Doctors Tonic, Welwyn Garden City

'How not to run a pub - case study the Drs Tonic'.

Let's start with 4 key principles -
1) employ staff who consider themselves superior to customers;
2) employ a German bar assistant who greets anyone under the age of 25 with the words 'your papars pleaze';
3) encourage staff to congregate as a clique with the 'chosen few' at the end of the bar and watch their annoyance when disturbed;
4) ban all banter with customers - including 'how are you?', 'evening' and any other pleasantry associated with spending money at a bar;
5) ensure management are NEVER visible and bar staff call all the shots.

Having got rid of the thugs that for too long made this pub a no-go option, it it somewhat perverse that the biggest barrier to trade is now the staff themselves.

The solution? I sense the Drs Tonic is beyond redemption, but taking a more optimistic approach, here's a few suggestions -

1) try to ask for ID without making younger people feel like they have just been stopped by the secret police;
2) consider breaking out of your clique at the end of the bar and make an effort to at least say hello to punters (rather than looking inconveinced as you do now);
3) managers - face the music and come sit at the bar so you can witness why people like me have been sufficiently inspired to add to this website.

I hope this feedback spares other punters from my experience.

21 Feb 2011 22:18