Leading the Cheers Without The Beers: My life as a sober Publican.

“What you own a pub and you don’t drink” was the usual response to someone finding out I was a non boozing boozer owner, but despite the shock and horror for me it was the perfect job for a non drinker.

I always say that quitting the beers was easy for me, unlike others who struggle to put the drink down, I felt like alcohol quit me rather than I quit alcohol. Don’t get me wrong I used to drink, a lot, I was quite a talented boozer in fact, with an impressive stamina and like a true pro bartender; working with a hangover was a breeze, until it wasn’t. So I guess I didn’t quit drinking so much as I quit the hangovers.?

Many of us in the pub trade have been there; In your twenties, a greasy fry-up and a couple of paracetamols could erase a wild night like a magical reset button. But hit your thirties and beyond, and suddenly you’re nursing a sore head and existential dread for a full 48 hours, some more oppressive post party blues keeping the mood low until at least Thursday. The next step for me was the hangover that arrives during festivities like that unwanted pal who can’t handle his drink but starts with a chaser anyway.

It didn’t happen overnight but the payback slowly became more intolerable, even one glass of wine would mean fatigue, brain fog, a sudden urge to Google “liver detox smoothies” and a day wasted in a pit of anxiety and lack of motivation. It was only through habit I continued but a quick stint on the wagon cemented my new lifestyle.

Stopping drinking was like an epiphany, suddenly I could see the pub for what it truly was: a stage of stories, laughter, and chaos, all without the need for a drink in my hand to feel a part of it. Owning a pub as a non-drinker is like being a zookeeper who doesn’t like animals; fascinating, full of chaos, but with a certain level of detachment. You’re the first to notice when someone’s on the cusp of karaoke brilliance (or disaster) and the last to get invited to the lock-in, which, honestly, you’re secretly grateful for. I regained my health, fitness, motivation and most of all the energy to take my business to the next level.

Stepping away from the pressures of drinking while working in hospitality has been liberating, it’s a reminder that you can be part of the fun, create a welcoming atmosphere, and thrive in the industry without ever needing to raise a glass yourself, you don’t have to drink to be a successful publican especially now there’s so much low or no to choose from no one really has to know!

All the best

Rob

I specialise in elevating hospitality brands with design & copywriting that connects and converts.