Coal & Cotton, a pub in Boothstown, Salford, has implemented an extraordinary staff benefits package that includes a £2,000 holiday allowance after five years of service, contributing to notably high staff retention rates in an industry often plagued by turnover.
Unprecedented Staff Benefits
The pub, co-owned by Jason Green and David Salmon, first publicly detailed its perks after the pandemic when hospitality faced severe staffing shortages exacerbated by Brexit and lockdown-induced career shifts. Since then, the benefits list has expanded significantly.
From day one, all employees receive 28 days of annual leave plus an extra day off for their birthday. For each year of service, they accumulate an additional day of holiday. Every birthday brings a £100 voucher to spend at the pub, matched on their work anniversary. A team member of the month award also carries a £100 prize. Management enjoys an uncapped bonus scheme, and all staff participate in all-expenses-paid team nights.
Impact on Retention and Community
General manager James Billson, who has worked at Coal & Cotton since it opened seven years ago, noted the rarity of such perks. "We get a lot of people who don't believe it's true, they're baffled somebody would do that," he said. "But team retention in this industry is poor and the way we work, where everybody feels part of it, only benefits us at the end of the day."
Billson emphasized that the benefits foster a sense of belonging and community, which in turn attracts regular clientele. "For the community in the area they get to know the team and it builds that community feel," he explained. "People come and feel part of it, they know people by name and we've got a lot of regular clientele. For any hospitality business that's the best marketing tool."
Flexible Scheduling and Personal Support
The pub also prioritises flexible scheduling to accommodate employees' family needs. Billson, a father of two, said, "If we're not flexible, it's just counter productive to what we're trying to create. We try to do things differently."
Assistant manager Jodie Roberts, who has worked at the pub since it was The Greyhound, benefited from this flexibility after having twin daughters. "When I had my twin girls I couldn't do the evenings anymore so they let me do day shifts. If they'd not been so flexible in offering me day shifts, I would have had to look for work elsewhere," she said.
Tangible Rewards and Career Growth
Roberts used the £2,000 holiday benefit for a trip to Lanzarote with her partner and twins. "It really helped me a couple of years ago," she said. "I've got two young kids so it's expensive to take them away. I put a bit of money towards it but it meant we were able to get a holiday together."
Billson also used the benefit for a family holiday to Majorca. He added that despite unsociable hours, the flexibility allowed him to attend school events and spend time with his children. "I've been able to drop them off at school and every time there's something happening, like an assembly to get to, it means I'm present," he said.
The pub takes pride in staff development. Billson noted, "We've had people come in as kids with not the best social skills and maybe lacking in confidence... To see that grow and watch them grow and see what they become - it's exceptional to see."
Guest Philosophy and Community Focus
Coal & Cotton refers to its patrons as "guests" rather than customers. "We never call them customers, they're always our guests," said Billson, with Roberts adding, "We try to never say 'no' to a customer, which is different to a lot of places."
The pub's success, according to Billson, stems from staying true to its identity. "For us, it's not about driving business or sales. It's about being warm and inviting. We always try our best and remain humble. We've never tried to be anything we're not. We're a community pub in Salford, where every walk of life would feel comfortable."
Despite high retention, vacancies occasionally arise, especially during summer when university students return. Interested applicants can email a CV to coalandcotton@outlook.com.
