OTS p20-21 profile Nov08.qxp 05/11/2008 15:53 Page 20
business building · profile
Making
history
Notching up 35 consecutive appearances in CAMRA’s
Good Beer Guide, The Fisherman’s Tavern in Broughty
Ferry is a fine example of how staying the same can
sometimes be a better option than changing.
Head east along the River Tay from Dundee bar, snug and lounge
and you’ll quickly find yourself in Broughty – which when at
Ferry, a small former fishing town which is capacity can house
home to some 15 pubs. One of them, known 150 customers. All
locally as “the Fish” is where to head if you’re areas are served from
looking for a quality pint of real ale. And the same central bar.
people have been heading to The Fisherman’s “We’ve got three bars
Tavern for a pint for quite some time. The pub so you’re always buzzing about looking for process of ensuring each pint is in perfect
opened its doors in 1827 and has had a customers, and just generally trying to keep condition, and that begins in the cellar.
succession of owners until 2007, when people happy,” says Rhys. “Someone is in there every day making sure
Belhaven bought the premises and recruited There is also an attached hotel with 11 en- the ales are doing OK,” says Rhys. He adds
Rhys Martinson as manager. Rhys had suite bedrooms, while food is also served. that the biggest problem the pub has is that
previously worked in the pub when he was The main reason for the pub’s ongoing the casks aren’t racked, so it has to settle for
18 so was a good choice to take over. success though is its draught beer. It was vertical extraction – so if a member of staff
Thankfully for regulars, not much has listed in the first ever CAMRA Good Beer inadvertently bumps into a barrel it’s off for
changed – and the beer is as popular as ever. Guide and has subsequently been featured in the rest of the day. “They have to make sure
“Trade is pretty good at the moment,” says every one of the 35 editions since – including everything is secure, cleaned and is all sitting
Rhys. “We’re certainly keeping out heads of course, the recently published 2009 nice and cool at 8°C”. Staff also have to
above water. Things are slowing down but you edition, which says of the pub: “This is a ensure everything is cleaned out thoroughly
can’t make customers spend money they special pub because its always sold good cask when a cask is changed over. “Thankfully that
don’t have.” conditioned beer despite several changes in takes care of itself to a certain extent because
The pub is split into sections with a main ownership, which was seldom the case in we’re pulling that much of it,” adds Rhys.
Scotland in the early days of the real ale In addition to being trained on how to
Rhys Martinson believes the revival. It’s the greatest choice of ales in the serve the beer correctly, staff are also trained
pub’s cask ales make it stand
Dundee area.” on what they’re actually serving. “Every new
out from its competitors.
When CAMRA gives that level of approval it member of staff gets trained up as quickly as
makes customers, and the rest of the trade possible. I find most of the staff have an
take notice. And it’s something Rhys takes interest in it. It’s not just a case of just saying
enormous pride in. “It’s so important to keep what beers are on, they’ll look at tasting notes
the standards up. There’s always bad reports and be able to tell customers what its like.”
about pubs in the papers so it’s great to get The turnover of ale is of course, one of the
some positive news about the licensed trade,” reasons the quality remains. The pub turns
he says. “The fact we’re the only pub in over 14 casks a week meaning each pump
Scotland to have appeared in all 35 editions is changes twice a week. “That’s the reason the
a huge achievement. It’s not just the work beer is kept so well. It’s a problem many pubs
we’ve put in over the 18 months we’ve been have – the ale is kept in the cellar for too
here, but it’s everything that’s gone before. It’s long. Ours is turning over very quickly so the
a testament to everyone and their hard work standard doesn’t slip. It keeps it fresh and
to keep it in year in. And long may it everybody knows they’re going to get a good
continue.” pint.”
So what makes the pub stand out from the The range of products is what draws in the
pack? For a start, staff need to understand the customers as well as the quality. At The
· 20 · ots · november 2008 · www.55north.com/ots_home.asp
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