Jackie Dixon runs Slipstream in Dumfries and Maureen McKerrow once owned The Grove in the town. The two women form a strong team at her local LTA. Susan Young went to meet them and asked them why she liked this deal.
I often bemoan the fact that there aren’t more women running and owning bars and pubs in Scotland. No one really knows why, but one of the reasons often cited is that children It’s the fact that you can’t take the time when it comes.
But Jackie Dixon, who owns Slipstream in Dumfries, and her best friend Maureen McKerrow, who until five years ago ran Globe Ltd. in the town, wax lyrical about the industry in which they have spent their entire careers. He is talking about it. I couldn’t hold them back. Jackie says: “Licensed trade is a great career. I absolutely love my time in the industry. I don’t understand why more women aren’t involved in this industry.” Maureen nodded emphatically in agreement.
I met the pair when Teresa Brannan from Heineken invited me to attend the Dumfries Victory Licensing and Trade Association annual ball held recently at the Cairndale Hotel. Jackie is a past president of the association and has held the position since 2010. She believes that there are not many industry associations that still host this many events, and very few, if any, that still host an annual ball.
The two women are hardened, as they laugh at each other’s deviances over the years (usually related to trade events), such as missing the train on the way back from a visit to Prague from the 49 Club. It’s obvious that we’re friends. Jackie says: Originally, he joined Slipstream in 1999 to work with his brother Andy Dixon for a few months, but I’ve been there ever since and have enjoyed every moment of it. ”
When Andy, who had owned the business for 35 years, passed away, Jackie took over the building. In fact, the night before the interview, Jackie didn’t get to bed until 2am. She explains: “We’re open until 1 a.m.. I’ve always been a late-night operator. If we weren’t open late, I don’t think the business would be profitable.”
She added: “The customer base is very diverse, and older customers often stay as late as younger customers, as long as it’s not too crowded. I’ve served fathers and their sons and daughters, and I get to know their daily lives.
“I can’t tell you how many weddings I’ve attended through the pub, but we’ve had quite a few. Slipstream is really like a big family. I care about my customers and I think they also like the fact that they are taken care of in my pub. If they sit at home and have no one to talk to, why wouldn’t they come to the pub for the social aspect? Or?
“While some people try to view hospitality as a negative, I believe that the positives that come from hospitality far outweigh the negatives. Looking back on everything I’ve done and the path it’s taken me on, I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed every moment.
“It’s hard to explain in words what you can learn from a trade and its daily challenges, but it’s so satisfying to do what you love. Not every day is a good day, but hospitality is a great learning experience that ranges from building confidence to teaching. You can give something to society that you cannot get from other professions.I would say to people who are thinking of joining the company, “Please give it a try!”
Now Jackie often works six days a week, but when she started, she earned just VND2. One of the reasons for this is a lack of staff, she says. “It’s harder than before, but I can now do everything from changing barrels to ordering, bookkeeping, directory creation, wages, tax returns, and paperwork.” talk. Filling and security – I have her SIA badge. I also love being front of house, being able to be involved in the daily lives of our customers. ”
Over the years, Slipstream has won silver and gold awards as part of Best Vernon. Jackie said: This is a typical pub house and hosts a variety of events, from quiz nights to dominoes and darts, karaoke and live music. Although there are no longer people lining up on the road to get in, we still have very regular customers. I don’t know what some people would do if we didn’t open. Sometimes we are the only people a person is likely to see in a day. ”
One of the parts she enjoys most about the role is her involvement with the Dumfriesshire Licensed Victualists Association. In addition, she is a past chair of the Dumfriesshire and South West LTA. She believes these roles have given her an extremely detailed knowledge of all the issues facing the trade, from tariffs to energy rates and legislation, and the ever-changing nature of business.
She explains: “Maureen got me involved. I’ve known her for 25 years. The Victulas are like a little family, and we’re one of the healthiest families around. We It’s still just a small department, but we all get along. It’s like everything: if you’re going to do a job, do it well. We all spend a lot of time on it, and we all enjoy it. We got to know each other really well.”
Originally, Maureen and Jackie were two of the movers and shakers behind Dumfries’ Make Our Bars Safer, or MOBS initiative. MOBS, like Pubwatch, was set up in 2001 and sees local liquor excise officers working alongside the police to remove troublemakers and drugs from pubs and clubs, ensuring Dumfries remains a safe and well-regulated atmosphere. We tried to make it a great place to spend the night inside. dealer. MOB members shared information and prevented troublemakers from using the pub.
The initiative was halted by police when GDPR came into force, but neither Maureen nor Jackie can understand why. Maureen said: “MOBS has had great support from within and outside the industry. We have a great relationship with the police, and they even come to our annual ball. It worked out really well – we didn’t use What’s app – but they had a very efficient and secure system. We’d like to see it come back.”
Maureen’s pub, The Grove, was sold five years ago, bringing an end to Maureen’s 40-year role in the pub, although she remains involved in the deal. She is a past president of her 49 club and is currently a visitor to The Maltman. She is the first woman to hold the role since the charity was founded in 1605. This was just five years before the original Globe opened.
The Grove was world-famous for its hospitality and its association with Robert Burns, who once stayed there. Maureen says: “Hospitality is a wonderful life. All of our children also started in hospitality. It taught them how to deal with people and the confidence it gave them stayed with them and gave them good interpersonal skills. I gave it.
“When someone walks through the door of my bar, I often say they’re there to spend money. All I had to do was interact with them. All I had to do was keep them there.
“I think trading has almost come full circle. When we first started, we had to do everything in pubs. Now, due to costs and staff shortages, we’re at the point where we have to go back to doing everything. It’s tough. It may be a tough job, but it’s rewarding.”
Jackie agrees, but she is now putting her pub up for sale. Maureen said: “Jackie is a caring, enthusiastic and knowledgeable licensee with life experience beyond the average person in this industry. We will be friends for life.”
I would encourage any young people currently in the industry, or those considering entering the industry, to spend at least an hour with Maureen and Jackie. Both say their lives have been enriched by their hospitality experience: “Hospitality is a way of life and we love it.”