07:00
It sounds cliché to say, but every day at Marston's is completely different. Today, I'm travelling to Runcorn to visit the team at one of our new-build pubs.
I sit in the Group People Communications team and – as my job title suggests – I create content for our internal comms channels. We're a team of four and I get to go out and about across the business to meet our teams, find great news stories and celebrate our people's achievements. On a day like today, I'm literally a roving reporter with my trusty Dictaphone to hand.
The Queen of Hearts is a Marston's first because it's the first new-build pub to be built under our Heritage format. Our Heritage pubs sit at the heart of their local communities – think great value food, exciting drinks, live sport and family-friendly entertainment. New-build pubs like this are a really important part of our growth plan, so it's important we shout about them internally.
I'm paying the team a visit to interview them about their new pub, what makes it stand out and how the first week went down with customers. Plus, I'll be grabbing some footage inside the pub to give teammates across the business (approximately 13,500 of them) a sneak peek.
09.30
I arrive at the pub, which means it's time for coffee and a chat with General Manager Michelle and her husband Barry. They've just moved to the area to take on the pub.
I record our interview before filming a walk-around of the pub on our GoPro. When I edit the footage, I'll layer the audio interviews underneath the footage and cut it down to around two minutes. I'm self-taught on our editing software and use YouTube tutorials when I get stuck! This video will sit on our internal news website – it's where our people go to hear all about what's happening at Marston's.
10.30
Next, I spend time with some front of house teammates. We chat about what it's like to work in a new-build pub and what attracted them to join the team. I learn that the name of our pub was inspired by Lewis Carroll, author of Alice in Wonderland – he's from the local area and the pub is stop number 36 on the Alice in Wonderland town trail. Inside, a beautiful mural of Alice is painted on the wall.
They also tell me about the two local charities they've chosen to support – Halton Haven Hospice and Corpal (a charity supporting those with ACC or Aicardi Syndrome). They've got lots of events planned over the next year to raise as much as they can for these community causes.
12:00
As the pub doors open and customers come streaming in, I film teammates in action, serving on the bar and getting to know their new locals. The pub's been open for a week and is already fully booked for food every day for the next few weeks. I leave them to it, check my emails and have a bite to eat from the new Heritage menu (I go for a classic burger with curly fries – my fave!).
14:30
After a busy lunch service, I get chance to chat to one of our chefs and he gives me the lowdown on what it's like to work in the kitchen at The Queen of Hearts. It's been non-stop since opening night but our team gets a real buzz from working in such a fast-paced environment.
I spend the rest of the afternoon writing stories for our internal channels, brainstorming campaign ideas and checking in with the rest of the team. We're launching our new comms strategy and channels in the New Year, so it's a really busy time for us!
16:30
I leave the pub in a hurry, remembering I've got to buy a unicorn cake for an office birthday! Tomorrow I'll be working from Marston's House, our support centre in Wolverhampton.
This is Lucy Aaron – over and out from The Queen of Hearts in Runcorn. ?
