Recruitment

Role: Manager / Chef, Cornwood Inn

Cornwood Inn, in the heart of Cornwood village, is a community-owned free house with ambitions as both a successful pub and a thriving social venture. We are currently seeking to recruit a talented and enthusiastic couple / partnership (pub manager and chef) to lead a small team of paid staff and to continue with the development of our community-owned pub. This is a great opportunity to create a new food and drink offer to meet the needs of the local community as well as visitors to Dartmoor from further afield. It is expected that the financial success of the pub will depend on a food offering that makes it stand out from the competition.

We are looking for a couple / partnership with leadership skills and vision to drive the development of a popular free-house pub incorporating a social enterprise project, thus delivering ‘More Than a Pub’ to the community.

Job Description

Cornwood Inn is a rural pub sitting at the heart of Cornwood village on the South West slopes of Dartmoor, 12 miles East of Plymouth. The village has around 600 houses with a strong community vibe plus a primary school, shop, Post Office and lots of activities including an excellent cricket club. The pub is a freehouse with a lounge bar seating 50 covers plus a smaller bar and an outside courtyard with seating for a further 40. Cornwood Inn has a large car park and could become a destination venue as it is on both a Leisure Drive and on the Sustrans cycle route. The pub has been recently refurbished as a part of which all kitchen equipment has been serviced or replaced. There is a very spacious upstairs flat with lovely views of the moor as staff accommodation. The pub was purchased by the Cornwood Inn Action Group (CIAG, a Community Benefit Society) on behalf of the community via a community share offer in March 2020.

The directors of CIAG (elected by the shareholders) make strategic decisions regarding the operation and direction of the pub, with the Pub Manager then responsible for implementing those decisions. The Pub Manager will report to the directors and will meet with them monthly to review operations and performance. That said, the Pub Manager will have a high degree of autonomy and will be expected to operate without detailed guidance from CIAG.

As a community-owned venture, the pub will offer additional services to the community and visitors – enhancing access to Dartmoor and providing services to address social isolation such as affordable meals; meeting spaces; internet access; hairdressing and barber services; parcel and prescription collection and library. You can read more about the pub’s aspiration by reading the Business Plan available here.

CIAG are looking for people who can successfully manage the pub as a commercially-successful, free-house venture in a way that fully integrates with the community-driven ‘More than a Pub’ vision. Although community-owned, the venture is expected to be self-sufficient and profitable without use of volunteer staff. The pub reopened under Covid restrictions in October 2020 and has, therefore, had little chance to achieve its full potential and is looking to bounce back strongly as restrictions are lifted.

This is an exciting opportunity to create a new food and drink offer to meet the needs of both the local community and visitors to Dartmoor from further afield. A flexible approach is essential as the role and responsibilities will certainly evolve and change with time.

Some renovation and improvement work has already taken place in the pub and there is a budget for further work. The Pub Manager will be expected to have input on ideas to enhance the building and offer as well as managing the impact of any works on day-to-day business.

The business model may (at some time but not before early 2023) look to transfer to a tenant arrangement. This opportunity therefore offers potential for further development for the right candidates.

Responsibilities

Running a successful ‘front of house’ - interacting with customers (including serving food and drink) and ensuring that high standards of customer service are met
Running a quality kitchen providing good, value-for-money, freshly-prepared food with ingredients sourced from local suppliers
Developing and maintaining a food and drink offer that meets customer demands and expectations
Taking responsibility for pub safety and security
Compliance with health and safety regulations at all times in the pub, kitchen and other areas
Managing the ‘more than a pub’ offer alongside CIAG and volunteer groups
Organising and advertising entertainment such as live music events, comedy nights, quizzes and karaoke competitions
Developing and running promotional campaigns (via social media etc)
Collecting and acting on customer feedback to improve the overall running of the venue
Undertaking regular stock checks, placing orders with suppliers and restocking
Ensuring / organising regular maintenance of the premises, including cleaning and repairs - managing these within assigned budget
Recruiting, training and managing staff, including leading meetings to update and motivate staff
Manage payroll and ensure staff are paid promptly and correctly
Monitoring profitability and performance to ensure sales and profit targets are met or exceeded
Be accountable for all cash and credit card management throughout the pub, and for regular banking of daily takings and conduct thorough investigation of any cash loss
Meeting with CIAG directors to assess pub performance and set sales targets
Maintaining relations with members of the local community, the police and liquor licensing authorities
Attending periodic meetings with CIAG shareholders, to help address questions and provide first-hand insights
Ensuring operation of pub remains lawful at all times
Ensuring that any concerns of the pub’s neighbours are listened to and addressed

Salary

Negotiable depending on experience – to reflect special responsibilities of running a community-owned pub.

Employee Benefits

On-site accommodation available.

Working Hours

As necessary / to be agreed.

Qualifications

You will hold a personal licence for the sale of alcohol and have appropriate food safety qualifications

Skills

A commercial approach (preferably developed through experience in a hospitality environment) and the ability to organise successful marketing and promotional activities
A working knowledge of cellar management and catering
Experience in effective use of EPOS systems and accounting software / payroll management
Literacy and numeracy skills
Ability to set and meet targets
Excellent staff management and leadership skills, plus excellent communication and social skills
An understanding of relevant legislation
Knowledge of products served and customer facilities
Capability to respond positively to pressure
Ability to positively manage and balance the various requests of different stakeholders (e.g. shareholders, CIAG directors, customers, other community groups etc.)
Willingness to innovate and be flexible / adaptable with the evolution of the business
Ability to address varying needs of diverse customer base, ensuring that all parts of the community feel welcome

Additional Information

Refer to this website and Facebook pages for information regarding our business plan and current activities. The Business Plan offers more detail around the social aspects of the project and can be found here

APPLY NOW

Please send up to date CV and covering letter including a description of what attracts you to the idea of managing a community owned pub and what skills and experience you would bring to cornwoodinnactiongroup@gmail.com

Applications accepted until 19.00 on Friday, 23 April 2021.