Birmingham landlord is bucking the trend

A Birmingham landlord who has given his city centre pub a new lease of life is encouraging others to think about crossing sides of the bar.

Matt Scriven, who has transformed the Victoria on John Bright Street into a hugely popular pub, is being recognised by pub company Admiral Taverns as one of its best performing publicans.

Since taking up the lease in November last year, Matt has focused on creating a modern and diverse pub that offers its customer a wide choice of quality drinks and homemade food as well as a variety of entertainment.

In addition to completely redecorating and refurbishing the downstairs bar area, Matt has installed a state-of-the-art PA system in the upstairs room, which is now used to host regular band and DJ nights. The pub also runs a book club and burlesque nights, and Matt has plans to introduce a vintage clothes market.

Matt said: “I own a cocktail bar just around the corner from the Victoria and, when I noticed that the lease had become available, I thought it would be a great opportunity to develop an exciting, slightly more left field new venue.”

The slogan for the Victoria is ‘from cask ales to cocktails’, and the diverse range of drinks available has proved a hit with customers.

“We’ve completely revamped the drinks menu, introducing a much wider variety of spirits, beers and ales, and I think it’s fair to say that we now have the most comprehensive drinks offering in the city,” said Matt. “All of our staff, headed up by our experienced bar manager Julian Gibbs, are extremely knowledgeable when it comes to our stock, so we can offer our customers great service as well as a fantastic atmosphere.”

Matt added: “It can be challenging to run a pub at times, but the important things is to do the basics well, know what your customers want and make the effort to keep things fresh and interesting.”

Clive Clinton, business development manager for Admiral Taverns, said: “Matt is a great role model for anyone who’s ever wanted to run a pub. He’s shown that pubs with potential can become booming businesses, even in the current economic climate.

“There are plenty of pubs like the Victoria that are trading extremely well and many vacant venues that offer fantastic opportunities for landlords who are willing to adapt or try something new.”

There are a number of available pubs in Birmingham, including the Monica on Sommerville Road and the Woodman on Well Street. For more information about running a pub, contact Admiral Taverns’ recruitment team on 0845 070 8950 or visit www.admiraltaverns.com