Behind The Bar.

Many reasons have been advanced for the decline of the local public house as a central part of the local community. Price, the competition from supermarkets, the smoking ban and changing social patterns have all been cited as factors. I would also cite the decline in quality of those who now work behind the bar.

We are perhaps lucky in Silverton in that most of the bar staff who work in our drinking establishments are cheerful and professional in the way that they interact with their costomers. Those who traditionally worked behind our bars were as much social workers and confidantes as just people who pulled pints and were regarded as vital members of the community by those who used their establishments. I dont doubt that a conversation with a friendly face behind the bar who could combine friendliness with discrection has probably saved not only a good few marraiges but in some cases, also some lives by carrying out the sort of work that counsellors and psychologists now carry out for considerably less expenditure on a few pints then some people now pay for the services of the modern specialists in emotional health. We are lucky that there are some bar staff that still live up to the highest standards of their calling, Brenda Gardiner who now works at The Lamb, but who has also worked at the other two pubs in the village remains a shining example. I doubt that there are many who work behind at the bar who still get regular visits from people who have known her from nearly every establishment she has worked in for over thirty years. She remains an example of the best of those bar workers who regarded their work as a pleasure beyond what they are paid at the end of the shift.

Unfortunately, the changfing nature of pubs and bars, particularly but not exclusively, in the towns and cities has meant that many of those who now work in them have little interest in pubs as a social institution and are only interested in getting through the shift and taking the money. Many only do the job to top up existing wages, or as a something to do in the university vacation. Some seem to have had their personalities removed at birth and some seem only to be interested in talking to their nearest and dearest and regard serving other customers as an unfortunate distraction and other seem to think that a quiet spell is the ideal time to play the fruit machine, or investigate whats on the juke box. People who work like that reduce pubs to simply places that sell drinbk rather then providing a place for social interaction and are undoubtedly one of the factors that contribute to the excessive use of alcohol. If drink is the only thing of interst in the place is it any wonder that people will drink til they drop ?. The old time bar staff knew where to draw the line.

If we ever want to stop the decline in the english public house, one factor that some owners of pubs, be they individuals, or some of the chains, are going to have to address is developing better standards amongst those that they employ and making sure that those who work for them have a higher standard of conversation then their last holiday and how 'hammered' they got last weekend. Given the numbers of public houses that are closing every week this is as much an issue that is as important for the future of the pub as whatever the chancellor has in mind for drinkers in tomorrows budget.