The General Manager of New Brighton’s James Atherton pub has been given a top award for BT Sport. Ben Smith, 38, was nominated by the global brand as their Manager Of The Month due to the great work the team does in the community.
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Ben has been at The James Atherton since it opened in March 2019 and has over 20 years in hospitality. Prior to working at the Wirral pub he was Assistant Manager at The Queen’s Royal on New Brighton promenade and before that worked at The Rising Sun in Tarporley. Ever since joining the team at The James Atherton he has been a key part of its success and an integral part of their outreach projects.
The James Atherton is part of Rockpoint Leisure’s regeneration project and was the flagship venue when Daniel Davies and the team first started improving the area. Since then there have been many new bars and venues opening, street art and increased footfall to the area. The pub’s name is a nod to the man who founded New Brighton in the 1800s and in 2021 the pub went viral for changing its name to ‘The Three B*llends’.
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Ben and the team at The James Atherton have been involved in some wonderful community initiatives during the past three years. The pub has reached out to the community by putting on free Christmas meals to vulnerable residents, putting on funerals for free, paying for taxis for vulnerable people and more.
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The recent award is testament to all the hard work Ben and the team have been doing over the past three years and for all they do to engage with the local community. Ben was awarded Manager Of The Month from thousands of other possible winners throughout the UK — with BT Sport coming down to present the award and film in Victoria Road.
Daniel Davies, CEO of Rockpoint Leisure, said: “We’re really proud of the local area and all we’ve done to regenerate it, so it’s really important that we have the right staff to reflect that. Ben has great industry experience but is also a good person who has a great attitude and ethos. He often goes above and beyond and always has the best interest of others at heart.”
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The pub, a modern tavern concept with premium drinks, food, live sport and live music, is a collaboration between Rockpoint Leisure and Punch Taverns. Such is its popularity, Ben and the team have trebled the initial revenue target set out when the pub first opened in 2019.
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Ben said: “Obviously it’s an honour to receive this award out of thousands of other managers, but the way I see it is I’m just doing my job. It’s natural to create a great environment where you live and do your best for the local area. What Rockpoint Leisure has achieved regenerating the area in the last couple of years is amazing and it’s great to be a part of it.”
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Ben was awarded the February 2021 Manager Of The Month by BT Sport due to the community outreach initiatives he and the team undertake, and their commitment to the local community on an ongoing basis. The James Atherton is open 7 days a week and is located on Victoria Road in the Victoria Quarter regeneration project, New Brighton.
The James Atherton / 117 Victoria Road, New Brighton, Wirral, CH45 2JD / 0151 638 8022
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