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My name’s Mic Hedden and I’m the landlord of the Hollingburg pub in Brighton. I’ve been here for about 8 years now. I hope to be here for another 20 years.
Could you describe your work? Yes, certainly. Really, not only am I a publican, but I’m a doctor, I’m a father-figure, well, all sorts of help to all sorts of people.
Can you describe for me a typical working day? I mean, you‘ve caught me on a typical morning. This morning, that I’ve got a glass washer being fitted, I’ve got the machines being changed, I’ve got a stock-take, I’ve a VIT review, plus you I’m speaking to.
That’s even before I open the doors. We open the doors at 11:00, and by then, of course, everything has to be right in the bar, which means clearing up from the night before, make sure all ashtrays are cleaned, tables cleaned, everywhere dusted, hoovered, everything’s right, just waiting for the customers at 11 o’clock. So then at 11 o’clock, we open the doors, with all things to go. When we close the door at half past two, again clear up for the evening session at six.
And the same repeated then from 6:00 and 11:00, and we are serving customers right up to 11 o’clock. By 11:30 we hope to have had the doors closed. All customers have gone home, and we’re starting to prepare for the following day. If we’re upstairs and relax at a cup of coffee at 1:00 in the morning, we’ve done well.
Have you always been a publican? No, I’ve only been a publican now for about 10 years, before that, I was a taxi driver in Brighton, which is a trade very similar to being a publican. Because you meet in the public all the time, you listen to everybody’s troubles. You try and help them out if you can. And that’s what being a publican is. So you’re happy with the decision you made. Yes, I wouldn’t change it for the world. And a publican has to have a good lady along side him as well, because it takes two. There’s one of the reasons I did it. Because when I was a taxi driving before, I didn’t see my wife and family often, and I missed that. Since I’ve been in this trade, I’ve seen a lot more of them.
Apart from the long hours, are there any other disadvantages to the work? Yes, it’s very, very difficult at the moment, in respect of brewery rents, business rates, gas, water, electricity, the unbelievable bills are starting to come in now, and we can only get our profit from one source and that is from the public. But of course, you can’t go so far, you can’t push yourself against the market. It’s very difficult time for trading.
How about dealing with customers? What do you do if someone has had a little too much to drink? Well, again the law of the country states that you shouldn’t serve anybody that looks like they’re drunk, and you have to be very diplomatic. It’s not easy when somebody is under the influence. But we try to be friendly and laughing and not play the big brother when we try to be nice to people and explain to them. Usually we can take away our trouble and reject people peacefully.
Yes. Do customers ever get violent? They can do, but again as I stated, it’s how you treat them. We’ve always tried to talk our way out of trouble.
So what does it take to be a successful publican?
No. 1 you’ve got to be a diplomat and you’ve got to be patient with people. Because they’re coming in to you and telling you their troubles, you’ve got to greet people, you’ve got to look after people when they come in to your establishment. In the end of the day, you’ve got to be ever smiling, ever nice gentleman and lady beyond the bar.
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