Jo Trow is a bartender at the Buck Inn in Newtown, Powys, a Marston’s tenancy run by her sister Emma Rees. Jo has been a part-time worker in pubs from the age of 14, collecting glasses, waitressing and working behind the bar. Having begun her career in the care sector, she realised in 2013, it wasn’t what she wanted to do, and when her sister offered her a full-time job at the Buck, she jumped at the chance. She recently completed her BIIAB Level 2 Apprenticeship in Licensed Hospitality with the Cambrian Training Company, and in doing so became the trainer’s first apprentice to achieve the qualification.
“I’ve always liked working in the pub trade,” says Trow, who explained that she’d been working full time at the Buck for just two months when Helen Davies from Cambrian Training suggested the apprenticeship to her and sister Emma. “We’d been chatting about how I’d love to have my own pub one day, and this course was mentioned. I’m married with two young children so I’m quite
restricted on the hours I can work and how much I can do, but it seemed like a really good way to learn more now, gain some qualifications and then, as the children get older, I can progress.”
She explained that completing the qualification in the workplace with the support of her employer and Cambrian’s assessor meant that it “never seemed like hard work”, and she’s now very glad
she’s achieved the qualification because it has boosted her confidence.
“I love my job. No two days are the same and you get to meet such a wide variety of people,” says Trow, who begins her working day with cleaning. “We pride ourselves on keeping the pub spotless. People often comment on that.”
And it’s these positive customer comments and interactions that make Jo want to stay in the pub trade. “What I love is that I’ve got to know the regulars very well, and when one comes in I know whether they will enjoy having a chat at the bar or prefer to take their pint and go for a quiet sit down!
“I like to think that if people see we are a very friendly pub, that’s clean and serves a good pint, they are likely to want to come back. I’m quite chatty, and when I visit other pubs I really appreciate having interaction from the bar staff – I can’t think of anything worse than someone behind the bar who hardly says two words to you. It makes me want to go somewhere else and not come back.”
And despite the extra responsibility of all the course work, which was mainly undertaken during her working day with the assessor coming in to the pub to observe her, and some completed at
home, she feels obtaining the BIIAB qualification was very worthwhile.
“It’s given me more confidence. I didn’t realise just how much I did know until I started the course. When you’re doing something all the time, you don’t appreciate its value, but when you learn that you’re doing the right things and realise how much you have learned from working in the trade it feels great. I’ve learned lots of new things too, for instance, I’d never cleaned lines and now I can. Being more knowledgeable certainly reinforces my confidence.
“Learning more about conflict management has been very useful too, especially on busy Saturday nights when we tend to get a different clientele in. People don’t realise that there’s more to
this job than just serving drinks.”
For now, while her children are still at school, Trow says she’s happy doing what’s she is doing now. However, she adds: “One day I would like to have my own little pub – it’s something I really do enjoy, interacting with people. I’m very much a people person. It makes me very happy knowing someone has received a good service and has enjoyed their experience at the pub.”
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