Opening Procedures

Bar Opening Procedure

Time Required: 30 minutes
Who Does This: Bar staff (assigned by Fai)
When: Daily at 14:00 (2pm) before venue opens

Quick Reference Checklist

Complete these in order. Tick each item as you finish:

Bar Equipment Setup

☐ Turn on all fridge lights
☐ Prepare garnish stations (limes, lemons, mint - see quantities below)
☐ Fill ice wells completely (bar + cooler)
☐ Set up beer taps (check CO2, run lines, check temperature)

Venue Preparation

☐ Turn on exterior sign lights
☐ Write today's timetable on blackboard (get schedule from Kop/Roy)
☐ Turn on cable lights throughout venue
☐ Arrange seating for tonight's event (check event runsheet)
☐ Turn on table lamps

Final Check

☐ Walk through venue - everything looks ready?
☐ Music playing (Spotify: "Opening Mix" playlist)
☐ Fridges fully stocked and cold

Done When: All items ticked, venue ready to receive customers at 16:00

Detailed Procedure

BEFORE YOU START

You'll need:

Venue keys (get from Kop or security)

Access to walk-in fridge

Bar tools (knife, peeler, cutting board)

Event runsheet for tonight (check Noco or ask Kop)

Pre-checks: ☐ Check if there's an event tonight - special setup needed?
☐ Confirm what time doors open (usually 16:00, sometimes earlier)

STEP 1: Bar Equipment Setup (15 minutes)

What you're doing: Getting the bar ready to serve drinks efficiently

Turn on Fridge Lights

Go to each fridge (Front Bar has 2, Back Bar has 3)

Open fridge door

Switch on internal light (switch is inside top-right corner)

Check fridge is cold (should feel like a normal fridge, not warm)

What good looks like:

All 5 fridges have lights on

You can clearly see products inside

Fridges are cold to touch

If fridge is warm: Tell Fai or Kop immediately - may need to move stock to working fridges

Time this should take: 3 minutes

Prepare Garnish (Limes, Lemons, Mint)

Standard quantities (adjust based on expected crowd):

8 limes (cut into wedges, 8 wedges per lime = 64 wedges)

4 lemons (cut into wheels, 6 wheels per lemon = 24 wheels)

1 bunch fresh mint (in water container)

How to do it:

Get cutting board, sharp knife from bar tools drawer

Wash limes, lemons, mint in sink with clean water

Cut limes into wedges:
- Cut lime in half lengthways
- Cut each half into quarters lengthways
- You get 8 wedges per lime

Cut lemons into wheels:
- Cut off both ends
- Slice across into 5mm thick circles
- You get about 6 wheels per lemon

Put mint in small container with water (keeps it fresh)

Store all garnish in covered containers in bar fridge

What good looks like:

Garnish neatly cut and stored in clean containers

Easily accessible in bar fridge

Mint looks fresh and green (not wilted)

Time this should take: 8 minutes

Fill Ice Wells

Ice well locations:

Front bar: Left side of bar, holds about 2 full ice buckets

Back bar: Right side, holds about 3 full ice buckets

Cooler: If it's a hot day or big event, fill the spare cooler with ice too

How to do it:

Get ice scoop from bar tools (NEVER use glass or your hands)

Go to ice machine (behind back bar)

Fill ice bucket completely

Carry carefully to ice well (don't spill on floor - slip hazard)

Pour ice into well

Repeat until well is completely full (ice should be level with top)

If filling cooler: Do this last, fill about 2/3 full

What good looks like:

Ice wells completely full and level

No ice spilled on floor

Ice scoop returned to ice machine (not left in ice well)

Important: If ice machine is empty or broken, tell Fai/Kop immediately. We need to buy ice from 7-Eleven.

Time this should take: 6 minutes

Set Up Beer Taps

How to do it:

Check CO2 pressure gauge (should be in green zone, around 30-35 PSI)
- If in red zone (low), tell Fai - may need to change CO2 tank

Run beer lines:
- Pull each tap handle forward
- Let beer run until it comes out clear (not foamy)
- Discard this first beer (it's been sitting in lines overnight)

Check temperature:
- Beer should come out cold
- If warm, check keg fridge temperature (should be 3-5°C)

Wipe down tap handles with clean cloth

What good looks like:

Beer pours clear, not foamy

All taps working

Tap handles clean and shiny

If tap is not working: Tag it with "OUT OF ORDER" sign, tell Fai

Time this should take: 5 minutes

STEP 2: Venue Preparation (10 minutes)

What you're doing: Making the venue look open and inviting

Turn on Sign Lights

Which signs:

Speakerbox logo sign (front of building)

"OPEN" neon sign (if we're using it tonight)

How to do it:

Sign switches are behind front bar, near POS system

Flip switches labeled "SIGN 1" and "SIGN 2" to ON position

Go outside and check they're lit up

If not working: Check circuit breaker first, then tell Kop

What good looks like:

All exterior signs clearly visible from street

Lights not flickering

Time this should take: 2 minutes

Write Timetable on Blackboard

What to write:

Today's date

Doors open time (usually 16:00)

Show start time

Artist/band names and set times

Any special notes (e.g., "Sold Out", "Guest list at door")

Where to get info:

Check Noco booking system

Ask Kop or Roy if you can't find it

Check Speakerbox Instagram if needed

Example:

TONIGHT - Saturday 30 Dec
Doors: 16:00 | Show: 20:00

20:00 - Support Band
21:30 - Headliner

Tickets at door: 500 THB

What good looks like:

Information clearly readable from front door

No spelling mistakes

Tidy handwriting (or print it and tape it up if your handwriting is shit)

Time this should take: 3 minutes

Turn on Cable Lights

Where they are:

Cable lights are the string lights around the venue

Main switches are behind back bar

How to do it:

Flip switches labeled "CABLE LIGHTS" to ON

Walk around venue to check all sections are lit

If any section isn't working: Tell Kop (might be bulb out)

What good looks like:

Warm ambient lighting throughout venue

No dark corners

Creates cosy atmosphere

Time this should take: 2 minutes

Arrange Seating (If Needed)

Check first:

Look at tonight's event runsheet

Is it a seated show or standing?

Are there VIP tables booked?

If seated show:

Set up chairs facing stage

Leave aisles clear for access

Place "RESERVED" signs on VIP tables (ask Kop which tables)

If standing show:

Push tables to sides

Stack extra chairs in storage

Clear floor space in front of stage

What good looks like:

Seating matches event requirements

Fire exits still accessible

No trip hazards

Time this should take: 3 minutes (or skip if no changes needed)

Turn on Table Lamps

How to do it:

Go to each table with a lamp

Switch on lamp (usually switch on cord)

Check bulb works

What good looks like:

All table lamps providing soft light

Creates intimate atmosphere

No broken bulbs (report any to Kop)

Time this should take: 2 minutes

STEP 3: Final Checks (5 minutes)

Walk Through Checklist

Do a lap of the venue and check: ☐ Music is playing at low volume (Spotify: "Opening Mix" playlist)
☐ All areas are lit properly
☐ No obstacles or trip hazards
☐ Toilets are clean and stocked (check toilet paper, soap, paper towels)
☐ Smoking area is set up (ashtrays clean, chairs arranged)
☐ Bar has everything you need for service
☐ Fridges are fully stocked

If anything is missing or broken: Tell Fai or Kop before opening

Common Mistakes

Mistake #1: Not filling ice wells completely

Why it's bad: You'll run out of ice mid-service and have to leave the bar to refill

Fix: Fill until ice is level with top of well

Mistake #2: Using old/brown garnish

Why it's bad: Looks unprofessional, customers will notice

Fix: Cut fresh garnish every day, throw out yesterday's

Mistake #3: Not checking event schedule

Why it's bad: Wrong seating setup, blackboard info incorrect

Fix: Always check Noco or ask Kop before starting setup

Mistake #4: Forgetting to test beer taps

Why it's bad: Discover tap is broken after customer orders

Fix: Run all taps before opening, deal with problems early

Emergency Contacts

If something is broken or you need help:

Issue Type	Contact	Phone
Bar equipment broken	Fai (Bar Manager)	[Insert number]
Electrical/technical	Kop (Operations)	[Insert number]
Emergency	Eddie	[Insert number]

Tips for New Staff

Do this procedure every day at the same time - becomes routine after a week

Take your time the first few times - speed comes with practice

Ask questions - better to ask than guess

Work with another staff member first time - they can show you shortcuts

Use a physical checklist - print this and tick items until you've memorised it

Training Notes

New staff should be supervised doing this procedure 3 times before doing it solo

Common questions new staff ask:
- "How much ice is enough?" → Fill completely, level with top
- "What if we run out of garnish?" → Cut more mid-service if needed, keep extras in fridge
- "What music should play?" → "Opening Mix" playlist on Speakerbox Spotify

Version Control

Version	Date	Updated By	What Changed
1.0	30/12/2024	Aaron	Initial creation from Fai's notes

Last Reviewed: 30/12/2024
Next Review Due: 30/03/2025 (review every 3 months)
Document Owner: Fai (Bar Manager)