I usually arrive at work around 5pm, but my first port of call is always box office to see what size of audience we have for that night’s performance. Along with that I always check what numbers we have booked in for forthcoming shows that look to have large audiences. Unlike most bars in which I’ve worked, different types of shows determine the type of drinkers we will have in the bar, from early drinker to late drinker, wine drinker to alchopop drinker, soft drink drinker to my favourite drinker - the heavy drinker. With these factors in mind this helps me figure out staffing and stock levels from week to week.
Having only started working here almost a year ago, I really quite heavily on past knowledge when it comes to audience typing. A lot of the staff here have either been employed or associated with the Maltings for years, this is why constantly throughout my shift I’ll be probing Wendy (Deputy Front of House Manager) or Shona (Front of House Manager) about previous shows trying to take heed from experiences that they have learned from previous years’ events.
From here usually my next port of call is to check any emails or any deliveries that might have arrived for the bar. Then we’re into the bar setting up for the night’s shift, checking the float, making sure we have ice and stocked fridges.
Typically customers start to arrive about half an hour before a performance to have pre-show drinks but the majority show up fifteen to ten minutes before curtain-up.
This can cause real problems when we have a heavy drinking audience combined with a full house, people desperate for drink and us behind the bar knowing that no matter how many bar staff we could have behind the bar at this instant we couldn’t serve any quicker.
The customers thrusting notes at you trying to get served when you know there is only so many beer taps that can be used at one time, only so much ice available at one time, on big shows the extra tills on don’t seem to help, but finally you see the end as people have their drinks and are entering the theatre.
There’s a collective sigh of relief from the bar staff “thank god that’s over”. Then you gaze over the bar and see all the empties that need clearing and cleaning, fridges need re-stocking, floats need more change. First things first though, smoke break.
Once nicotined up, glasses, stock and change all reset, we turn our attention to any interval pre-orders we have. We try to time placing them up to within one minute before the interval, which is not always an exact science. The technicians can’t always gave an exact time if the performers can’t give one themselves.
The interval shift continues where the pre-show drinks rush finished with more rush as you now have everybody needing a drink at the same time, mainly this is a blur on busy nights as your focused on seeing that queue disappear. It’s really important to me that we serve customers as quickly as possible as we know they only have a short time to enjoy their drinks before the show starts – but it’s not always easy!
So basically we go through the same routine again as before the show. Then wait for the show to end. When the show is ended hopefully we get a decent turn of customers for drinks. This trade was very poor when I started but people have seemed to enjoy staying on for a drink after the show more, I think it’s mainly down to the more relaxed atmosphere the bar has when trade is not as hectic. From here it’s a slow wind down to the night, clean up close up and home.
On the odd occasion we have a late licence, to allow the cast to have a drink after a big show. I’m not actually working on the bar, after speaking to Shona I offered to lock the building up so that whoever was on front of house could go home at there usual time. This is probably what I enjoy most about working at the Maltings is that I’m not totally restricted to working behind the bar. I am able to help out in other areas of the building and all the staff are the able to do likewise. With this thinking all the staff try and help each other out where they can which makes the Maltings a fairly pleasant place to work, in my book.
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