1954 Practical Bar Management by Eddie Clarke

BAR ACCOUNTANCY AND CONTROL

THE BAR IN RELATION TO THE CELLAR

The cellar and the bars should always be run as separate entities. The bar is more than a counter at which drinks are dispensed,for it is indeed the focal sales point or shop window. A barman should be fully responsible for his own bar, and in normal cir cumstances be in no way secondary to the cellarman. At the same time it is clear that the centre of gravity for all liquor operation is found in the cellar, and the determination of a sales policy is generally expressed by the Managementthrough the cellar official. It is, of course, the barman who can most readily judge the palate of the hotel's clients, and who can not infre quently direct that taste in the hotel's best interests. The barman must therefore be free to requisition such stocks as he may require in conformity with his knowledge of probable sales, but, never theless, this must be compatible with cellar policy laid down by the Management and carried out by the cellarman. This is particularly important with regard to redundant stocks, or those of lesser-known brands, which a barman may have a prejudice against serving. Bars fall within two main categories—the cash and the waiters' check service, or as usage terms them, the Cocktail Bar and the Dispense. The basic difference between the Dispense Bar and other bars is that, hidden as it is from the public eye where decorative schemes are no problem and cupboard space is as a rule more plentiful, it holds a representative selection of all that the hotel cellar has to offer. The Dispense Bar services the whole hotel outside the immediate area of the Cocktail or other specialized bars. As there is no direct contact with the public, the problem of analysing this frequently varied business is to some extent simplified, as written checks are generally received for all sales. The administration of a Dispense Bar is best taken under the separate heads of bottle wines and other stocks, the former being considered separately because of their variety and simplicity of control. A standard stock is maintained of each wine, which is replaced and controlled daily against exact sales by a wine requisition. The replenishment of other stocks is organized in the Dispense

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