Day 97 - #1 Friday!

My feet are sore. Sleep finds me without much trouble. But it is getting easier as we are starting to understand the process better and move stock through the tills. Keeping real ale can be an art but one which is easier when there is throughput. And throughput we have indeed. Last night, yesterday was the first official trading day, as you know, was busy, busy. Busier than the night before in fact.  And the night before was a free bar. (Yes free. Not my favourite word especially if its me giving it away but something we had to do.)

But a bit more rewarding because this time the till draw kept opening and there was paper stuff going in it. And at the end of the night there was actually some cash in it.

Today is Friday, the start of our first weekend and if the pub across the road has been anything to go over the past few weeks it should be reasonably busy. One thing that has surprised us in the first two days is the amount of wine we are selling. My first order was 10 cases (12 bottle cases) of assorted wines,  yesterday afternoon I went to fetch another 2cases and this morning we needed again so I picked up another 5 cases - and this is not sitting on a shelf somewhere - this is all to replenish fridge and display space. Curious to know what % wine sales will be in the mix. Back in the day if it was 1% you would have been considered a wine bar. That's how the market has changed I guess. And lots of food today which has stressed my significant other half out a bit as the kitchen is not right yet. But once again. There is only one chance at opening so you have to do it.

This is this village. I have now in the past few days been offered by two different people at no cost, original Joules Brewery / Royal Oak printed material going back to the 1800's. There is so much passion locally for this pub and this beer that I think it will stand us in good stead. People are impressed by just how much attention to detail and care has gone into the refurbishment. As I wrote earlier, just about everyone has a memory of this place. They are generally, as I've picked up, very anti big pub companies that destroy pubs. That destroy their history. It is refreshing to see real people who actually give a shit. People who don't want everything to be developed, people who don't want more houses, more estates where everything looks the same, more malls. Fantastic. I am loving it.

Until Tomorrow. Bring it on!