Two hours in to a busy shift at one of London’s currently trendy specialist beer bars, we see a barman heading into the gents. He’s wearing rubber gloves and carrying a mop because someone has pissed all over the wall and floor.
Fifteen minutes later, he picks up a broken glass from a shelf near us, only just avoiding cutting his hand. His face reddens. “Fucking pigs,” he says under his breath, and you know he means all of us — every one of the tipsy, slightly loud people crowding the bar that night.
Later, when we’re at the bar, he doesn’t seem to be in the mood to talk to us or anyone else. He is tight-lipped and frowning. In fact, he doesn’t seem to want to be there at all.
Of course it’s never the customer’s problem that the barman is having a bad day but, sometimes, especially in overstuffed London, we do understand where the scowls and aloofness come from.
Some bar staff and managers handle this by Tweeting their fury in real time which can be enlightening and dispiriting in equal measure.
Now extrapolate that barman’s feelings to the volunteer bar staff at CAMRA festivals and how it’s sometimes difficult to persuade people to get behind the bar and serve!
Fishter — we can imagine!
I lasted 3 shifts as a barman about 5 years ago now. I could not get over how rude people were. The moment I decided enough was enough was long after time was called and we were ushering people out to lock up. A small of group of middle aged blokes were nursing the drabs of a pint. I asked them if it was dead and their response was ‘No, but if you take it you will be’. Needless to say it angered me slightly. The landlady, (who was the mum of one of mates and knows me quite well), stepped in and swept the glass away Mary Poppins-esque, defusing the situation immediately. She later said as we were cleaning up, ‘I don’t think you’re really cut out for working with the public’. That may be true, but manners cost nothing. Ever since, if I’m served by someone who looks a bit hassled, I’ll buy them a pint (funds allowing!)
Fishter – I don’t envy the volunteer staff whatsoever. God bless ‘em!
I always had the advantage of looming over people when I was with the service industry. God gave me the blessing of a figure akin to a side of beef. Yet, I packed in bartending as well due to the attitude of drinkers. Funny to hear of bad behavior at a festival as we are often told that all good beer people are the good elves among us. Never really believed that one. As a result, I also tip well.
Alan — I’m equally sceptical of the idea that liking good beer automatically makes you a good person but should say that, in the UK, beer festivals attract not only beer geeks but also people who have somehow got the idea there will be cheap, strong beer. Lots of corporate groups, rugby teams and other assorted gangs of blokes. So, you’ve got the geeks obnoxiously correcting the volunteers (“Er, I think you’ll find that particular beer…”) while the drunk rugby players are throwing up on them. Fun. They’re saints.
Maxwell — drinking up time is the real flashpoint in most pubs. Punters think the staff are being spoilsport jobsworths; bar staff have to get the garden or pub cleared by a set time or risk the pub losing its license. Not sure what can be done about this.
Bailey – I know of friends of friends who, whilst they enjoy beer, obviously don’t get out that much due to family commitments etc. and see a beer festival as a complete free-for-all. I saw a few stag dos at GBBF last year that seemed to be playing the ‘last-one-to-puke-drives-home’ game.
The best method I’ve seen of clearing the pub is the ‘music off, lights on uber-bright’ method. Everyone knows what the score is then. Although this isn’t always possible.
It would help if punters knew what time the pub was closing also, what with the current licensing laws.
Thanks for keeping up an awesome blog by the way.
Best method I seen for clearing the pub was in my law school frat house – the loud playing of Liza Minnelli’s version of “New York, New York” over and over.
I don’t think anyone who’s not worked behind a bar should be allowed into a pub in the first place… Teaches you to be a good customer
Last time I did bar work (which was as a volunteer) I swore I would always treat the person serving me as a human being. It was hell being behind the bar being treated as a moron by customers.
Just because someone is providing you a service doesn’t mean you have the right to treat them in any less of a way than you would want to be treated.
Maxwell’s right that knowing when a bar/pub closes helps a lot with clearing out the place.
So many bars and pubs (in London, at least) don’t seem to ring a bell for last orders or time any more and then staff get annoyed in turn as every table in the place goes to the bar to ask for a round only to be told they’re shutting. This seems a particular problem at the Euston Tap, as I recall.
There – I’ve named names. Probably because I haven’t had coffee yet.
Grr!
Maxwell — aww, thanks, we do our best.
Alan — watched New York, New York last week, funnily enough. One of the most boring, beautiful-looking films ever made.
Gareth — great suggestion — everyone should have to do a kind of National Service working in a pub for a month when they turn 16.
MFB — a classic case of a few idiots ruining it for everyone, unfortunately.
John — one real problem is that, having got used to lip from some customers (“I’m entitled to…”; “Why are you being such a jobsworth…?”; etc.) many bar staff understandably approach the “drink up please” conversation *expecting* a confrontation. We’re ever so well-behaved and always find it unnerving to be barked at or given the pre-emptive stink-eye.
I am pleased to read the other comments because my Dad was a pub manager. I worked behind the bar from the age of 15 and soon gained a healthy hatred for all customers. They came into the pub which was also our home and displayed breathtaking rudeness, ignorance and arrogance. No wonder licensees are views as a miserable bunch.
Birkonian — my dad was a pub landlord too, for a while. Our customers (as I understand) were mostly a pretty nice bunch, but then I understand my dad was on a hair-trigger when it came to tossing people out and banning them for a week, which seems to have helped.
I may have uttered the words ‘this would be a lovely pub if it wasn’t for the customers’ a couple of times…