Humphrey Smith to my mind makes all the right decisions with regards his business, but then implements them completely ineptly, with the classic example of the hurried introduction of incredibly sub standard microwave food. The menu was originally ill concieved, the food badly made and the managers who were expected to cook and sell it were invariably not given the right equipment or support to make the stuff anyway. I'm led to believe that in recent times the food has shown a small improvement in some houses, but quite frankly I will have to endure some serious persuasion to ever try any food in a Sams house again and believe me, I did try. I understand the Sunday lunch can be good, but is a little pricey for the purpose of attracting new trade through the door. I could go on forever about the food, the mistakes were obvious but Humphrey still keeps making them because he really doesnt understand the catering side at all. I may be wrong but I was told that the man responsible for implementing the menus has had no previous catering experiance either. A classic case of the blind leading the blind.
I dont know if he has relented yet but HS's rabid pursuit of the 5% beer surplus was exceeded by his demands upon the catering houses who were expected to hit his 60% GP figure or face paying any shortfall back. I know for a fact that the original pricing structure did not take into account things like salt/pepper or indeed chip pan oil , all of which made it impossible to hit Humphreys targets and many poor souls were sacked over it or forced to 'repay' the figure. His regime takes no account of wastage, small mistakes, or even customer complaints.
On the face of it he makes great decisions, food: cut out the middle man = more profit = cheaper beer, SB keeps open. (I'm also sure he started the food because of his paranoia about people ripping him off, and in his own world there cannot possibly be any wastage with microwave food) The removal of Sky was I think a good decision, too expensive for all but a minute number of his pubs. but to then remove all music, terrestial telly and all forms of entertainment (though it might have suited some houses) was taking the original good decision too far. The decision to produce absolutely every product from crisps to tonic water is good, but surely there is room for small variations, for example a choice of other wines in the bigger food houses. I could go on from his refurbishment policy to his treatment of staff, and his ruthless hold over Tadcaster. Everything he does has a grain of brilliance about it, but generally the implementation is heavy handed, ill advised (actually not ill advised because he doesnt listen to anyone), and usually so rigidly applied that the lack of flexibility has a deterimental effect on all but the tiniest number of pubs or people. In fact he sometimes seems determined to upset as many people as possible. Tadcaster and its surrounding area would be a far different place, less green belt, some historical places flattened without HS, but equally without him Tadcaster might also be a thriving market town with a busy high street instead of the ghost town that Humphrey has created.
His treatment of people is the real bone of contention, he has no idea how to get the best from them, believing threats and bullying is a viable management technique and is genuinely surprised when people dont double their efforts after he has just threatened to chuck them on the streets if they dont get the unrealistic 5% or sell more microwave food.
Also for those who have said "If you dont like the hours HS is demanding from his managers, get another job, stop moaning about the work or leave". Well some can do just that, others dont find it so easy. Dont forget running a pub is like no other trade, invariably you are not just leaving your job, you are uprooting your family from their home and surrounding area. Dont believe for a minute that HS should get off with the old "its his company so therefore he can do as he pleases" angle. His decisions affect entire familys, and when he destroys trade at a pub with his strange policies, he destroys entire communities too. I happen to believe he has a duty to his employees and his customers, both of which he has sadly neglected in recent times. He does believe we should be grateful to pay for his beer and his staff should work 100 hours a week to keep a pub open and running correctly. It cant be right, can it? Dont think that these are idle accusations, they are true. Its why many managers start off ok, they are carried through by the newness of the job, and a willingness to do their best, but then they realise that the 100 hours they are doing isnt ever going to get less, they will be expected to do it all the time.....then they leave or they make demands of Humphrey and he responds by making them leave. Its one of the reasons why a lot of managers last about a year, its around the time they realise they are getting exhausted for little reward and absolutely no thanks so they complain and get sacked or walk of their own accord. It shouldnt be happening in this day and age but it is. I have seen two management couples now (long servers too) crumble over a period of time trying to do their best for the pubs but struggling and then getting threatened for their trouble by HS.
I rarely use SS pubs now, my two pubs with long serving managers finally bailed out last year. They were good at their jobs and stood it for the last few years hoping that HS would see sense....he had to , it couldnt go on like it had been.......but it did. I cant see how any business can afford to lose such valuable assets, but HS seems to encourage it....and if anyone doubts his sanity just witness him in action. I have twice in two different pubs, in full view of the customers of the pub, ranting, twitching, one minute coherent and rational, the next most definately not.....there is no doubt that the poor man needs help, I suspect he needs to step down completely but I think we all know he wont do that while he draws breath.
I agree with On the drink wholeheartedly that he cannot run such a large concern singlehandedly. Its impossible and the cracks have been showing for some time now, not only in the business but in the pysche of the man.
Apologies for yet another quick note that turned into a diatribe, but I do think it important that we never lose track of what this man is doing to people, real people, not just in his pubs but at the brewery too. This website is marvelous but please dont forget it first appeared as a means of providing information about SS, and by this I dont just mean the splendid beer and pubs, but more specifically to give staff and customers info and help in their dealings with HS. Its almost impossible to understand the enigma that is HS, he doesnt live or think by all the normal rules (simply saying he is money grabbing, all out for profit couldnt be more wrong...if he was money driven, he would have done something about the food fiasco by now. He may use profit as an excuse for some daft idea, but rarely is it the be all and end all of his reasoning)
Anyway apologies for the length of this, I rarely post these days because as I said I rarely use my SS locals since my two favourite managers felt forced to leave, so when I post I have to make it count!!!!
