'I just love the characters' says crazy Leeds landlord who runs five pubs
A ‘crazy’ landlord who runs five pubs in Leeds shared his secret to success in the hospitality industry.
Sadib ‘Sid’ Mahiuddin moved to the UK from Bangladesh in the 1990s and worked in adult social for almost 30 years. He took over his first pub in 2022, and enjoyed it so much he snapped up four more establishments.
Sadib owns: The Swan and Talbot in Wetherby; West End House in Kirkstall; Shevin Inn in Mentson; the Crooked Clock in Hunslet; and The New Inn in Barwick-in-Elmet. The father of three, whose kids are aged 19, 15, and two, employs about 40 members of staff.
READ MORE: Leeds chocolate box village dripping in 'old English charm' where everyone knows everyone
READ MORE: Leeds man Barry Dracula raped teenage girl after meeting her on Snapchat, court hears
The first pub he signed the lease for was The Crooked Clock in 2022. His most recent acquisition has been The New Inn.
Explaining why he runs so many pubs, Sid said: “I’m just crazy. I just love pubs. Pubs have got lots of characters. Every pub that you go to are uniquely different, so much character and history behind them.
“I go to every pub and I sit down with the customers and speak to them directly, I always socialise with them. They talk about how the pubs were back in the day and it’s just amazing to hear.”
While each of his pubs share ‘amazing community vibes,’ Sid was quick to add how demanding the job role being a gaffer of five establishments was.
Sid said: “We are under a lot of pressure, it’s not easy. It needs lots of structures and time and involvement. To do all that, and multiply that as well, you have to be crazy. My day doesn’t really stop.”
The father-of-three said the secret to success comes down to his workforce. He said: “Supportive staff, the workforce. The dedicated people giving me their time to make this happen. My team are loyal, honest, efficient and hardworking. That is the secret.
“I could do 20 if I wanted to, it’s the matter of having the people who can do the work. The main thing I look for is the social skills. When people come in, they don’t just come to drink, they like to socialise as well.”
There comes a time when every landlord has to deal with bad behaviour, unfortunately. Sid has said he deals with this by being “honest and assertive.”
“I tell them, this is your pub and it belongs to the community,” he said. “Be respectful about it. If you give them respect then they’ll give you respect as well. It’s all about the positive approach. 99 percent of the time it works.”
He also runs charity Community Values Community Interest Company, helps to train people with learning difficulties to train in hospitality settings.
Get all the latest Leeds food, drink, events and shopping news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Best in Leeds newsletter here.
