Belhaven

Well known in the pub trade in Stirling, George Den-Kaat has been with Belhaven Pubs for almost 6 years, and has managed some of the best pubs in Central Scotland, in a career spanning almost 20 years. He is currently the General Manager of the Old Brewery in Alloa, now in its 3rd year of trading since Belhaven redeveloped the site in 2005.

George was involved in all aspects of the project and, due to the experience he gained in Alloa, he has been called upon to support other refurbishment projects in Dunfermline and Stirling. The Old Brewery is a great success for Belhaven and much of it comes down to George’s strong management style and his ability to recruit and develop his team. “Getting the Old Brewery open the week before Christmas, with a new team to be recruited and trained, was probably the biggest challenge I’ve faced in my career, but equally the most rewarding.”

When asked why he has stayed in one company for as long as he has, George replied;

“Belhaven has given me the opportunity to develop my career in a number of different ways. There are always opportunities to move onto different styles of pub, or get involved in new development projects. In fact, I’ve recently been coaching a new manager who is soon to take over one of our pubs in Tayside which is undergoing a major refurbishment.”

George enjoys the close working relationship that unit managers have with the Stirling Head Office. “We get regular visits from the support functions in Stirling, senior management and our colleagues at Greene King.”

So, after 20 years in this industry, why does George still have such high levels of enthusiasm & motivation?

“I have worked with some really good assistant managers over the years and I enjoy having the freedom to recruit and develop my team. It’s definitely an industry that is all about people and it’s great to see how new recruits develop as they take on more responsibility.”