Casual Bar Assistant

NEW VIC

Casual Bar Assistant Information Pack 2026

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in the post of Casual Bar Assistant at the New Vic Theatre.

We are looking for Casual Bar Assistants to join our busy team to provide excellent customer service to our audiences. Bar experience is preferable but full in-house training will be provided. What matters to us the most, is taking pride in what you do and a willingness to learn. If you are able to work as a proactive team member in a busy environment and use your excellent customer service skills when serving our customers, then we want to hear from you.

Due to the nature of our business, this role is offered on a casual contract. This will include evening and weekend work, and potentially covering shifts at short notice.

Hourly rates are paid at National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (depending on age).

The deadline for applications is Friday 28 August 2026 at 10am.
Interviews will be held week commencing 7 September 2026.

We hope that this pack will answer all your questions but if there is anything else you would like to know about the role or working at the New Vic, please do get in touch on 01782 381371 or by email at recruitment@newvictheatre.org.uk

Bar Assistant Role Information

Contract

This role is offered on a casual contract and you will be offered work as required.

Pay

Hourly rates are paid at National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (depending on age) and are paid into the employee’s bank account on a weekly basis.

Hours of work

As a casual employee you are not guaranteed a minimum number of hours per week however, the average number of shifts is between 2 and 5 per week.

Your hours will be scheduled by the Bar Manager in advance. Prior notice of a shift will be given via rota however, you may be asked to cover at short notice. Shift times vary depending on performance times and needs of the department so candidates will need to be flexible and able to cover a mixture of shift patterns.

Holiday pay

Holiday pay is calculated at the rate of one eighth of the total earnings for each week and paid weekly.

Sickness

If for any reason you are unable to attend work due to illness, you must inform the Bar or Catering Manager as soon as possible on the day that you are scheduled to work.

Notice Period

If you wish to terminate your employment with the New Vic Theatre, one weeks notice is required. Similarly, the New Vic will give you one weeks notice if we wish to terminate your employment.

Training

Full in-house training will be provided. All training sessions will be paid for at the appropriate rate.

General

All offers of employment are subject to the candidate being able to provide suitable proof of their eligibility to work in the UK.

Bar Assistant Job Description

Help to prepare the bar for service.

Provide a friendly and efficient service to customers.

Engage in cash handling and use of the card machine.

Organise and restock lines.

Clear tables across the whole of the catering department.

Adhere to trading standards use of measures as signposted on the bar.

Prepare interval / post show drinks orders.

Adhere to COSHH, health and safety and company policies and procedures.

Any other duties as may reasonably be required by the Bar Manager or Catering Manager.

Person specification

These are the qualities we are looking for in our Bar Assistant:

Essential Criteria

Experience of dealing with members of the public and providing good customer care.

Ability to work flexible and unsociable hours.

Ability to cover shifts at short notice.

Calm, organised, efficient and thorough.

Desirable Criteria

Previous bar experience.

Interest in theatre and the arts.

‘Staffordshire’s New Vic proves what a regional theatre with ambition and imagination can do’. The Guardian

The New Vic is unique. The first purpose-built theatre-in-theround in Europe and a ground-breaker in the integration of professional theatre-work with an extensive community and education programme, we make theatre that is valued by local audiences and recognised nationally and internationally.

We believe in the power of theatre to change lives. We also believe that everyone should have access to great theatre and on average 180,000 people visit the New Vic each year.

The New Vic has forged a national reputation for producing first class theatre. We have a full in-house creative team, including costume, scenic workshops, lighting, sound and design.

Our extensive community and education programmes reach over 25,000 people annually, with award-winning New Vic Borderlines, and New Vic Education departments ensuring we are key to the cultural life of the region. Alongside this the theatre leads Appetite, an Arts Council England Creative People & Places programme, to engage more people in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire in the arts.

The New Vic is a registered charity with a turnover of £5 million and operates thanks to a unique partnership between Arts Council England, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council.

“wildly inventive, energetic and hilariously clever” Stoke Is Where The Heart Is on The Hound of the Baskervilles (2026)

“A feast of graceful movement, brilliant light and soulful music” What’s On Staffordshire on The Little Mermaid (2025)

“a tasty gem of a production” The British Theatre Guide on Big Big Sky (2025)

“A nostalgic glimpse into Stoke’s history and culture” A View to a Kiln on Whatever Happened To Phoebe Salt (2025)

“visually impressive and directed with verve” The Stage on A Matter of Life and Death (2025)

“action thrills aplenty, from start to finish” The Observer on The Three Musketeers (2024/25)

“a dark and dynamic production, ravishing in both senses” The Guardian on The Company of Wolves (2024)

Applying

The New Vic aims to attract, develop and retain the best talent for all roles and will always appoint based on merit. We consider that diversity is good for the art we make, good for artists, good for audiences, and good for the cultural sector.

The New Vic is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity in our workforce and positively encourage applicants from all sections of the community, particularly applicants under-represented across the arts workforce, especially applicants with a disability, applicants who are LGBTQIA+ or applicants of African or Caribbean heritage, South, East and South-East Asian heritage or anyone who experiences racism.

How to apply

Please forward your CV and a covering letter giving a brief outline of why you think you would be suitable for this role and how your skills match the person specification to recruitment@newvictheatre.org.uk using the subject line Bar Assistant, or post them to Administration Department, New Vic Theatre, Etruria Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 0JG.

The deadline for applications is Friday 28 August 2026 at 10am. Interviews will be held week commencing 7 September 2026.

We want to make sure that our application process is accessible to everyone, so please do tell us if you need any of this information in another format (e.g. large print, audio).

New Vic Theatre, Etruria Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 0JG. Stoke-on-Trent & North Staffordshire Theatre Trust Ltd. Company registration number: 911924. Charity registration number: 253242. The New Vic Theatre operates thanks to partnership between Arts Council England, Newcastle-Under-Lyme Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council.