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Running a pub can be great fun, profitable, and very rewarding for you and your family, as you'll know if you run a pub already. It can mean a completely new life with stacks of benefits. But it is a very serious step to take.

The first thing that you will need is a personal licence to sell alcohol. Instructions on how to gain this licence and the application form are on the Department for Culture Media and Sport's website. Alternatively the forms are available from your local authority.

To apply for a personal licence you will need a new qualification that proves that you have a basic understanding of licensing law. The most widely available recogised qualification is The National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders (NCPLH). This certificate is awarded by the British Institute of Innkeepers .

Marston's Pub Company is associated with leading training providers who hold regular training sessions throughout England and Wales. Use the following links to gain your NCPLH qualification:

ABV training
Inn-formation
Inn-dispensable


You'll also need to make sure that your pub can support you financially, which will require:

Business skills

To handle issues from VAT and tax, to preparing a business plan and calculating how you can make a profit.

Management skills

Because you'll be in charge of staff and will want to get the best out of them.

Capital

To start running your own pub business you'll require access to at least £15,000.

Commitment

The hours are long and the work hard.

People skills

Your customers will be your greatest asset and you need to look after them, even the awkward ones.

Put all these elements together, find the right pub and your life could be transformed. And that's where Marston's Pub Company can help.

We recommend that you take this advice:

• Do not sell your home to pay for your business. If your plans do not work out, you still need the security of your home.
• Go on our training course before you start running a pub. If you decide not to run a pub after the course, it will still be money well spent and you will end up with recognised, professional qualifications.
• For a taste of the pub trade, try working seven days and seven nights in a pub.

What if you don't have the required capital?

• If you've got previous pub experience then consider a management position with Marston's Inns and Taverns , our sister company.
• Maybe you could try going into partnership with a friend or members of your family. Some of our successful pubs have been funded, in part, by parents.
• Or try to save the required capital. We know it'll be hard, and will take some time, but it'll really demonstrate to us that you have commitment, and want to run your own pub.

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