Karen Peattie catches up with Bugsy Brown’s owner Mike Kinnaird, president of the Aberdeen and Shire Licensed Trade Association and a member of the SLTA’s Executive Committee and Management Committee
HE’S a man who refuses to skirt around the issues affecting the licensed trade and in an industry challenged by ever-changing legislation and forced to carry the weight of society’s social problems on its shoulders, Mike Kinnaird is a voice worth listening to. “You have to adapt to change,” he says. “If you become complacent you have less chance of surviving.”
After almost 30 years in business he knows what he’s talking about. Business at his popular Aberdeen bar and club Bugsy Brown’s is steady, says Mike, stating that many hospitality businesses across the north-east of Scotland there are struggling just now, largely due to the downturn in the oil industry.
“We’ve been here a long time – since 1989 – so I’ve seen a lot change but the current downturn really is having quite an impact on the licensed trade,” he points out. “However, I would say that some businesses – and I don’t mean to be harsh – that some businesses have become complacent, particularly hotels and B&Bs.
“You’re always busy and you don’t have any trouble filling rooms – so you get used to trade being like that and you take your foot off the brake. But where does that leave you when things start to slow down? In this business you can’t afford to do that – you need to keep apace of what’s happening in the world.”
Adapting to change – whether you like that change or not – is crucial, suggests Mike. “I think that’s one of the secrets of our success – that and always providing the best customer service we can,” he says. “Because of our size we can make decisions quickly – that’s definitely been a bonus for my business over the years.”
With a core team of 10 full and part-time staff, Mike believes that customer service is more important now than ever. “I always remind my staff that the customers are paying their wages and while we may think we couldn’t do any better we always can,” he says. “You must always step up and make sure every single customer is well received and well served.
“With business not doing so well generally in the north-east for us it’s case of battening down the hatches and doing what we do well even better.”
Like many other successful, long-established businesses, Bugsy Brown’s has moved with the times and made sure the service it provides chimes with the clientele. “Your clientele can change so you need to give people what they want,” says Mike. “New trends also come into vogue so you need to keep on top of that, too.”
And then there’s legislation. Controversially, perhaps, Mike describes the smoking ban as a good thing for the licensed trade. “Everyone said it would damage trade but we tried to see the benefits – and non-smokers certainly saw the benefits. We used to have to completely refurbish the internal fabric of the building every year or two because of the smoke.
“I think people eventually accept change,” Mike continues. “It can be difficult at first but I believe the smoking ban has been one of the best things the Scottish Government has done – it’s certainly saved us a lot of money over the years.”
However, reducing the drink-driving limit north of the Border, however, has been “disastrous” in Mike Kinnaird’s opinion. “All it does in penalise the people who want to come and spend a couple of hours in their local pub with a half pint,” he says. “They can still do that but because they can’t have that one drink now they don’t bother leaving the house.
“All sorts of licensed premises have been affected by this legislation but it’s the rural and community pubs that have been hit the hardest because they’re right at the very heart of their communities and playing that central community role is part of the ethos of our industry. They also rely on passing trade.
“There’s a lot you can do but it really all depends on your location and I believe that if you’re not in a main drag you’re going to continue to face a lot of challenges.”
That’s where the SLTA comes in. Mike has been involved with the trade association “full on” for almost six years now. “Without question it has been invaluable,” he says. “You definitely learn a lot more than you think you know. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been involved in the industry – at an SLTA event you always meet someone who has a good idea that you can try.
“Networking is really important nowadays and we can all pick up hints and tips from our colleagues in the industry.”