bars and pubs and people expect ice and a slice so a good stock of lemons and a chopping board and knife are essential.

Ice scoop and bucket – along with lemons, people expect ice so ensuring you have somewhere to keep it is vital

Bottle Opener and corkscrews – they may seem obvious but if you don’t put them on your list and do forget to get them you may look awfully silly come opening night. Spares are a good idea, as are fixed openers as they are all too easy to mislay.

Trays, mats and towels – essential items that are often missed but a wet bar is an uninviting one and these are necessary to keep it clean and dry.

Spirit Measures – even if you have optics, not all your spirits will be hanging upside down, and when somebody wants a glass of something expensive, they expect it to be measured.

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Posted in Bar Ideas, Bar equipment, equipping bar | 101 Comments »

The Start Up Costs of Opening a Bar

March 3rd, 2011

By Richard WIlliams

For a lot of people, starting their own business is a long-term ambition an many people consider starting a bar, or running a pub as an ideal vocation for the future; however, ask any landlord or publican, and they will tell you running a licensing establishment takes a lot of hard work, commitment–and money.

But for those that achieve this ambition and are wiling to work hard at, running your own bar can be a very rewarding occupation, with friends, entertainment and fun right on your doorstep–and for many traditional pubs, becoming an essential part of the community.

The start up costs of any business need to be weighed up with the potential revenue the business is expected to produce, and in the bar trade, the figures do not look good.

Cheep alcohol from the supermarkets, rising costs of going out, recession and a more isolated society are all reasons why the pub and bar trade are suffering, and the set-up costs for starting a bar can be extremely high, meaning any return on the investment is going to take years to acquire–and only as long as the bar is running profitably.

Rent, fixtures and improvements to design and amenities are going to be the highest costs– with everything from air-conditioning, plumbing, the bar and tables needing to be bought and installed before you can even think of equipping the bar and the cost of all this can range from £20-30,000 for a continuation business, but for a new start-up will more than likely run into the hundreds of thousands.

Staffing too will be high at start-up as regardless of how busy your bar will be when it opens, the staff will still need to be paid and this can run into a few thousand a month depending on your staffing levels.

Equipping bar too can be expensive on start up with everything from the glasses and optics, to table mats and cocktail sticks needed before opening. Bar equipment can vary in price too but scrimping on costs here will cost in the long run as items will need to be replaced. Good quality bar equipment is essential, made from materials such as stainless steel to ensure durability easy cleanliness.

Getting the right balance of buying enough bar equipment and getting too much requires some balancing but typically a bar can expect to spend several thousand pounds on bar equipment at start up, so it is important you identify a good bar supplier at the outset.

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Posted in Bar Equipment Tips, equipping bar, new business | 63 Comments »

Hotel Kitchen Requirements

February 17th, 2011

By Richard Williams

Hotel kitchens are not the same as domestic kitchens and their requirements can differ to other professional catering scenarios. The demands on a hotel can be extreme and failing to equip or fit out a busy kitchen can lead to disaster and lead to unhappy guests and poor revenue.

Catering is just as important a requirement of a hotel as accommodation and quality of food and service needs to be got right. A badly designed hotel kitchen can lead to poor service, a lack of quality in the food and a decline in guests staying at the hotel.

One of the first aspects to get right is the kitchen layout, which needs to be properly thought through.

Everything should be on hand and kitchen staff should not have to needlessly move around and most kitchens are divided into preparation, cooking and service areas which helps to keep service running smooth.

Ensuring there is enough room to work is also important as it will reduce the risk of accidents and prevent staff for getting in each other’s way. Good planning is therefore vital in designing and fitting a kitchen, proper thought into how the kitchen will run will prevent flaws in the design process. Often it is best to speak to experienced staff who have to work in such an environment who will be able to provide good feedback as to what could cause problems.

Feedback is also essential when it comes to kitchen appliances and catering equipment. This too is important to get right and needs to be both practical and easy to clean. Quantity and size is also important to get right as too few knives, or other essential utensils, and staff will be left frustrated waiting for reach other to finish with items.

Size should never be underestimated. A busy hotel restaurant will not only serve those staying in the hotel but also their guests, and a good hotel restaurant can attract non-patrons too which can increase revenue potential.

The hotel kitchen is key to the running of a good hotel restaurant, and if it is operating smoothly will help ensure the restaurant is popular, and guests are kept happy.

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Posted in hotel and bar equipment, hotel equipment | 6 Comments »

Essentials for Successful Food Service

February 3rd, 2011

By Richard N Williams

Most publicans, landlords and bar owners will tell you that the hostelry industry has been suffering these past few years. With economic recession, government cuts and the smoking ban, many drinking establishments have had to close the doors.

In the UK, nearly three pubs a day close their doors for the last time and many traditional pubs are disappearing from our town, cities and villages leaving a social gulf with nowhere for local people to congregate and socialise.

The pub or local bar is an important aspect of any local community but even for those struggling in the current times, there are things you can do to ensure you keep your doors open

Serving food is one way of boosting an income and generating enough money to pay the bills and stay open. More and more people now visit pubs for the food rather than the drink so it can be very short-sighted not to want to take advantage of such custom.

One thing that puts people off is the need to buy all those catering accessories and equipment and retrain staff to deal with food. However, the time and investment is often worth it as a pub can make huge leaps in revenue by offering food.

However, quite often pubs fall into the trap of failing to plan their service properly which can lead to blockages in the kitchen, disgruntled customers and all the investment that’s gone into serving food becoming a waste.

With any food service a system of four steps needs to be put in place: First menus. Providing a form of menu is essential fo customers to peruse, and not just indoors either, all food establishment need to provide a menu outdoors to entice people in through the doors. The most efficient method for providing a menu, is to use chalkboards or menu-board swhich can be altered at will, this does away with the need to get menus printed for each table.

The next step in the food service system is taking the orders. Most pubs do this electronically with the tills behind the bar hooked up to screens in the kitchen, but it can be done manually on appear but it is always best to request food orders at the bars at it reduces the number of service staff required.

The next step is service. Bringing the food to the table and ensuring customers have the relevant cutlery and condiments.

Finally, removal of empty plates needs to be done efficiently, otherwise blockages of washing up can halt the kitchen. It is recommended that you invest in a good selection of trays and a tray stacker or trolley, this will allow empty plates to be stacked neatly and not clutter up the kitchen.

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Posted in Bar equipment, equipping bar, kitchen equipment, pub equipment | 119 Comments »

Signage, Menus and Information for Pubs, Bars, Hotels and Restaurants

January 20th, 2011

By Richard Williams

For any pub, restaurant, hotel or bar,. Providing information to customers is important to ensure you are providing a good service. Signage can also be used to provide a place to promote special offers, food items and upcoming events such as quiz nights or special occasion celebrations.

Quite a lot of pub signage, is also a legal requirement with pubs, bars and restaurants obligated to providing information:

Legal Requirements

Publicans and restaurateurs and anywhere that sells alcohol have a legal obligation to provide certain information. The licensing act is a good example and anywhere that sells alcohol has to provide a copy for both public and staff to see. Many people don’t notice these declarations inside pubic houses but if an establishment doesn’t have a licensing act sign then they are breaking the law.

For bars selling drinks by the measure, such as draft beer, wine by the glass and spirits from the optics, then weights and measures signage is needed which stipulates the exact amount of drink you will receive for the money.

Another legal obligation that has risen since the smoking ban is the need for no smoking signs. All establishments have to have a no smoking policy and clearly display a no smoking sign and heavy fines are issued for places that don’t abide the law.

Other important signage is needed around a pub or hostelry too. Bathroom signs and fire exits need to be clear and not provide confusion while cigarette machines have to have age requirements clearly visible above.

Menus and Chalkboards

Chalkboard

Chalkboard

But not all signage is legally required, and many signs in pubs can bring great benefits. All good pubs and bars need a chalk board. Not only can you provide promotional information but they can display offers and current food specials.

For restaurants and pubs that specialise in food menu boards are a must for both indoors and outside. Many people passing an eatery will be put of if they can’t find out what is on offer before they enter so a good menu board needs to be visible near the entrance.

When sourcing signage many specialist hotel and bar equipment suppliers will have the relevant signage required for this type of business as quite often, specialist signage such as those required for the licensing trade can be difficult to get hold of.

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Posted in Bar equipment, pub equipment, signage | 69 Comments »

Pub Accessories – Essential Tools

January 6th, 2011

By Richard Williams

There are plenty of facets that go into making a good pub. Atmosphere is essential, a good crowd of customers and staff, friendly and welcoming; good beer, wines and spirits; efficient staff, both friendly and good at what they do, and nice décor, with comfortable seating and clean surroundings.

A lot goes into making a good pub

A lot goes into making a good pub

However, there is another aspect of running a successful pub and that is to ensure you have the right pub and bar accessories.

The right bar equipment, and having enough of it, will mean the staff can work efficiently, concentrating on customers rather than fiddling with complicated corkscrews or looking for the only spirit measure that has seemingly disappeared. By not having enough pub accessories and your staff can waste time looking for the right tools with the inevitable build-up of customers at the bar result in infuriating customers, some of whom may not return again.

Good bar equipment, therefore, is essential for the smooth running of any pub, bar or hostelry, but sourcing the right equipment and knowing what to buy can be a challenge.

Buying pub accessories online is good idea as the online retailers provide a one-stop location for everything you could possibly need, but there are some other tips worth considering:

Where possible, buy stainless steel bar and catering accessories. Not only will stainless steel last longer but also it will be easy to clean.

Don’t scrimp on quantity, especially for essential bar tools like corkscrews, bottle openers and measures. Always keep spares because if one goes missing or breaks during service the resulting chaos can lead to long queues and a lot of headaches.

Source from a reputable hotel, pub and bar supplier as it is a good idea to have somebody with experience at the end of a phone or email to answer any questions or queries you may have.

If you shop online for bar accessories you can make a lot of savings as online providers have less overheads than warehouse sellers and you can expect to receive your bar equipment in a only a couple of days.

Bar accessories should not be underestimated and are an essential part of running an efficient but more importantly, profitable enterprise.

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Posted in Bar equipment, equipping bar, hotel and bar equipment, pub equipment | 120 Comments »

Bar Keeping Tips – Looking after Glasses

December 30th, 2010

By Richard N Williams

There are many important pieces of bar equipment and accessories that go to making a bar efficient and well-run. But perhaps there is no more important a product than the glasses that drinks are served in.

Glasses, after-all, are the only product that both barman and customer both handle and no matter how could your cocktails or draught beer is, if the glasses are cloudy, chipped or not clean it will not set a very good impression.

Keeping glasses clean and in good order is therefore an essential aspect of good bar-keeping and there are some essential tips and bar accessories every good barman should have to hand.

Glass Washers

Glass washers are essential for any bar, hotel or restaurant. Washing by hand is not only time-consuming it is not as effective as using a glass washer. Glass washers use water that is far hotter than human hands can tolerate so you can never get glasses as clean by hand as with a glass washer.

Even if you don’t have much space, small glass washers and portable units are available which can wash glasses individually or in small batches.

Portable glass washer

Portable glass washer

Towel

As simple as it may be, a good barman will always require a towel to ensure glasses are not only dry but are also smear-free. Cloudy glasses that may look clean often put people off so glasses should always be wiped once they are removed from the glass washers.

Storage

A clean shelf is also required for storage. It is best of glasses are not stacked as this can dirty the glasses and lead to accidents. Keep a clean shelf for glasses and store them upside down to prevent dust from building up inside the glasses.

After glasses are washed and dried they should all be inspected. Any chips or cracks should mean the glass is disposed of. Never serve a drink in a chipped glass, not only is it unsightly but if a customer cuts themselves it could lead to all sorts of implications. A damaged glass should always be thrown away.

Drinks Trays/Mats

There is no point having spotless glasses if the bar and table becomes saturated with spills. Always ensure there are mats and trays on the service area and that tables are supplied with drinks mats to ensure that tables are kept clear of spillages.

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Posted in Bar Equipment Tips, Bar equipment, cleaning accessories, hotel and bar equipment | 148 Comments »

Catering for Christmas and New Year Parties

December 23rd, 2010

By Richard Williams

For pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels, Christmas and New Year are one of the busiest times of years. Office parties, celebrations and higher than average customer numbers mean that this time of year is a good time to maximise revenue and finish the year on a financial high.

But preparation for Christmas and New Year is essential as the extra numbers of customers bring with it, not only a need to order far more stock, but also to ensure you have enough bar and catering accessories.

Many pubs and restaurants cater for office Christmas and New Year parties at this time of year and quite often for the busiest times, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, many pubs and bars charge a small advanced ticket fee for entrance.

This is a good idea, not just to raise a little extra revenue but it can give publicans and bar owners a guide to the amount of people that will be coming through the doors and help them plan the amount of extra stock required, not to mention the amount of extra catering and bar accessories needed.

Catering accessories are often best bought in stainless steel as it is easy to clean, is tough and durable and will last a long time. Man bar accessories too are available in stainless steel and this should be the first choice for any bar, club or restaurant planning to cater at Christmas and New Year’s parties.

Another consideration for Christmas catering is to ensure you have enough cleaning products and janitorial accessories. Clearing up after a Christmas or New Year’s party can be a challenging task and not only do you need to ensure that you have enough cleaning tools but as there is unlikely to be any refuse collections for several days afterwards it’s a good idea to buy extra rubbish bins to ensure you have enough room to place all the rubbish and waste.

Janitorial Accessories are vital

Janitorial Accessories are vital

Christmas and New Year’s Eve can be a profitable time for many restaurants, bars and clubs but it can also be a lot of hard work, but by ensuring you have enough bar accessories, catering equipment and cleaning tools, it can take a lot of the headaches out of it.

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Posted in Bar equipment, cleaning accessories, cleaning equipment, janitorial accessories | 5 Comments »

Christmas and the Bar Industry – Making the Most of the Festivities

December 9th, 2010

By Richard N Williams

Just like in retail, Christmas and the festive period are essential times for many bars, hotels and restaurants. It can be a great boost to revenue to take advantage of the party season, providing Christmas meals, parties and catering for the increase of trade as people want to celebrate the festivities.

Taking advantage of all this extra revenue, however, can only be achieved, if you are properly prepared which means that not only do you have to ensure that you have enough stock and staffing for this busy time but also you have enough bar accessories, catering equipment, and other hotel and bar equipment.

As these periods are busier, and you have to buy in extra stock, not having enough glasses or other bar equipment could lead to it all gong to waste – you can’t serve drinks, for example, if there are no glasses to pour it in.

Whether you are running a restaurant and are taking bookings for Christmas dinner or New Years Eve, you will probably find that you are busier that at any time of year. So when you need to stock up on catering equipment you need to think of other restaurant accessories too. You’ll need more cleaning products, more cutlery, glasses – and even seats.

Don't forget to stock up on cleaning materials for Christmas

Don't forget to stock up on cleaning materials for Christmas

For pubs, serving Christmas dinner is a good way of generating an income on Christmas day, but this too can only be done if the right catering equipment and accessories are purchased before hand.

The same for Christmas and New Year’s eve, where you may find the pub and bar busier than it has been all year round. Think of everything you may need well in advances, from bottle openers to glasses, spirit measures to cutlery, cleaning materials to janitorial equipment – otherwise you may find you are ill-prepared for the flood of people that come through the doors during this festive period.

Finding a good supplier of hotel and bar accessories is, therefore, essential and the internet is perhaps the best place to start where ordering can be done online – but remember, it is probably just as busy time for hotel and bar equipment suppliers as it is for you – so don’t leave I too late!

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Posted in Bar equipment, cleaning accessories, hotel and bar equipment, janitorial accessories | 153 Comments »

Bar Ideas – Outdoor Drinking

November 25th, 2010

By Richard N Williams

While the weather is cold and dreary it may not seem the right time for a bar owner, publican or landlord to think about the beer garden or outside. However, during the warmer months, people are increasingly wanting to spend more time outside, especially since the smoking ban, so the winter is a good time to start preparing if you want to take advantage of this market.

Providing a comfortable place for people to socialise, drink and eat, outdoors, does require some thought and it essential you have the right bar equipment and accessories to ensure you can provide the services your customers need.

Commonly, outdoor areas contain smoking shelters. These are quite an investment but you do need to have an area where people who are inside can nip out to have a smoke. Wall mounted ashtrays provide a place to stand and congregate and prevent mess.

If you are providing seating then it is important to remember the tables will need ashtrays and drink mats. When looking for furniture it is a good idea to think of how it will be kept clean as well as the practicalities.

Some bars and pubs are installing outdoor TVs to provide entertainment outside and while these are a heady investment there is nothing stopping you from placing speakers outside.

Eating al’fresco is increasingly demanded by modern drinkers and pub goers. If you are serving food indoors then there should be little to stop you providing food outside. Along with catering equipment and all the kitchen essentials, cutlery, plates and napkins will need to be stocked up on.

Outdoor areas should always be treated in a similar way to inside. It’s a common mistake for glasses to be neglected outdoors which can soon make outside untidy. You should ensure it is well maintained and is constantly cleaned – just like the inside of the pub.

Finally, you may have to consider your neighbours and licence stipulations if you are providing an outdoor area for your customers. You may find that you are limited to the time of day or the activities you allow in the pub or beer garden.

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Posted in Bar equipment, equipping bar, hotel and bar equipment | 71 Comments »

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