The next generation of Swindon’s pub landlords are now ‘licensed to fill’ customers’ glasses with beer after completing the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) personal licence holders course at Arkell’s brewery.
The firm is putting training at the core of its pub operations, running the BII Level 1, 2 and 3 personal licence course alongside courses in cellar management to ensure high beer quality and responsible alcohol and supervising premises.
The courses are open to all licencees and staff, not just those from Arkell’s pubs, as the family-owned brewery consider it a contribution to supporting the wider licensed trade. The course are staged every three months at Arkell’s Training Centre at its historic Kingsdown Brewery.
The brewery also runs Welcome Host customer care courses and is in discussion with Swindon College to support an apprenticeship scheme where young people can follow a recognised and regulated route into the industry through studying for NVQs.
Brewery director George Arkell said: “We’ve always run regular training courses, but now we’ve expanded the number we offer because we want our pub staff to have the opportunity to build their careers in the industry, and that can only be done properly by good quality training. We also want to ensure that young people coming into the industry have the best possible start.”
Angie Botting, works at The Duke of Edinburgh, on Cricklade Road, was among those on the latest training course at Arkell’s.
She said: “I haven’t had a day off sick for seven years,” she said. “My boss, Mark Thompson, is the landlord and he’s great. It was his idea that I do this course. I love working at the pub and it fits in well with my home life.
Pictured: Staff on the most recent training course at Arkell's Kingsdown Brewery
