Gavin Stewart, the man who has helped lead Cardiff city centre venue The Philharmonic to a record-breaking year has been promoted to area manager for Croeso Pubs Ltd.
Gavin, who has 21 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, will help oversee Croeso’s nine venues, including popular Cardiff hotspot The Philharmonic, where he has been general manager for the last 12 months.
Gavin began his career in the bar and nightlife industry and progressed into his first General Manager role in 2014, leading the iconic Flares venue in Cardiff.
Since then, he has worked in many sport-led, food-led, social gaming and nightlife venues, consistently driving sales growth, improved performance and breaking company records. He has also led the opening and refurbishment of sites across four cities in England and Wales, and supported area managers through stock control initiatives, recruitment processes and customer service training.
He joined Croeso Pubs in January last year, driven by a vision to make the iconic venue one of the very best bars in Cardiff. In that time, Croeso Pubs celebrated the biggest ever weekly sales at The Philharmonic – an accomplishment that was smashed just three weeks after its record-breaking Autumn Internationals turnouts. In one week, The Philharmonic had its biggest ever Friday sales and non-event Saturday sales.
Gavin said: “I joined Croeso Pubs with a clear goal, to make Philly the best bar in the city. I believed we achieved this goal and achieved daily, weekly, monthly, and major event-day sales records. We did this by enhancing the brunch live music and party offerings and driving sport in the venue. We also established a strong student connection delivering regular high performing student sessions. This standout trading performance played a key role in my promotion to Area Manager.
“An area of focus for me in this new role is junior management development, with plans to enhance training pathways and progression opportunities to support the next generation of Croeso leaders.”
Croeso’s portfolio includes Brewhouse, Philharmonic, Blue Bell, Retro, The Dock, The Discovery, The Bear’s Head, The Cricketers and Daffodil, with each venue contributing to the impressive total through a busy calendar of events, strong community support and consistent footfall throughout the year.
As Area Manager, Gavin will oversee all nine venues, supporting General Managers across the group by sharing best practice, strengthening operational standards, and using his vast experience across multiple concepts to help each venue reach its full potential.
Croeso Pubs Area Director Michael Haygarth said of Gavin’s appointment: “Gavin’s promotion is incredibly well deserved. His leadership at The Philharmonic has been exceptional, delivering record-breaking results while building a strong, motivated team and a venue that truly connects with its audience. He brings energy, experience and a clear vision, and we’re excited to see the impact he will have across the wider Croeso portfolio.”
