Licensed Club Managers
Organise and control the operations of licensed clubs to provide food, beverages, gaming, entertainment, sporting and other amenities for members.
Saturday at the community club
You are the general manager of a community licensed club on a busy Saturday, with a members' lunch, a kids' sports presentation and a board meeting that evening. It is 10am. The first volunteers are arriving, the kitchen is prepping and the board chair wants a quick word. By evening you will have answered to the members, the board and the law.
Choose what you would do. Then see what happens. There are often good reasons for each choice.
I have promised some of the members that the bar prices will not rise this year. I know you have the figures, but I would like you to tell tonight's meeting that it is all under control. You do not need to mention the cost increases.
Say you will present the real figures, and offer to talk them through first
Barry is not thrilled, but at the pre-meeting he sees the numbers and softens. The board makes a sensible decision together. Being honest early is easier than correcting things later.
Present the real figures without warning him, because the board has a right to know
The board is informed, but Barry feels ambushed in public and the relationship cools. You were right on substance, and a short conversation in advance would have saved the damage.
Agree and present only the good news, since he is the chair
The meeting goes smoothly until a member asks about costs. Barry looks surprised and you look as if you have hidden something. The board relies on you for the whole picture.
I have been a member here for forty years. The new rule about booking the main room in advance is silly. I want the room for my grandson's party next Saturday, and I do not see why I should have to wait in line.
Give her the room, because she is a life member and has earned it
Another family had already booked it, and now you must tell them they have lost the room. Word spreads that some members are treated differently. Fairness is what keeps a club together.
Check what is free, explain the rule kindly, and offer her the next best option with priority on the one after
Ngaire is not delighted, but she accepts a good alternative and a promise. She feels respected. Rules are easier to live with when someone explains them and offers a way through.
Tell her the rule applies to everyone, and the room is booked
The rule is upheld, but Ngaire feels dismissed and does not come in for a month. The decision was right and the delivery was cold.
There is a guest on the terrace who is clearly intoxicated and wants another drink. He is a friend of one of the board members. I am not comfortable serving him, but I wanted to check with you first.
Ask Tyrone to speak to the board member and let them sort it out between them
The board member sorts it out, but Tyrone is left carrying a conversation that should have been the manager's. When it counts, a manager owns the decision.
Tell Tyrone to serve him one more, to avoid any trouble with the board member
The guest becomes unwell and a member complains. The club's licence and reputation are at risk. Responsible service of alcohol does not change because of who the guest knows.
Back Tyrone, offer the guest food and water and arrange a safe ride home
The guest grumbles, then accepts. The board member thanks you the next day. Looking after a guest is part of the licence, not an inconvenience.
How it went
The meeting finishes at nine and the last member leaves at ten. Managing a club means answering to members, the board and the law, often all in one day. Would you be comfortable being the person who has to say the honest thing to people you also have to work with?
This is a simplified, fictional situation to help you explore. It is not professional instruction or a test of your ability.
Case study: The committee and the car park
A fictional case set in a fictional community licensed club with a restaurant, bar and sporting teams, run for its members.
The situation
Shirin Naidoo was the general manager of the Riverside Community Club. Her board wanted to build a new function room, but members were divided. Older members worried about losing the club's car park, which they used for the Saturday market. Younger families wanted more space for children's events. The chairperson, a popular long-term member, asked Shirin to tell the members that the plan was already decided.
What they did
Shirin explained to the chairperson that members would feel misled if told something was settled when it was not. She suggested holding two open evenings so members could see the plans and ask questions. She prepared simple drawings, listed what the club could and could not afford, and made sure that the market stallholders were invited by name.
How it turned out
The open evenings were tense but useful. The plan changed to keep part of the car park for the market. The board approved the new design and the chairperson thanked Shirin for pushing back. Some members were still unhappy, but felt they had been heard.
What would you do?
- Why did Shirin push back on the chairperson?
- How would you handle two groups who each want something different?
- What do you think a manager owes to members who own the club?