I can't say I have much of an excuse for not posting for a good... 6 months. However I have been inspired and also finally blessed with the free time to write a little blog around the experience of my latest job opportunity... 1 month bar work at the busy Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
I'll start off with a solid truth I learned about the people of Edinburgh that I probably should have already known, but my do they love their Gin! I worked in popup bars for a company called C Venues which ran several venues throughout Edinburgh hosting many many shows. I can safely say that from the massive stock arrival at the beginning of the festival, around one third of the gin was consumed on the first night.. Every second order or more was definitely a G&T. Safe to say from then on management never skimped out on the gin orders!
Working the festival was partly a favour for my flatmate, as she was given the wonderful opportunity to manage a few of these bars in order to gain experience for her Business honours degree and I previously had (some) bar experience. Watching all the stress and work she was under I would say she has gained some valuable skills and did a great job in such a fast paced and stressful environment which is constantly about people pleasing and keeping everything at peace. Big respect to the girl, who at only 20 like myself, survived the whole month! I also know working there, some staff were a handful to say the least, so well done for keeping your cool... Although I like to believe me providing pizza some nights helped...
Experience with myself ranged from the good, bad and the ugly. First few nights I honestly had a ball! Yeah, shift patterns were ugly, you would start at 6/7pm and finish around 5/6am and on top of that was my 1 hour commute which almost undoubtedly ended up with me falling asleep on a morning train. The first few nights I quickly realised the main bar turned basically into a club and I kind of enjoyed working in a mobbed bar where I could have a little dance behind the bar and no one would bat an eyelid. A lot of my colleagues were similar age to me to so I made some great friends.
Of course there were a few downsides, drunk people are often impatient when it comes to drinks. However take this good or bad, but if you're rude to me, Im sure as hell not gonna serve you next, even if you HAVE been there for ages :) it was also a popup bar so occasionally a certain kinda drink does run out, get over it, theres nothing I can do. Perhaps the worst night of all was my last night where I was working a bar alone when one guy was so plastered I refused him service, he got so aggressively angry towards me and threatened me with violence and religious slurs. Worst part was that it was only 9pm and way to early for security to be on. I think in a way I found a bit of confidence in myself that night as I would normally shy away but I found the courage to throw him out. Woohoo?
But enough of the bad, like I said there were great perks! I can now say i've got some pretty high up bar experience for future reference. I also met most of the actors throughout the course of the month and got some pretty awesome stories and advice, everyone was so interesting and electic!
Dare I mention the discounted drink and free shows as a staff member, which in expensive life of Edinburgh Fringe is a godsend.
I only wish I had more time off to experience the festival. I think next year I will visit it instead and get a better day out of it. Although now I'll know to be nice to my bartender and remember they're probably working long shifts on minimum wage too - and that a nice customer with some friendly and interesting chat is what makes it all worth it.
However I am now excited to be settling down with a new and quieter cafe job in Stirling at the end of the week.
Until next time
xxxx
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