General Manager

Bristol Beacon; West of England; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol Beacon in Bristol is seeking a General Manager to lead the venue's hospitality operation across multiple outlets, including public bars, Colonnade Restaurant, conferences and private events. This senior role combines commercial leadership with hands-on team development in a fast-paced, event-driven environment.

You will own P&L, drive guest experience and profitability, build high-performing teams, manage revenue streams, and maintain a calm, visible leadership presence during major

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading large-scale hospitality operations.
• Proven ability to manage multiple revenue streams and budgets.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• Experience in live events or premium hospitality valued.

Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of the Bristol Beacon hospitality operation.
• Create a culture of exceptional service and continuous improvement.
• Ensure operational readiness across a varied programme of live events and activities.
• Maintain a strong presence during major events, supporting teams and driving performance.
• Take ownership of revenue, profitability, labour management and financial performance.
• Use forecasting to optimise sales opportunities.
• Identify ways to enhance guest experience while driving growth.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of managers across departments.
• Build high-performing, engaged teams.
• Champion talent development and employee engagement.
• Develop strong relationships with Bristol Beacon teams, event organisers and partners.
• Collaborate to deliver world-class event experiences.

Skills

Hospitality leadership

P&L ownership

People management

Commercial acumen

Operational excellence

Job description

General Manager: Bristol BeaconBristol. Full Time. PermanentUp to £60,000 + some great benefits and incredible experiences. Lead the hospitality function at one of the UK's most iconic live music and entertainment venues. Kestrel HR is delighted to be working again with Graysons Hospitality to find an outstanding General Manager to lead their hospitality operation at Bristol Beacon. Fresh from a landmark transformation, Bristol Beacon is one of the UK's leading music, cultural and live entertainment venues, welcoming internationally renowned artists, major touring productions, conferences, corporate events and hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of a complex, high-profile hospitality business at the heart of Bristol's cultural scene. From sold-out concerts and premium hospitality experiences to conferences, private events and artist catering, you'll lead a diverse operation that plays a vital role in the overall guest experience
and commercial success of the venue. We're looking for an exceptional hospitality leader who can combine commercial acumen, operational excellence and inspiring people leadership in a fast-paced, event-driven environment.

The Opportunity

As General Manager, you will lead the Graysons hospitality operation across Bristol Beacon's extensive food and beverage offering, including:

• Public bars and event hospitality
• The Colonnade Restaurant
• Conferences and corporate catering
• Private hire and special events
• Artist and crew catering
• Temporary event bars and large-scale live event operations

What You'll Be Doing

Leadership & Operational Excellence

• Lead all aspects of the Bristol Beacon hospitality operation.
• Create a culture of exceptional service, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Ensure operational readiness across a varied and dynamic programme of live events and commercial activity.
• Maintain a strong presence during major events, supporting teams and driving performance.

Commercial Performance

• Take ownership of revenue, profitability, labour management and financial performance.
• Use forecasting, planning and commercial insight to optimise sales opportunities.
• Identify innovative ways to enhance guest experience while driving growth and profitability.

People Development

• Lead, coach and develop a team of managers across multiple departments.
• Build high-performing, engaged teams capable of delivering consistently outstanding results.
• Champion talent development, succession planning and employee engagement.

Stakeholder Management

• Act as the senior day-to-day hospitality lead within the venue.
• Develop strong relationships with Bristol Beacon teams, event organisers, promoters and key partners.
• Collaborate closely with stakeholders to deliver seamless, world-class event experiences.

About You

You will be a proven hospitality leader with experience managing large-scale, multi-outlet operations where service, pace and commercial performance are equally important.

• Live music venues, arenas, stadia or entertainment venues
• Conference and exhibition centres
• Large-scale hospitality operations
• Visitor attractions
• Premium contract catering
• Corporate hospitality or event catering

You'll Bring

• Significant experience leading complex hospitality operations.
• Strong commercial and financial management skills, including full P&L responsibility.
• Experience managing diverse teams and multiple revenue streams.
• Exceptional leadership and communication skills.
• The ability to remain calm, visible and decisive in high-pressure environments.
• A passion for delivering memorable guest experiences.
• A hands-on approach combined with strategic thinking and strong commercial judgement.

Why This Role?

Some hospitality leadership roles are about maintaining standards. This one is about creating experiences. You'll have the opportunity to lead hospitality at one of the UK's most significant cultural venues, working at the intersection of live entertainment, food and beverage, commercial performance and guest experience. If you're passionate about hospitality, thrive in dynamic event-led environments and want to make a meaningful impact at an iconic venue, we'd love to hear from you.