Interesting to see that one of those “serial entrepreneur” types, Luke Johnson, paid a visit to the pub industry last week. He appeared as guest speaker at the BII’s annual luncheon to impart his wisdom on customer service.

Famous for establishing the Pizza Express chain back in 1993 it was funny that he couldn’t hack it at one of his own restaurants when he appeared in the BBC’s “Back to the floor” programme. He was asked to do shifts as a waiter, chef and front-of-house manager at his then restaurant chain, Belgo. He was told off for leaving menus on the table, forgetting to give customers their bread and being too slow. He threw the ultimate TV strop and walked off the “floor”.

This was precisely the sort of bad service that he railed about in his speech when he pointed out that two thirds of people complain about service. He stressed that training staff is key to ensuring outstanding service. Now that apprenticeships in the sector are helping to improve professionalism perhaps clear career choice and progression in the service industries is a real possibility.

We were out for dinner last week for my ten year old son’s birthday. He specifically requested that we go to the (now also famous) Bull’s Head at Repton in Derbyshire – owned and run by Licensees of the Year 2010, Richard and Lauren Pope.

He only chose the pub because they do a certain pizza with barbecue sauce on the base. When this pizza ‘nirvana’ arrived he was immediately disappointed as the sauce did not taste like barbecue sauce. When the waitress did her customary check two minutes later we explained the problem. She said that the pizza was definitely made with the right sauce but quick as a flash, she offered to bring extra barbecue sauce in a bowl to the table. Cue one very happy boy and two relaxed and impressed parents.

It’s a shame about the endless “Happy Birthday” moments with loud music, a cake with a sparkler and a cheesy American-style birthday message delivered in a South Derbyshire accent booming out through the speakers every ten minutes. Ah well, not everyone likes the same toppings do they?

The news that two barmen were acquitted of the manslaughter of a customer who died from acute alcohol intoxication must have been greeted with a sigh of relief throughout the pub industry.

Aidan Dalton and Gary Wright had both denied the manslaughter of 26-year-old Graham Parish from East Lancashire, who died following a night of heavy drinking at Hayes Hotel in County Tipperary, on June 30th in 2008.

It was alleged that Dalton and Wright were guilty of “gross negligence” in allowing Graham Parish to be served a single drink containing at least eight measures of spirits. The two men, it emerged in the trial last week, were not trained on the potential dangers of fatal doses of alcohol.

The hotel manager, Gerry McGovern also told court that bar staff at the hotel were supposed to follow a number of unwritten rules, including not to serve alcohol to those considered by staff as having had too much to drink. He also admitted that the job descriptions for the two men, which were supposed to have been read and signed by the two accused when they started working at the hotel, could not be located.

Both the hotel management and the two men seem to have had a lucky escape and will perhaps have learned a few lessons in training, due diligence and more accurate record-keeping.

It’s a shame they’re not in the UK and able to take advantage of CPL’s e-learning courses in health & safety and the award in underage sales prevention as well as APLH, which is coming soon, and all of which include training in the care of employees and customers and serving drunks. Prices range from just £25 - £35 and can be completed by anyone with access to the internet.

Let’s hope they’ve also had a salutary lesson in morality too.