Portsmouth pub manager George Skeates from the Green Posts in Hilsea is named one of the country's best in Greene King awards
George has made the pub perform ‘exceptionally’ say bosses
A Portsmouth pub manager has been named one of the best in the business.
George Skeates is the general manager of the Green Posts in Hilsea, and has been crowned a Greene King General Manager of the Year, recognising his outstanding contribution to the pub, team and customers.
George was one of nine pub leaders from across the country to receive the accolade at Greene King’s annual Managed Pub Conference, held in Manchester earlier this month. Since taking the helm at Green Posts, Greene King says that George has successfully steered the pub through a major investment and reopening, helping to deliver strong growth and establish it as a thriving Portsmouth pub. His hands-on leadership and focus on building a strong team have also seen the pub perform “exceptionally” during major sporting moments, including the busy World Cup period, the company added.
The annual awards celebrate general managers who have excelled across all areas of running a successful pub, from delivering strong commercial performance and operational excellence to bringing teams together, creating memorable experiences for customers and ensuring pubs remain welcoming hubs at the heart of communities.
Winners were judged on how they perform across all areas of the role, alongside their leadership, team engagement and the respect they have earned from colleagues and peers, before the final nine were selected by Greene King’s brand operations directors.
George said: “Being named General Manager of the Year is a career pinnacle and a very special moment for me. I love being part of Portsmouth, a city with such a strong sense of community and character and creating a pub where local people and visitors alike can feel at home.
“I’m lucky to have a fantastic team around me who brings that to life every day, and their hard work and dedication have played a huge part in this achievement. I’m excited to keep building on what we’ve achieved and continue making our pub a place Portsmouth can be proud of.”
David McBride, brand operations director for Belhaven and Cornerstone at Greene King, said: “This award recognises George as a general manager who has shown exceptional leadership, strong commercial instinct and a genuine passion for the business and his people. He had only stepped into a general manager role once before taking the pub through a major investment and embraced the opportunity from day one.
"He understood the local competition, delivered the investment and reopening brilliantly, and put strong sales-driving plans in place to turn the opportunity into outstanding results. George built and supported a fantastic team who delivered exceptional numbers during extremely busy World Cup trading, while maintaining safe operations and a great customer experience.
"What really sets him apart is his drive to keep improving. He genuinely cares about the business, continually looking for opportunities to do better and is willing to adapt his approach when needed. A fantastic leader, an exceptional operator and a very deserving winner.”
The General Manager of the Year awards form part of Greene King’s annual Managed Pub Conference and recognise outstanding leaders from across its managed pub estate.