HERE - John Brady Group

‘TheThe public fails to realise howimportant publicans are to localemployment, for me it’s a great feelingto be able to run a business that canemploy this many people – for meit’s what business is all about.Igo Inn, Ballybrack, Dublin 18‘below cost selling. ‘Legislature should be enacted to ensure aminimum price,’ he says. ‘Modern young people have lost therespect that previous generations had for alcohol – they see it as acheap commodity – and that mindset leads to abuse. Ireland hasalways had a controlled on trade based drinking environment thatkept alcohol out of the home.’Looking AheadJohn Brady is confident that the future of his pubs, and of thetrade, is strong in Ireland. He advises publicans not to look at themarket, but to ‘get on with business as usual’.Having been through a number of recessions, he points out that,‘the value of pubs will return, every time there is a recession wethink it’s the end. But it’s not, life goes on. Today we have far moreoptions when it comes to engaging with our customers than everbefore. Use Facebook, spend a little on your customers to thankthem, organise special nights, we run everything from Brazil nightsto Mexican, French and Italian, and we match beer, food and wine.The business is still there, so get busy.’And with that, John Brady needs to go. He has more pubs tovisit, events to plan, customers to meet – busy indeed.First appeared in...John BradyPub GroupTimeline1968: Originally from Knockfadda, near RoundwoodVillage, Co Wicklow, John began his career in the pub trade in1968 when he joined The Avoca Pub in Blackrock, Co Dublin.From there he moved to Aston’s in Clonskeagh, where he workedfor six years, including the final three years as manager.1978: Exiting the trade for a period, John decided on achange of direction and became a sales rep for Sláinte MineralWater. Travelling the country, he says this period gave him ‘a realinsight’ into the operation of pubs around the country.1981: After deciding to return to the trade and that pubownership was the way forward, John teamed up with his brother,Tom Brady, who had already bought a pub in Roundwood Village,to buy The Igo Inn in Ballybrack in October 1981. Together Johnand Tom gave the premises a complete make-over and set aboutdeveloping a strong local business.1983: In September 1983, the brothers expanded withthe purchase of the nearby The Ramblers Rest in Ballybrack. Tomsold his Roundwood Village premises to concentrate fulltime onThe Ramblers Rest..1986: John and Tom expanded further with thepurchase of Bakers Corner in Kill O’The Grange, Co Dublin, for£750,000 – a record price for a pub at that time. The venuereceived a complete refurbishment, with the addition of a largefunction room upstairs that can cater to 150 guests..1989: With John increasingly interested in building onthe traditional pub business, Bakers Corner opened a restaurantupstairs, named ‘Wheelers’, and an adjoining off licence..1993: Time for yet another addition, this time the Bradybrothers purchased a well-known premises in Shankhill, OldShanganagh Hotel. The venue needed considerable work howeverand was completely knocked and rebuilt to include larger cellars,a reworked bar and lounge, an adjoining restaurant and an offlicence – today it is known as Brady’s of Shankill.1994: The Brady brothers decided to sell The RamblersRest and Tom took over the running of Brady’s of Shankhill.1999: Tom Brady retired from the trade and John, nowthe sole owner of the group, bought The Vevay Inn, Bray, CoWicklow, and completely renovated the building in favour of anew purpose built venue..Continued success tothe John Brady groupSuppliers of Bar, Catering, Cleaning andHygiene Products to the Hospitality Industry.‘Continued success to The John Brady Group’RogeR’s Hot Nut Co.DrumbawngreystonesCo. Wicklowt: +353 1 2810176F: +353 1 2011766e: gotthenibbles@gmail.comW: www.rogershotnuts.comUnit 6 Charvey Way Business Park, Rathnew, Co. Wicklow, IrelandT: 1850 350 450 F: +353 40420488E: cater@iol.ie W: www.caterwareco.comLICENSING WORLD DECEMBER 2010 33