new area manager - pathetic!

[Submitted Anonymously?]

dear mr smith,
   i have just found this website and hope you read this note.   we have now decided to stop going to one of your pubs after may years because it is now crap and illegal.   
   and just to prove how crap it is, even my husband has agreed to stay away and that is saying something.
   the pub has been getting worse as the managers keep getting replaced and do not seem to have any proper training.   even when i worked behind a bar many years ago i knew not to handle the glasses by the tops where the punters drink from. but your glasses are dirty too so more bad training or crap washer?
   is it now your policy to take money for drinks at 5 to 11 at night and then start closing at 5 past 11?   or is it cos you do not have enough staff time as said at this website?
   at nellies in beverley at 5 past 11 on most nights the front main FIRE EXIT IS LOCKED when everyone is still in and lights are switched off everywhere.   i banged my shin on the metal leg of a big table leant over in the main room and that is my last time in. chairs banged on table tops and doors slammed all when you are just trying to enjoy your last drink.
   i was told its not the new managers fault as she is real nice.   but they have not had much training as he was a building labourer and does not seem very happy.   i was told that smith brewery is having lots of similar things everywhere and was likely the fault of the new area manager who was not sorting things out and employing badly trained staff.
   and so it turns out that the new area manager is humphrey smith director.   he is obviously a crap area manager.   i saw him once 2 years ago rude and pathetic.   so we are not going in any of your pubs if they are all the same unhygienic and breaking fire rules and unwelcoming.
   anyway my hubby says it is a criminal offence to lock public fire exits with public in and someone should tell the police. i would guess its also breaking some law to turn lights out and put obstacles in the way during opening hours. maybe humphrey smith will get arrested?


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Name supplied. Ref: 200210A

[minsterman]

Well it looks as if we've not been missing much!!! We stopped going in the place since the new manager told a friend of ours to 'f-off' on New Years Eve.

Our friend, who is a local and respected businessman, had visited the White Horse Inn (Nellies) early evening last New Years Eve to meet up with friends, and then had planned to meet up with some of his other friends at the pub across the road before coming back to join us. He apparently passed the new manager on leaving the pub (who was manning the back door) and when the manager mumbled 'good night', our friend explained in a friendly fashion that he was just briefly meeting friends across the road, before returning to join us. Apparently the new manager told him to "fcuk off then, and don't bother coming back" - which he never has since!!! After we heard what had gone on - we haven't bothered either - although we had considered seeing how things may have improved. Although it would seem things have got worse. We also heard that ll the trouble makers who had been previously banned - were all being let back in

Just recently, we have heard numerous couples and individuals expressing their anger of current situations at the White Horse, as they pour into our newly adopted local, usually just after 11pm, if not before.

It's a shame though, I've spent many enjoyable years in the White Horse. Is the scaffolding still up?

[Max]

This all sounds very typical of what I'm hearing from elswhere.

Ultimately it seems as if all of these problems are again directly the result of Humphs terrible management policies. It also goes to suggest that he is rather useless as an Area Manager, for the following possible reasons..

1. Inexperienced (or simply not bothered)

2. Recruitment of inexperienced personnel

3. Lack of training of new personnel

4. Lack of management supervision (probably due to covering too many venues)

5. Lack of management and staff support

6. Very poor managers and staff remuneration

With reference to the original post in this thread - locking Fire Exits (especially with the public still in) is illegal. But it is probably something which the current management are unaware of due to insufficient training and supervision. It also seems as if they are keen to close up as soon as possible to manage on what is probably a minimal staff hour allocation. It may be an idea for someone to tactfully explain that locking fire exits is not allowed, and 'closing the pub' just after time is probably not what Humphs would like to see happening.

[delboy]

Is the scaffolding still up?

Yep, scaffolding still there! 

I wouldn't want to tell John (new manager) that he's doing anything wrong, as he's an ex Hull bouncer, and hasn't looked too happy of late. I think he's beginning to realize exactly what he's got himself and family in for. His kids are often collecting glasses and stuff, and are probably not being paid, which I hear is happening in other Sam's pubs.

I must agree though, that haveing all the stools noisilly banged on table tops around you, and sitting in the dark with your last pint, is not really on - but who knows what ends new and old managers are going too, to cope with the current regime. And let's face it, the more pubs Humphs takes on as area manager, the less likely he's going to know what the hell is going on, unless he either gets clonned or has a time and telporting machine. Yes I could just immagine humphs stepping out of an old Police Box (TARDIS) in nellies car park 

[joeh917]

This thing with the fire door being locked should be reported as surely even Humphs can't get away with that.

[moggy]

really joeh 917 he can and does get away with it, and everything else, remember back to last year when we were all complaining about his attitude to stocks and demanding 5%,(experienced managers know that with the ullage in a 36 gallon container you will be lucky to get 34-35 gallons out and as well as that deficit we have to make the 5%), only way to do it rob the customer, and what did yorkshire trading standards say "we will be watching samuel smiths pubs very carefully" well has any one heard of any prosecutions for short measures, he carries on bullying and abusing his managers, draymen and office staff, has any one heard of a procecution against him that he has lost, its not who you are or what you do, its how much money you have got to keep yourself out of trouble. the only way we can hurt Smith is through negative publicity against him,also i have noticed the trade unions have been quiet lately wheres all the action we were promised. come on every one keep the pressure on and hit him where it hurts the most, remember how he tried to stop this site, get your comments down and let him no what you really think