Behind the scenes at The Butcher's Hook

Interview with General Manager Ant James

We take a behind-the-scenes look at The Butcher’s Hook pub at The Triangle and speak to General Manager Ant James.

We find out what goes into keeping the place running – well before the doors even open – and hear why Ant changed career from web development to the world of craft beer.

We also touch on the current state of the independent craft beer scene, and what he most enjoys about managing the pub.

And Ant talks us through some of the practical systems they’ve developed over the years – from stock control to staff management – to help keep things running smoothly in a very small space.

This 30-minute audio was recorded in January 2025, out of hours during morning set-up – so you might just notice a bit of authentic background noise!

It’s followed by an AI transcript.

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