Christmas! Everyone gets a bit excited about this magical time of the year. Has everyone around you started talking about Christmas? Have you started looking at your competitors and started panicking yet? Well don’t – we’re here with some tips to help you organise this festive period. Check out these last minute steps to get ahead of the game:
Marketing:
Make use of all marketing tools – social media, flyers and A-boards outside your pub. Remember, there’s no such thing as overdoing it – people need to know what’s on your creative Christmas menu and what other festive things you have to offer when they’re planning their nights out.
Website updates:
Make sure your website is up to date, with all your specially devised menus and promotions. You could use table booking websites to widen your customer base.
Staff:
Customers won’t like to wait around, and you can guarantee that this will be one of the busiest periods of the year. Christmas is about spending time with their loved ones and friends – not waiting for a table! Get the staff schedules prepared for the whole of December in advance.
Security is also very important, as this is the season to be merry, and some people will take it too far. Don’t let them ruin the experience for your more well-behaved customers. Keep the staff informed about specials, and all other important information in regards to holding and organising the booked parties – double booking can be an absolute nightmare!
Safety Measures:
Having a blast is great but as we mentioned before, it can get out of hand. Make sure you have safety measures in place. First aid boxes should be restocked and all fire equipment should be checked, maintained and in good condition. Have all your cooking equipment checked and serviced for better efficiency. The middle of service is the worst time for a machine to break down.
Clean cutlery and Crockery:
Ensure you have a sufficient supply of crockery at all times. Customers are likely to want to enjoy some celebratory drinks at this time of year there should be enough (cold!) glasses to go around. There are companies who rent out tableware for special occasions, if you think you’re going to fall short, so have a shop around and see who has the best rates.
Stock levels:
You’ll be selling a lot more than usual, so spread the cost by buying extra stock over the next few weeks. Prepare for Non-alcoholic drinkers, vegans and vegetarians, as well as various allergies and intolerances. It does make a huge difference to let them know they are not left out at this special time.
Decorations:
Bigger is always better, as long as it’s tastefully done! You’re serving food and drink, so you need to be mindful of anything that can get in the way, or that will be above customers’ heads. Real Christmas trees are a beautiful thing, but no-one wants pine needles in their turkey!
TENs:
Last – but certainly not least – if you haven’t already, it is high time for you to apply for any temporary events notices you may need. Local councils will be up to their ears in applications, and if you leave it any later, you may not receive the license in time.
Respecting the neighbourhood is also very important. Keep the noises down, and the surroundings clear of any waste from the pub.
Once all these are done, brace yourself for the festive hordes – and remember to have a fantastic Christmas!