J D Wetherspoon

To celebrate International Women’s Day here at Wetherspoon, we asked deputy finance director Hannah Young to write a few words on what she enjoys about working for the company and what advice she would offer to someone starting a career.    Thank you for asking me to write something on behalf of the company for International Women’s Day. I joined the company in 2013 and, having undertaken various roles in the finance department, was promoted to the management board in 2022. What I have always enjoyed about life at Wetherspoon is that it is a meritocracy – hard work and talent aren’t overlooked. Now that I’m in a leadership position, I take the same approach with my team members, taking pride in seeing them develop and thrive. To anyone reading this at the beginning of their career, my advice would be to be enthusiastic, inquisitive and humble. Take whatever opportunities come your way and learn as much as you can from everyone you come across. I’d also remind everyone that mistakes are inevitable – without them, we cannot learn. I think that this is something which women in leadership roles, particularly, need to hear. We often put pressure on ourselves to be ‘perfect’. Setting such an unobtainable standard is unhelpful and can prevent talented people from even trying, for fear of falling short of (often self-imposed) expectations. Whenever setbacks happen (and these will be more frequent than you’d like), I’d say – learn from them, take a deep breath and keep going.

Exciting bar, kitchen and hotel, seasonal and permanent opportunities await at Wetherspoon! At Wetherspoon, we understand the importance of flexibility. That’s why we offer flexible working hours to suit your lifestyle and commitments. Whether you’re a student looking to earn extra cash or someone seeking a fun, fast-paced work environment, we’ve got you covered. But that’s not all… as part of our team, you’ll enjoy fantastic benefits, including an employee discount on food, drink and hotel stays, plus a complimentary meal and drink during your shifts. Join us in delivering exceptional service and creating memorable experiences for customers. Embrace the camaraderie, growth opportunities and vibrant atmosphere which define the Wetherspoon experience. To apply, visit: jdwetherspooncareers.com

BIDDULPH BECKONS ONCE MORE AS NICOLA AND CHARLES CELEBRATE Husband-and-wife Wetherspoon managers Nicola and Charles have, between them, clocked up more than 50 years’ service for the company.   Both born and bred in the Black Country and with previous employment experience in the hotel sector, the couple joined Wetherspoon in December 1997, embarking on their first four months’ training at The Lamb (Edmonton) (now closed), in north London.   They spent a short spell at The Sir John Oldcastle, before taking on their first pub management role together, almost a year to the day since joining the company.   In August 2000, they moved again to The Reginald Mitchell before taking over at The Bradley Green in February 2003, where they spent more than a decade as pub managers.   Nicola recalled: “We were at The Bradley Green for a long time and are still in touch, through social media, with many of the regulars there.”   She added: “We also won several in-house awards at the pub and enjoyed some great achievements.”   It was, therefore, fitting that the couple returned to The Bradley Green for their 25-year service certificate presentation.   Nicola, who is now pub manager at The Old Swan, and Charles (shift manager at The Green Dragon) are pictured with Wetherspoon’s area manager Kat and regional manager Debbie.   In March 2014, Nicola and Charles moved to The Bole Bridge, where they spent just over four years, before their career paths changed.   Nicola reported: “In June 2019, Charles stepped down to shift-manager level, moving to The Wye Bridge House before transferring in November 2021 to The Green Dragon as kitchen manager.   “He’s a very sociable person, so he reverted to a front-of-house role at The Green Dragon, where he currently works as a shift manager.   “Charles, who was 55 in August, is really enjoying being back working face to face with customers.”   Nicola joined the team at The Old Swan as shift manager, stepping back up to pub manager in October 2021, and was soon enjoying success again with the pub’s first inclusion in the publication by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), The Good Beer Guide 2023.   Nicola, who turned 50 this year, said: “When we joined Wetherspoon, truthfully, I didn’t anticipate that we would still be here 25 years on…that is half my life!   “It’s also like a silver wedding anniversary for us, which we will also be personally celebrating next year too.”   She concluded: “I have always worked in hospitality and, to be honest, have always seen it as a vocation, rather than a job.”   Wetherspoon’s regional manager, Debbie, said: “Thanks to Charles and Nicola for 25 years’ outstanding service and dedication to the company.

Loyalty is rewarded at Wetherspoon! As a reward for loyalty, increased pay rates are awarded to all employees after one year’s continuous service and annually after that, up to a number of years’ service depending on the job role. Additional paid holiday is awarded at five, 10, 15 and 20 years’ service. All employees with 25 years’ continuous service or longer are entitled to additional share incentive plan (SIP) awards and company pension contributions. The average length of service of a Wetherspoon employee has increased significantly over the years. For a pub manager, it is now over 14 years and for a kitchen manager over 10 years. Of hourly paid employees, 33% have been with us for over three years. Thank you to all of our employees for their continued hard work.

Across six, seven, eight and even nine successive annual inspections, many of our pubs (in England, Northern Ireland and Wales) have achieved the highest-possible rating of five. To gain a maximum score is difficult enough; however, to then maintain that highly coveted rating of five requires consistently high standards. Among the pubs achieving a continuous maximum rating of five for the last six consecutive inspections are both Wetherspoon pubs in Carlisle: Woodrow Wilson (since August 2010) and The William Rufus (since March 2011). Both located on Botchergate, Woodrow Wilson was first opened as a Wetherspoon pub in May 1998. It is housed in the building which once formed part of the Carlisle South End Co-op Society store, built in 1904. Opened in October 2004, The William Rufus is in a premises once the site of various shops, including JS Hope’s drapery, George White’s long-standing grocery and Tom Ridley’s chemist’s. Since taking over as pub manager in April 2023, Daryl now heads a team of 50 staff at Woodrow Wilson. He started with the company 15 years ago as a bar associate at The William Rufus, working his way up to management, including seven years as kitchen manager. Woodrow Wilson’s kitchen manager Sam has worked at the pub for three years and took over the reins in the kitchen in May 2023. He heads a team of 12 kitchen staff. Daryl said: “The company’s top-notch training is superb – and the team members are all well aware of what is required of them. “It is not an easy job to maintain a five-star rating. It takes hard graft, especially in the kitchen. “It comes down to training, information and hard work, with a team which has the understanding and desire to achieve it.” Matt has been at The William Rufus for 19 years, taking over as pub manager in 2007. His team numbers 70, with 15 in the kitchen under the guidance of kitchen manger Zowie. Zowie joined the company as a kitchen associate four years ago and has been in charge of the kitchen since May 2022. Matt said: “Daryl worked with me as kitchen manager at The William Rufus before moving to Woodrow Wilson.” Matt continued: “It is so important for the pub to have a five-star rating. Customers do look at these details – with the score reflecting how well we are doing our job. “We have had the same local environmental health officer for several visits. “Even with our five-star rating, we still have conversations about how we can improve further, with recommendations always welcome. “Wetherspoon always tries to go above and beyond – and our hygiene standards are no exception.”

QUIQUE BECOMES BOSS AFTER BUMPY BEGINNING TO UK LIFE Quique escaped the economic crisis in Spain in 2012, moving to England for a job promised to him by a UK holidaymaker in Spain. Assured that there would be a job, he arrived in Bournemouth in October of that year with his pregnant girlfriend Rocio. But constant delays meant that Quique had to look for employment elsewhere. In late November, he discovered that The Moon in the Square (Bournemouth) was having a recruitment open day. Following a chat with pub manager Terri, he was offered a trial shift.  Quique said: “I was just asked to collect glasses on a Friday night, but, within an hour, I was helping to run the top floor of the pub.” He started work the following Monday as a bar associate and has been at the pub ever since, rising to the role of pub manager. Quique concentrated on improving his very limited English and covered as many different types of shift as he could to improve his skills and his knowledge of the pub. The couple’s first child, Liam, was born in May 2013, with Quique promoted to shift leader the following month. The couple’s second child, Owen, was born in November 2016, with their third, Connor, arriving in December 2018. All three are bilingual. Rocio and Quique were married in March 2019. In November 2021 Rocio started working at the pub and is now a team leader. Quique added: “A lot of the other managers left in a short space of time, so I found myself the longest-serving management team member, apart from Terri. “The Moon in the Square is a big pub with a lot of staff, so you need to know it very well to run it – and that period was a learning curve for me.” In May 2022, Terri asked for a sabbatical and, by May 2023, had decided not to return to the business. Quique was appointed as the pub’s manager in May 2023, having acted as holding manager during Terri’s absence. He said: “I really love the pub and wanted to be its manager when the opportunity arose. “My life has changed completely in the last 10 years – and this is thanks to Wetherspoon and particularly Terri. “Terri was such a legend, such a kind person and I learned everything from her.”

Young Lives vs Cancer darts tournament Staff from pubs across the UK and the Republic of Ireland are at the oche once again tonight, raising vital funds for charity. Area heats were held in January, with the regional finals being held tonight. The teams from Wetherspoon’s pubs in the UK are raising funds for Young Lives vs Cancer, while those teams in the Republic of Ireland are raising funds for LauraLynn. Over 380 teams battled it out in area heats at 59 venues across England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, hoping to win the highly coveted darts trophy (and bragging rights) for 2024! The national final takes place in March. Thank you to all of our pubs hosting the competition, to our employees, friends, families and customers for your support and generosity in supporting our charities. Wishing all of our competitors good luck in the tournament! 

Start or heighten your career with exciting opportunities at Wetherspoon! Are you passionate about hospitality, customer service and personal development? We may have the perfect opportunity for you. Whether you’re looking to start as a team member or already part of our fantastic team, we’re committed to helping you to learn and develop. From dedicated training programmes to ongoing support, we’re here to nurture your talents and to help you to reach your goals. As we continue to grow, we’re always on the look-out for passionate new team members. With our diverse range of roles, there’s something for everyone at Wetherspoon. Whether you’re aiming for management positions, exploring new areas of the business or seeking opportunities for advancement, we provide clear development paths to support you on your way. To discover more about career opportunities and to apply for a role, click here. #Careers #Hospitality #CareerGrowth #OpportunityKnocks

Celebrating dedication and resilience: the Wetherspoon apprentices shine through snowstorms! I’m happy to share a story of dedication and resilience from our remarkable Wetherspoon apprentices. Despite facing snowstorms, Carrie-Anne and her colleagues travelled hundreds of miles to complete their presentation assessment for the module on contemporary issues in leadership management practice. Our degree apprenticeship programme offers hands-on experience, allowing individuals to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios. Projects for their most recent module included improving stock performance, driving sales and people management practices. Wetherspoon and university assessors were on hand to provide valuable feedback. To all of those apprentices who braved the weather to showcase their knowledge, skills and dedication, your hard work does not go unnoticed. Your resilience is a testament to your character and commitment to excellence. Wishing all of our apprentices the very best of luck during the remainder of their programmes. #Wetherspoon #Apprenticeship #Dedication #Resilience #CareerDevelopment #HospitalityIndustry

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