The unsung heros who keep our pubs shipshape

Maintenance associates carry out countless tasks ensuring that premises are in their very best shape – maintaining a tip-top environment for customers and staff is essential.

The company’s maintenance associates play a crucial role in ensuring that the pubs, kitchens and hotels are always in excellent condition.

Maintenance associates follow a strict task list, ensuring that every corner of the pubs, kitchens and hotels meet Wetherspoon’s high standards.

Maintenance associates are responsible for tasks from general maintenance and decoration to safety checks and compliance with regulations, working closely with management and third-party contractors to maintain high standards.

Maintenance associates have shared their positive experiences and the impact of their work.

Steve Owens, maintenance associate, based at The Quay (Poole), said: “My role as a maintenance associate is to help in the smooth running of the pub.

“This includes carrying out repairs to furniture, toilets and door locks, as well as decorating and looking after external areas.

“This work then minimises the need for external contractors – which can often lead to a wait time in work being completed.

“I work in four pubs over four days, which can be quite challenging, as I don’t always know, from one day to the next, what the task list will be.”

Charlee Blanchard, Steve’s pub manager at The Quay, added: “Having someone who is part of the team and cares about the performance of the pub really improves both the efficiency and quality of the work completed.”

Wetherspoon’s head of property maintenance, Paul Curran, said: “At Wetherspoon, having in-house maintenance associates is an integral part of maintaining the high standards which customers and hotel guests expect.

“By employing our own team, we ensure that maintenance tasks are completed efficiently and to Wetherspoon’s exacting specifications.

“It also allows us to respond quickly to any issues, minimising downtime and ensuring that the pubs and hotels remain welcoming environments.

“Additionally, this in-house approach promotes a strong sense of teamwork and accountability, as our maintenance employees are fully integrated in the team.”

A day in the life of a maintenance associate…

Jeff who is based at The North Western(Liverpool), joined Wetherspoon in July 2021 and has been in the maintenance associate role since April 2024.

Jeff said: “Being a maintenance associate is a job which is important to the everyday running of the pubs.

“Within my usual hours of 5am to 1pm, I can fix the issues in the pub before the busy morning starts, allowing me to do all the back-of-house jobs once the pub is open.

“These hours take place over multiple pubs which need my help across Liverpool city centre, Runcorn and Warrington.

“The jobs may include painting, decorating, plumbing, wall-tiling and general maintenance throughout the buildings.

“One of the important jobs I do is the line-cleaning, ensuring that the pints are as crisp as possible.

“Doing the housekeeping is also just as important.

“I love this job. When I moved to The North Western, I was a shift leader, but I jumped at the opportunity to become a maintenance associate because it’s a passion of mine.

“I enjoy being able to surround myself with people who are satisfied with the jobs I do, especially with the more demanding ones. It becomes incredibly rewarding.

“The benefits are me knowing that high standards can be met and kept, at all times, by keeping a task list to which all of the managers can add.

“My job also helps to keep the staff and customers safe, because of the work I do  – which is so important.”