Stratford pub awarded for its customer service and musical entertainment
THE key to success is doing everything right for your customers which is why the Keys pub in Stratford has just been voted Pub of the Year for South England by Prestige Awards.
The awards are given to hotels, pubs and restaurants in the hospitality industry that provide something extra for guests and customers so they have an enjoyable and memorable experience which makes them more likely to come back for more.
In the case of the Keys it’s the wide selection of drinks, a warm welcome in winter and a sunny smile in the summer that keeps customer satisfaction high but there’s also a secret ingredient which the judging panel at Prestige Awards liked, as Keys’ managing director, Chris Creasey explains.
“We host live music and entertainment six nights a week. We support local artists and have used the evenings for fund raising like the Ukraine appeal. We also fund raise for mental health matters. Our Wednesday Night Music Lounge showcases female musicians, there’s up and coming bands on a Saturday night so we’ve got something for everyone including a Jazz Cats’ Lounge on Sunday. The Prestige Award came out of the blue and they just liked every effort we put in and what we offer our customers,” Chris Creasey said.
He took over the Keys just before Covid in 2020 and that time plus the following year, Chris describes as a constant “stop start” headache.
“We had to work lots of hours. We worked really hard and all we wanted was some kind of recognition which we’ve now got but it is a team effort that’s got us here. We even hosted our production of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor after Covid in the pub garden. I’ve never acted or produced before but I appeared in the play and directed it and we rehearsed using Zoom. The customers enjoyed it and tickets were free,” Chris said.
The current Keys’ team is, Lisa Taylor, general manager, Jamie Connor and Shannon Taylor, assistant managers, Cerys Huckfield, Lani Dalby, Curtis Southall and Chris Creasey who also wanted to make special mention of Claire Hawkins and all previous staff who made the award possible.
Chris and the team will receive their Prestige Award at a presentation evening in Sutton Coldfield next May.
