Christmas checklist

Well, going by the number of times I have heard Slade telling me that “Here it is, Merry Christmas, everybody’s having fun….” I can safely assume that once again our favourite season is about to hit us.

Yes, unless you have been locked away in the deepest recesses of your cellar, contemplating why you ever decided to become a licensee, you must realise that you cannot escape all the work and planning necessary to have a profitable Christmas.

In the spirit of Inndoctor and the Season, here are a couple of simple and you may say obvious tips, to think about. We are pretty sure there are lots more, so if you think of any please let us know.

• Take time to check all your dispense equipment. The taps you use only once or twice a year when you are very busy should be cleaned and tested. Any defects get sorted, don’t leave it to the last minute, technical services are very busy this time of year.

• Obvious you may think, but as well as ordering extra beer don’t forget to order additional beer gases.

• Make sure you and your staff have all the relevant emergency telephone numbers for brewery technical services and soft drinks services.

• With quite a lot of temporary staff being taken on over the Christmas holidays, take time to train them. Using a till is one thing, but serving a good pint is quite another. Ten minutes showing them how to pull a pint of cask or keg beer properly could save you a lot of wastage and money.

• Last but not least, save Inndoctor on your computer favourite list. If you come unstuck and things start going wrong on the bar, check our fault guide, it may just get you back in business.

  And finally as old Trevor Mc Donald used to say, keep a good supply of Anadin Extra Strength at hand for those quiet times over Christmas, when you remind yourself why you enjoy being a Landlord so much.