The Barn Theatre,
25 Bluehouse Lane, Oxted, Surrey
RH8 0AA.
Tel: 01959 561811
Email: barntheatre
@btinternet.com

Friends of the Barn

Volunteer Front-of-House Job Description

Bar Steward

We usually have two people behind the bar and it is best if each keeps to their own area. A third person to serve tea and coffee will only be included on the rota for performances where demand for hot drinks is expected to be high.

The hot drinks machine behind the bar serves tea, herbal tea, coffee, decaffeinated coffee, cappuccino, latte, mocha and hot chocolate. There is a full set of printed instructions behind the machine so please take time to read them and familiarise yourself with how it works. All hot drinks sold should be recorded on the Square point of sale system.

If it has been a while since you were last behind the bar or you are completely new to it, it is suggested that you familiarise yourself with where items are stored in the fridges and under the counter. New items have been introduced at various times and the layout may have changed. Please also take time to look at the screens on Square so that you know on which page the various items can be found when you put a purchase through the till.

Please do not alter the layout of the fridges as these tend to reflect the sales pattern.

The bar fridges should be refilled whenever possible from the kitchen chiller. Please do not fill the two smaller bar fridges more than 4-deep as this can lead to frozen bottles which can subsequently break, resulting in broken glass on the fridge shelf.

Drinks may now be taken into the auditorium during the performance, but only in plastic cups. Drinks may be served in glasses before the performance, but customers should be advised that if they wish to take their drinks in with them they will first need to be transferred to a plastic cup. Glasses should be used for all drinks when the bar is open after a performance.

Cold drinks such as Coke, lemonade, J2O , orange juice etc do not need to be served with ice unless specifically requested by the customer. Ice should be offered when a customer requests a spirit, and a slice of lemon should be offered when a Gin or Vodka is requested.

When serving a J2O, orange juice or tomato juice please ensure you give the bottle a good shake before opening, in order to mix the sediment which may have settled at the bottom. The bottles on display behind the bar should also be shaken occasionally for the same reason.

When taking wine glasses from the racks above the bar please do so in complete columns rather than in rows. Using only the glasses that are nearest to you results in those at the back (i.e. those nearest to the customer’s side of the bar) being seldom used, which leads to them getting dusty. When helping to put glasses away once they have been washed please ensure you do not pick them up by putting your fingers inside the glass (this may sound obvious but I have seen it done many times!)

When taking orders for interval drinks please ensure you always print a receipt which should be given to the customer as their proof of purchase. A duplicate receipt will automatically be printed in the bar kitchen. When busy, interval drinks can take some time to prepare and put out. When there is a large number of interval orders it is suggested that they are set out in numerical order to help customers find their drinks more easily.

When very busy it is helpful to let the Bar Support person clear glasses away and stack the glass-washer before you start re-stocking the fridges, in order to avoid congestion in the bar kitchen. Please ask the Bar Support person what assistance you can give.

All Front of House volunteers are entitled to a free drink to thank them for giving up their time. These drinks must be put through the till as a “FOBS Free Drink”, and the name of the person who the drink is for must be entered in the notes section on Square (if you are unsure how to do this please ask the Front of House Manager). Bar staff should refrain from drinking behind the bar when serving the public. Drinks can be consumed either once the audience has entered the auditorium or in the bar kitchen (out of sight from the public) if not busy.

PSR August 2021