A LIFE IN THE DAY OF ...

GARETH MORRIS

General Manager: Heathcotes@Warrington

9am ...

When Warrington Wolves play at home my day starts early - a 3 o'clock kick off means I arrive at the Halliwell Jones Stadium at 9am. First job ... a cup of tea, which helps me focus. I focus even better if it's made for me! I check the rooms, making sure that they are set correctly, to our standard and that that last minute changes have been acknowledged. Lights are all working. TVs are tuned in. Doors, windows, blinds are as they should be. Because I won't be back in the guest rooms until my pre-match walk-round with the Warrington Wolves rugby league club chief executive Andy Gatcliffe. He's a forward-thinking guy and we, as a supplier to the club, feel a genuine part of his team as we work together to achieve our common goals.

When I'm satisfied the rooms are perfect, I prepare all the information that my own team needs for the day. Every general manager is only as good as the team that backs him up - and mine is made up of event managers, supervisors and back office support. Claire, Michelle, Anthony, Ian, Mike, Dawn, Emma, Ian and his chefs discuss the day - including recapping the menus, the final numbers and any specific diets.

This includes making up the floats for the bars, preparing the signing-in sheets, putting the staff into teams and preparing their briefs.

The majority of regular staff have been here as long as me - that's since February 2005 - and have grown with us to become a real company asset. Briefing them for a match day normally follows the same pattern with slight changes to incorporate special guests, specific dietary requirements and targets. I also use this opportunity to feedback guests' brilliant comments from previous events. I'm a proud man!

11am ...

... is when my team arrives. I make sure I have time to welcome them personally - not only to say ‘hi' and ‘how are you' but also to ensure they are looking Heathcotes-good with clean, pressed uniforms, no outlandish hair or jewellery.

 12.00 noon ...

... hospitality opens. My matchday role is a roving one. While my management team is allocated its own areas to oversee, I go everywhere. I like to see all our guests are receiving lunch and drinks and that our food looks fantastic. I like to catch up with our regulars, Andy and the board, new visitors and special guests. I may jump into ‘service', go behind the bar, serve drinks, join a food team ... or whatever. I keep close to the commercial team in case there are last minute changes or ‘banana skins'. 

5pm ...

... the game is over. Win or lose, it's been another fantastic effort from the Heathcotes team. I stay ‘front of house' to say goodbye to visitors before we plan the turnaround for the following day. We don't start this until a room is empty because it shouldn't be stripped in front of guests. Quite a few rooms are needed for tomorrow morning so once the team is underway with this job, and our guests have gone, I oversee the float returns and, when I'm comfortable that the room turnarounds are on schedule I go home to my wife Helen and son James (if he's still up!) It's 7pm.

Matchday does not finish there though. The next day - at 8am - I balance the tills, count the cash, reconcile the credit cards, total up the accounts that need to be issued, process the figures and forward everything to head office. I check our sales figures for the period, that our costs are in line with budget and, at 9am, I see Andy Gatcliffe for a catch up and feedback.