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In Cork, the pub is more than just a business; it's the heart of the community. But for the publican, it’s a high-pressure balancing act. You're busy managing staff, delighting customers, and keeping the atmosphere alive. The last thing you want to see is a packed bar but a weak bottom line.

This is the "busy pub paradox": high turnover doesn't always equal high profit.

Why? Because profits in a pub don't just walk out the door; they leak away in small, unnoticeable drips. These drips, from minor over-pouring to unchecked supplier invoices, can add up to thousands of euros in loss per year.

As Cork's leading hospitality consultants, we've seen it all. Here are the five most common profit leaks we find in Cork pubs and how a professional stocktake is the only tool that can plug them for good.

Profit Leak #1: Unchecked Shrinkage and Waste
"Shrinkage" is the industry term for stock that's been lost, stolen, or spoiled and not accounted for. In a pub, this is your biggest enemy.

It's the pint of lager used for line cleaning but never logged. It's the premium gin used by a staff member who prefers it to the house brand. It's the "free pint" given to a regular without being put through the till. It's the bottle broken in the cellar that no one reports.

How Stocktaking Plugs This Leak: A professional stocktake calculates the exact variance between what your EPOS says you should have used and what you actually used. It puts a euro value on your shrinkage, turning a vague suspicion into a hard number you can't ignore. This allows you to set targets and hold staff accountable.

Profit Leak #2: Inaccurate Pricing and Poor GP Margins
This leak is more subtle. You're selling, but you're not making enough on each sale. Your Gross Profit (GP) margin is the bedrock of your business. Are you sure your prices are correct?

What if the price of your main keg went up 3% from the supplier, but you forgot to update the price on your till? You are now making 3% less on every single pint. What if your "cocktail of the week" is made with premium spirits but priced for a house pour? You're losing money with every shake.

How Stocktaking Plugs This Leak: We don’t just count. We analyse your invoices and your till prices. Our GP report will immediately flag a product with a low or negative margin. We can pinpoint exactly which keg, wine, or spirit is under-priced, allowing you to make an immediate change and restore your profitability.

Profit Leak #3: Inefficient Ordering (Over-stocking)
Cash flow is king. And in a pub, "dead stock" is dead cash. That case of artisan-flavoured vodka you bought as a "special" that's now gathering dust in the store room? That's cash you can't use to pay staff, suppliers, or yourself.

Over-stocking ties up your money, increases the risk of stock going out of date, and makes your cellar a disorganised mess, which only leads to more waste.

How Stocktaking Plugs This Leak: Our detailed reports show you exactly what's selling and, crucially, what isn't. We provide a clear "stock on hand" valuation. This data empowers you to stop ordering based on gut-feel and start ordering based on demand. You can run a leaner, more efficient operation with cash in the bank, not on a shelf.

Profit Leak #4: Unmonitored Staff Pours and Freebies
Let's be clear: the vast majority of bar staff are honest and hardworking. This isn't about a lack of trust; it's about a lack of systems.

Without a system, there's no benchmark. Is a "generous" pour of whiskey 35.5ml or 45ml? That 10ml difference, multiplied over hundreds of pours a week, is a massive loss. Are free "staff drinks" at the end of a shift logged? If not, it's shrinkage.

How Stocktaking Plugs This Leak: A regular, professional stocktake creates a culture of accountability. When staff know that stock is being measured accurately and professionally, standards rise automatically. Pours become more consistent. Wastage is recorded properly. Our report can identify if your vodka yield is consistently lower than your gin yield, suggesting a training issue (or a problem) with a specific product line.

Profit Leak #5: "Ghost" Deliveries and Supplier Errors
You and your team are busiest when the delivery driver arrives, often during the morning rush. You sign the docket, the kegs are rolled into the cellar, and you get on with your day.

But was it the right number of kegs? Were you charged for the two cases of wine you ordered, or the three on the invoice? Supplier errors are common, and they are almost never in your favour.

How Stocktaking Plugs This Leak: Our audit creates a full paper trail. We take your invoices and delivery dockets and check them against what's on the shelf. If you were invoiced for 10 cases but we can only find 9 (and sales don't account for it), we've just found a "ghost" delivery. We've helped Cork publicans reclaim hundreds of euros in credits from suppliers who made simple (but costly) errors.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Cork Pub's Finances
Your pub's profit margin is too important to leave to chance. These five leaks are draining cash from your business every single day, and you can't fix what you can't measure.

A professional stocktake from our professional stocktaking services in Cork is not an expense. It's an investment. It is the single most powerful tool you have to find these leaks, plug them permanently, and take back control of your hard-earned profits.