Last night I went to the pub and after enjoying a pint I needed the little boy’s room. Upon searching for it, I saw a door that simply said ‘G.’

Gentleman? Girls? Give me more of a clue…it’s not as if I’m under time pressure?! My point is that there’s being clever and there’s being too clever. After looking, and finding another door, this time with ‘L’ on it, I presumed ‘Ladies’ and returned to the original door, fortunately, it was not too late.

On the wider subject of signage etc, the other thing that drives me mad is out of date posters – you’re standing there thinking: “What a great event that looks to be, let’s go” then you see it was last week.

I know there is lots to do when running a pub, but we mustn’t forget to walk the pub, each day if possible and take it in from a punter’s eye view. I know two people who do this very well: Odette Gibson is the MD at Volensis Accountants, she talks about “kerb appeal” telling her clients to stand across the street from the pubs and ask themselves: “Given the choice, would I go in”? This is normally followed by a talk on the importance of hanging baskets and good paintwork and leads to a discussion on the importance of good, clean toilets… but she’s so right.  The other one that just gets it, Jesse Pattisson at Brown and Forrest smokery in Somerset. Jess has a world famous smokery which supplies many of the UK’s top restaurants, but he also has a 40 cover restaurant of his own on the site of the smokery (it’s fantastic, do go try it). Each day, Jess not only walks the restaurant and its perimeter to make sure it’s to his exact standards, but he’ll also take time to stare in and get a feel for the place, the ambience from the outside. Having been there many times, I’m sure he always feels good about these checks, but they’re important and vital if you’re to keep your operation ahead of others.

So, take time to drag yourself away and see your operation through the eyes of others…you might be surprised at what you see.