Be a leader, not a follower - Stuart, GM

 

Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you the same thing: I treat my restaurant like it’s my own business. It’s personal. Every plate, every guest, every shift matters to me and to the team I lead. That’s why people love coming here, why regulars keep coming back, and why my team stay with me year after year.

 

This job is about more than food and drink. It’s about creating an atmosphere that makes people want to be here. Guests don’t just walk into a restaurant; they walk into an experience. For me, the recipe is simple: a proud team, great service, and an environment where everyone feels part of something. Get that right and everything else – the numbers, the rewards, the recognition – follows naturally.

 

I start every relationship the same way: I ask people what they want from the job. Some just want the shifts and the money, and that’s fine. But some want more and here, there’s much more to be had. I’m proud to say I’ve helped develop ten General Managers in my time. That’s what Whitbread does brilliantly: gives people a genuine career path.

 

It’s why people stay so long. In hospitality you’d expect constant turnover, but here my shortest-serving team member has been with me seven years. That’s a ‘newbie’ by our standards! To me, long servers are a badge of honour. It shows that people aren’t just here for a job – they’re here because they’re valued, rewarded, and part of something bigger.

 

This is a people business through and through. We reward our teams in ways that are unheard of in other companies. From bonus schemes to initiatives like Our Voice, where anyone can put forward an idea and see it shape the business – people matter here. Even our £2 meals came from an idea shared through Our Voice.

 

I love that culture. You’re never just a number. Communication is open, recognition is real, and the values set the tone. If you walk through our doors – as a guest or a team member – you’re looked after.

 

The commercial side of the job excites me too. Being a GM means running a business. It’s my P&L, my product, my atmosphere. And I’m empowered to make the calls that work for my site. Christmas is our big thing. I put my tree up in the foyer in June. Go early or go home! People laugh, but it works and by September we’ve already taken 200 bookings. That freedom to think outside the box is what makes it fun. Christmas Day itself is special. Everyone here buys into it. Guests come back year after year, and we love being part of their family traditions.

 

Of course, none of this would work without investment in the right tools. We’re ahead of the game in labour planning and scheduling – real-time data, transparent shift planning, payslips 48 hours earlier. A happy team equals a happy GM, and these systems make a big difference.

 

When I compare this to my early career in retail, the similarities are clear. At a supermarket I managed a team of 300; now it’s 30. The KPIs are the same — only instead of stacking beans, you’re putting fish on a plate. The scale’s different, but the principles are the same: look after your people, look after your customers, and the business thrives.

 

Every morning I ask myself: how am I going to change the business today? How am I going to raise some money for GOSH? How am I going to make someone’s day? That’s what keeps me motivated.

 

For me, there’s no better job than being a General Manager here. It’s about passion, care, creativity, and community. And when you get all that right, it’s not just a restaurant anymore – it’s yours.

 

Time for a career switch to a business that backs you? See our jobs here…