Castle, Dudley
Dudley DY1 1LQ
Agreement Type:
Operator Managed
Community Local
Deposit:
£2,000
- Bonus Opportunity! (See financial tab for info)
- High street location
- Scope to grow the current retail offer
3+ Private Bedrooms
Beer Garden
Live Music
Sports Teams
Nicky Bellingham, the Business Development Manager, is seeking an experienced, community-focused operator who can build on the fantastic work already achieved at The Castle. The holding operator has created real momentum, developing a strong rhythm of the week through live sport, karaoke, live music and pool, while also thinking outside the box with initiatives such as Pampered Pooch Day. A strong social media presence has complemented this activity and helped build the pub’s profile within the local community. The successful applicant will be someone who recognises the opportunity to take what is already working and continue to develop it. They’ll bring their own personality and ideas, maintain a strong and consistent entertainment offer and continue engaging with the local community both inside the pub and online. Previous experience of operating a similar wet-led, community-focused pub would be beneficial, along with the energy and creativity to keep the momentum going and take The Castle into its next chapter.
The Castle is a prominent, semi-detached community pub located in the heart of Dudley High Street, surrounded by a range of local shops, businesses and amenities. Situated in one of the West Midlands’ busiest market towns, just six miles from Wolverhampton and eight miles from Birmingham, the pub benefits from excellent visibility from the road.
The pub has previously benefited from investment and is in great condition. More recently, the holding operator has worked hard to build the pub’s presence within the local community, introducing a strong programme of activity and showing how a High Street pub can still become a genuine community local.
Locals are welcomed through the main entrance into a spacious open-plan trading area, centred around a well-positioned bar servery. The layout offers a comfortable mix of fixed and loose seating, creating a flexible space that appeals to a broad customer base. Towards the rear is a dedicated games area featuring a pool table, giving customers a separate space to enjoy a game with friends and supporting the pub’s growing pool offer. The central bar area lends itself perfectly to the pub’s established entertainment programme, including karaoke and live music, while multiple TVs positioned throughout the venue make The Castle a great place to watch live televised sport. To the rear, customers also have access to a beer garden with outdoor bench seating.
The Castle is a wet-led, community-focused pub that has seen a fantastic turnaround under the current holding operator, who has worked hard to establish the pub as a genuine community local in the heart of Dudley High Street. A strong rhythm of the week is developing, with Free Pool Mondays, karaoke, live music and televised live sport all helping to give customers different reasons to visit throughout the week. The holding operator is also developing a Thursday night pool team, building on the pub’s games offer and encouraging regular midweek trade.
The Castle has also shown that community engagement doesn’t have to follow the usual formula. The introduction of its Pampered Pooch Day, where customers can enjoy a drink while their dog gets pampered, has worked particularly well and is a great example of the creative thinking that has helped build the pub’s profile. Alongside the activity within the pub, a strong social media presence has been developed, helping The Castle connect with customers and promote what’s happening at the venue. These initiatives have helped demonstrate that, despite its High Street location, The Castle can still be a true community local. The next operator will have a fantastic platform to build on, continuing the momentum already created while bringing their own personality and ideas to the business.
Security deposit: £2,000
6-Week Performance Bonus Opportunity!
We’re offering a performance-based bonus at the end of your first six weeks. This bonus is linked to sales growth and also takes into account your engagement with the local community and customer interaction. It’s a great opportunity to make an impact and be rewarded for it. Full details will be provided during the interview process.
No rent applicable on this agreement
This opportunity is for you to run your pub as a self-employed manager. Admiral Taverns take care of all the running costs including rates, utilities, stock and day to day running costs whilst you take home 18.5% of the net weekly sales, all employment costs relating to your staff and any council tax and TV licence for the residential quarters.
All new operators have comprehensive free training as part of their agreement.
