In 2023 I applied for and was offered the role of Assistant Manager at the Lindfield shop. I was able to increase my knowledge of wines very quickly and, I also took on the role of running the social media for the company. By paying attention to trends in social media and reacting to what worked best for us.Additionally I started to study for WSET level 3 and have now passed with merit.At the start of 2024 my shop manager moved on and the shop was left for me to run, with the support of the rest of the team in the company. I was also given the responsibility for beer buying, because, at the shop, the beer selection also has an excellent reputation, so it has been vital to maintain the quality and expand our range. Latterly, with a new manager in place, we have increased the number of tastings at the shop, giving me the opportunity to run them. We have also enhanced social media presence with promotional videos. I am enjoying being the bridge between existing customers and the new environment whilst building a new and extended customer base.

Upon leaving my role as a Lettings Agent I decided I wanted to head back to an industry in which I had experience; hospitality. However I wanted to expand my knowledge into the world of wine. I established that I should take my WSET examinations. I passed Level 1 Award in Wines. Having passed, I got in touch with my existing contacts including South Downs Cellars who had been very proactive during Covid and needed a new member of staff.With my wine knowledge at this time, it was straight into the warehouse with a rapid learning curve.I then started, and passed WSET level 2. Given my wish to progress, I also started shifts at the Lindfield shop where I was on a rapid learning curve about wines and also had more responsibility at the warehouse which included preparing menus for our wholesale account as well as understanding when and what we needed to order; considering delivery times as well as trends in orders past and future opportunities.

I secured this role having been invited to an interview by the owner who I met pre-COVID. I worked predominantly as a lettings agent assisting the Lettings Manager and learning the industry, as well as helping the Sales team. I handled viewings for the lettings as well as some for sales. Although I was new to the industry, my hospitality experience, personality skills and passion for good customer service, I believe, made me ideal for the role. Being a relatively small operation but a very busy one, I had to be aware of everything that was going on in the office so that I could deal with a wide range of enquiries if any of my colleagues were not available.Unfortunately, due to the downturn in the market, I left in January.

From a few weeks before the pubs were allowed to re-open on 4th July 2020 I went back to work at the Royal Oak pub in Wineham. I saw it as a great challenge to help prepare the pub for its re-opening. The pub is a late 13th Century building which was not compatible to COVID restrictions, however we made it work for the business but most importantly for the safety of the customers as well as the staff in those uncertain times; bringing joy to people who had been unable to go out for so long.

Having left Saracen’s Rugby Club just before the beginning of the Covid lockdown in 2020 I looked for work and found it with construction company, Stringer & Kitson. I did this for 6 weeks before I was placed on furlough.

This was my first official management role. As well as ‘Match Days’ Saracens is used for a wide variety of events in several function rooms which required me – liaising with the events team - to coordinate a number of departments including catering, security, cleaning, car parking as well as staffing and supervising at events.There were frequent changes of plans and I was delighted that the expression ‘Don’t worry, Euan’s on it’ became widely used by senior management as well as the people I was guiding.It was extremely important to recognise the diversity of our customers and offer the hospitality standards that were important to everybody. I made sure that events were analysed and that we identified learning for the future. Because of my previous experience I was also given the responsibility to look after Prince Edward at a charity event.

The Hound Lodge is a luxury sporting lodge which is hired for corporate or family events, shooting parties and as a base for guests to attend events elsewhere on the estate. Standards are extremely high as The Duke of Richmond is a frequent visitor to the Lodge.My role as Butler is regarded as the first stage in a management career within the organisation.

Initially looking after guests in the boxes of the international arena at Hickstead during the prestigious jumping events; progressing to supervising the staff in the boxes and staffing the sponsor's and Master's events.

Starting in 2015 whilst I was on my unpaid internship at Sussex County Cricket Club, I began work at the Royal Oak. I did this to gain more experience, as I had not worked in a pub before and I had not had much experience behind a bar.

Providing weekly Profit & Loss Accounts for both matchdays & non-matchdays; inputing casual staffs hours so they can be paid. Inputing food & drink invoices. Sending out SurveyMonkey questionnaires to guests after they had attended an event at the ground. I also helped set up the 2015 Ale Festival at the Club, contacting about 20 different local breweries who provided their ales at the Festival.

My holiday job from the moment I turned 16 years of age, starting as a Kitchen Porter, but given opportunities to be front of house and doing some food preparation. This included when I was 17, working Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & Boxing Day, as well as New years Eve & New Years Day.