Rather than attending a day-long course at an approved education centre, prospective licensees can study online at a time that suits them before sitting the exam at an Admiral Taverns open day.
“We pride ourselves in offering real support to our licensees, and this new service means we can provide valuable input from day one,” said Suzanne Smith, head of licensee recruitment and training at Admiral Taverns.
Karen Carlisle became the first licensee to take the exam at an Admiral open day in Manchester earlier this month. She is soon to take over Admiral community pub The Church Inn at Stalybridge.
‘Complete support solution’
“Admiral was recommended to us by a friend and they have been great to work with,” said Carlisle. “Being able to take the exam at the open day was brilliant, very straight forward and it saved us time and money. By chance I’ve got another friend in Liverpool, who took the exam before me, but she’s still waiting for the results.”
Smith added: “As soon as Karen was considering becoming a licensee we helped her explore the kind of pubs she was interested in while she undertook her studies, so that by the time the open day took place in Manchester, she felt completely comfortable sitting the exam.
“As a result of this closer relationship, we already have a pub that matches her requirements lined up for her. This new facility provides a complete support solution.”
The Award for Personal Licence Holders is awarded by the BIIAB and is mandatory for all licensees. Admiral Taverns will now provide examination facilities at all its open days across the UK, of which it hosts around 30 each year for prospective licensees.
Immediate results
Craig Goble training manager at Red Lion Training added: “We’re delighted to be working with Admiral to provide this fantastic service. Being able to study online rather than attending a day course is really valuable to potential licensees who are often stretched for time.”
The new initiative also means that participants can benefit from a unique pricing structure significantly reducing the cost of obtaining the licence, and results are provided on the day of the exam. And Admiral is able to support interested parties much earlier in the process of establishing whether the life of a pub licensee is for them.
The 1,100-strong pub company will continue to offer the traditional method of studying for the course at a training centre, recognising that online study will not suit all prospective licensees. For more information visit www.admiraltaverns.co.uk.