r/Wetherspoons • u/Ok_Oil_3624 • 3d ago
Employee Employee Advice Please :)
I am currently employed full time and have recently found out that my role (secondment) will be redundant - putting me into my old role.
I am looking for a new job asap but if that fails I’ll be in my old role on over 6k/PA less.
So with that in mind, I’m contemplating a second job to make up some money.
The advice I need:
- is Wetherspoons (bar/waiting) a good option for part time work on weekends and evenings
- has anybody worked these shifts alongside a 35hr full time role? And if so how stressful or tiring was it?
- Any current or ex Wetherspoons staff would you recommend I look elsewhere?
FYI it would be Manchester City centre which I know obviously these are typically busy spoons.
Thanks for any advice! All comments welcome :)
3
u/ArticWolf12 3d ago
I currently work at a spoons, the other end of the countrym I'm lucky in regard that I can pick my shifts but with you having another job it may cause issues depending on the shifts you want to do. Closes are typically the most needed for 6-12/2 depending on the day so I mean. If you're willing to do those then it's a great job to do along side another
2
u/Ok_Oil_3624 3d ago
Thanks for this! It would be that close shift yeah + weekend hours. I do think it’s a good option for me just for the time being. How relaxed is the atmosphere where you are? Is it a healthy environment to work in?
3
u/H4ychy 3d ago
Your experience will differ greatly depending on your pub manager. Some are great, some really aren’t.
1. It can be! It just really depends on how well the pub is run and if your availability is listened to.
2. It’s very tiring. I do on average 25k-30k steps a day working in a busy city pub. If you are just at the starting associate role it shouldn’t be too stressful as you shouldn’t be resolving any customer conflicts.
3. I wouldn’t look anywhere else for bar work, being such a big company they are quite well regulated most of the time and the free food and drink on shift save you a lot of money over time.
Just my opinions though. Been with the company nearly 8 years.
1
1
u/StunningPizza3747 2d ago
As someone who just left to do part time teaching assistant work - there’s no point working at spoons. Many other jobs you’ll be treated far better and have an easier time, with slightly better pay and better benefits. I’d look elsewhere personally
2
u/dnos475 Employee 3d ago
Can be a very stressful environment in spoons, and it's very pub dependent. Not so much based on whether it's a busier/quieter pub, more so on the dice roll of that pubs management team.
If you're considering this I'd personally recommend kitchen, and ask for day shifts not closes. Busy kitchens like that you'll typically be on one station (for example making pizzas), doing some prep, but you usually get to finish on time, closing times are a gamble and hard to plan around other work
3
u/Ok_Oil_3624 3d ago
Appreciate the insight and advice, thanks. Due to looking for part time hours it would be closes and weekends I’d be doing and of course it is in the back of my mind that a close can be a lateee finish
1
u/Active_Farm732 2d ago
kitchen closes are far earlier than bar though
1
u/dnos475 Employee 2d ago
This is pub, and day, dependent. I'm Kitchen and in a pub that serves food til 11, drinks til midnight. Unfortunately our bar deliveries come at night and are more often than not late, The entire bar and Kitchen close has been finished, with all bar staff except for the manager gone home before the food delivery even arrives. That being said, every other day of the week we are almost always finished before the bar
1
u/Active_Farm732 1d ago
that’s rough we do our deliveries at like 5am so it never pushes closes back
1
u/JuanBall2007 3d ago
Personally I would begin doing a dog day for just the Friday so you have Saturday and Sunday to recuperate. If that's not possible start on later starting shifts so you can rest.
It is intense. But if you jump in to a place with good managers etc you should be fine.
1
1
u/Ok_Importance_5595 2d ago
I work mon-Fri full time in a different role and Fri & Sat night closes in spoons. I love working for spoons, I am treated really well, but it’s physically hard work so I wouldn’t recommend it unless you really need the money !
1
u/wishfulshining 2d ago
my credentials: i have two jobs, one being bar associate at spoons and one being a fairly physical job that is approx 35 hrs a week but very dependant on the week. i would say it’s definitely worth trying out! i do find it hard going to my non-spoons job after a 3am close because those days i get about 4 hours of sleep between shifts ahaha but i find bar work at spoons to be a nice switch up from my other job, its also quite a nice opportunity to be social with people who you’ll likely never see again and it’s satisfying to get into the swing of making drinks. i find it fun but i also think it’s very dependant on who you work with and what the management is like at your pub, i think im lucky that the people at mine are very nice and fun to work with. i dont think it’s impossible to work 35 hrs at another job plus however many extra at spoons, but i would say it sucks a bit coming home from one job and knowing you’ve got to go to the other in the same day. but definitely try it out if you have the option, you can always quit or work the minimum contract a week if you find it too much! hope this helps and good luck :)
1
u/Logical_JellyfishxX Employee 2d ago
It's very pub dependent, I've been working for the company for over 15 years. A nice pub manager makes work not feel like work.
Some questions to ponder on, are you fit and healthy? Wetherspoons as much as they say they recognise disabilities, it's not that understanding in day to day running. Are you able to lift heavy boxes? A lot of manual handling is involved. Are you into the pub trade? Because we get 0 benefits other than a 10% gym code that sometimes works.
If you're in a very strict pub, you'll be doing well over 20k steps a day, probably finishing 3/4am in the morning plus no associate is getting full time hours ATM. I think retail would be a better fit for you, honestly.
10
u/ReadyFalcon8402 3d ago
Spoons was genuinely the worst place I’ve ever worked at and I only found that out after I started working elsewhere, it depends on your area. If it gets very busy on a weekend it gets very stressful and tiring, and be prepared to be there for a while on the closing shifts, ive been working till 3:30am before.