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BAR AND CELLAR: WHAT'S BEHIND THE BAR
What’s behind the bar
The kind of technology used in bar operations varies dramatically from venue to venue. Caoimhe Hanrahan-Lawrence talks to pub operators about what works best for them.
THE BAR is the central part of a pub and can make or break a customer’s experience of a venue. Practical design decisions and the implementation of up-to-date and fit-for-purpose technology can improve efficiency at the bar, resulting in faster and easier service.
The right fit
Different venues will benefit from different kinds of technology, and careful planning can avoid wasting money on equipment that isn’t right for that specific venue.
During the recent major renovation of the Victoria Hotel Rutherglen, decisions about what technologies went behind the bar were guided by four key considerations: targeting guest experiences, staff comfort and safety, optimising bar operations, and minimising operational risks. Coowner Kate Halpin explained how these principles were integrated into the bar design plans.
“This essentially involved mapping the guest experience in the venue, identifying significant customer pain and/or effort points and incorporating design solutions,” she said.
The Victoria Hotel’s bar is custom designed with the equipment that was best suited to the venue and staff’s specific needs, such as reverse osmosis glass washers and automated chemical dispensing and watering systems.
“Other examples included ensuring that guest service areas did not overlap with staff drop-off and pick-up by having separate designated areas for these with drop off located directly over the glasswasher,” she said.
As well as enhancing efficiency, technology can aid in customer service, as seen at Melbourne’s Central Club Hotel. Co-owner Vincent Magrath told Australian Hotelier how the POS system both helps bartenders find products and start conversations with customers.
“When a bartender punches an item in, the description includes the position on the back bar, and there’s a tasting note that pops open. They can talk a bit more about the product, and share a couple of key facts about it with the customer,” Magrath said.
Vertek digital tap decals are another way that operators can communicate with guests, as co-founder Shinae Vergone explained. Vertek decals are LED screens that sit atop a beverage tap, displaying anything from the beverage being poured, to details about promotions or upcoming events.
“Our main digital decal feature is that our V2 decals are remotely accessible. We can achieve offsite artwork changes very fast and at a high frequency if needed.
“The greatest feature of our digital decals is that we are an independent system, which means we do not rely on WiFi from the venue to make our content changes. This means that if there is any congestion on the venue Wi-Fi then we will have no issues accessing the decals,” Vergone said.
For storage of other drinks, sometimes old-school is still the most effective way to get things done, as Magrath has found.
“We’ve added lots of new wines onto our list, especially aged wines. We tried to figure out how we could use tech, but we’ve had to go back to bin numbers. The oldfashioned system of a number beside the wine on the wine list and a corresponding number on the three different areas around the venue where we keep the wine is the best way to do it. As much as we have staff who are up to date with their wine knowledge, with that many SKUs and back vintages, the easiest thing to do now is to put a bin number on them,” he said.
Practical placement
A bar’s placement within a venue is a key consideration in pub builds and rebuilds, as evidenced by the significant changes made to the floorplan during the Victoria Hotel Rutherglen’s renovation. Halpin explained the practical reasoning behind the new layout.
“We undertook a complete demolition, redesign and build of our bar, dining and alfresco areas to create a floorplan that features a central bar that serves as the heart and hub of the venue, servicing our dining room, beer garden, private events spaces and public bar. While the bar itself is a singular structure, the layout is configured so there’s demarcation between the public bar service area and the non-service zone, where our full table-service dining areas are fulfilled,” she said.
At the Central Club Hotel, the horseshoe bar is the first point of greeting for customers entering the venue, and the shape was carefully chosen.
“We do get lots of people who still walk into a bar and want a conversation, and I think the best way of trying to introduce that conversation amongst guests who may not know each other is the horseshoe bar. As well, it allows the bartenders to become a part of the theatre of the bar,” Magrath said.
For Brisbane’s Manly Hotel, venue manager Antoinette Simic told Australian Hotelier that keg room access was of key importance, as the venue has 54 taps across five bars.
“The central bar boasts the largest selection of taps, making it easily accessible from anywhere in the venue and perfect for our table service. Adjacent to the main bar, the keg room ensures convenient access to stock. We’ve expanded our tap options by adding more fobs in the cool room, enabling us to offer two wine varieties and a cocktail on tap as well,” Simic said.
As a centrally accessible part of the venue, the bar is also a great location for control hubs, as seen at both the Victoria Hotel and the Manly Hotel. For the Victoria Hotel, this allows for easier and more reliable staff communication.
“All POS and printers are connected via ethernet, as opposed to unreliable Wi-Fi, and sound and security systems are directly wired and all centrally housed and operated from a comms hub located within the bar,” Halpin said.
At the Manly Hotel, temperature and lighting are controlled throughout the central bar.
“Our advanced lighting system not only manages temperature, fan units, and heating within the venue but also extends to the external terrace. Additionally, our exceptional sound and vision setup offers unparalleled quality, with user-friendly technology that enables us to customise zones according to the preferences of each area’s crowd,” Simic said.
While up-to-date technology is important, Halpin stressed the importance of the human element, both in terms of ensuring efficiency and enhancing guest experience.
“Good tech and equipment is simply your ticket to the game in terms of business fundamentals, but atmosphere and ambience is ultimately created through great service and good venue design that considers how guests will interact within the spaces, from day to night and from season to season.
“Ultimately our team training and procedures underpin our service efficiency, though investing in high quality equipment for long-term durability and performance was a priority for us,” she said.
