Uniforms for pubs and bars

A traditional village pub, a sports bar and a cocktail lounge all need different kit. Here is how to choose. Here is how to choose for your venue. Start with the style.

Match the uniform to the pub

Traditional pubs often suit embroidered polos or knitwear in heritage colours like bottle green, burgundy or navy. Craft beer bars and city venues tend towards printed T-shirts, check shirts and denim aprons. Cocktail bars lean on black shirts, waistcoats and long aprons.

Whatever the style, a branded top makes it obvious who works there when the bar is three deep and a customer wants help.

The cellar is a workplace too

Changing kegs and gas cylinders in a cold cellar is real manual handling. A full keg is heavy and can crush a foot if it slips off a step. Safety footwear with toe protection is worth considering for staff who regularly do cellar work, along with gloves for handling cold, wet kegs. Cellars are cold, so a fleece or gilet helps whoever is on line cleaning duty.

Check your risk assessment for cellar tasks and train staff on safe keg handling.

Match days, quizzes and events

Themed nights and big sporting events are a chance to use printed T-shirts with an event logo or slogan. Beer festivals, outdoor bars and summer garden events can use the same approach, with matching tees for temporary staff so customers know who to ask. Order event tees in good time, and keep a few spare sizes for extra staff brought in on the day. Printed tees can also be sold to regulars as merchandise.

Where to put your logo

Embroider the pub logo on the left chest of polos and knitwear for a lasting, smart finish. For bars that want something louder, a printed back design on T-shirts works well and can change with the season. Waist aprons take a logo on one side so it is seen from the customer side of the bar. Keep event and festival tees separate from the everyday uniform so they feel special.

Ordering for pubs and bars

Most pubs and bars start with workwear polo shirts, cotton T-shirts and branded aprons. You can order from one garment and add more as you take people on. The logo price drops at 9 and again at 25 garments, and every garment with a small logo counts towards it, so mixing styles and colours still gets the better price. Before anything is made, we embroider an actual sample of your logo and email you a photo to approve, or you can pop in to our Hull workshop to see it.