Right, let’s be honest – creating staff rotas week after week is a proper pain in the backside. You’re juggling everyone’s availability, trying to cover busy shifts, and inevitably someone calls in sick at the last minute. I’ve been there, and it’s frustrating as hell.
That’s why I’m giving you a completely free bar staff rota template that’ll save you hours each week. No strings attached, no hidden costs – just a practical tool that actually works for real pub landlords.
Running this problem at your pub?
Here's the system I use at The Teal Farm to fix it — real-time labour %, cash position, and VAT liability in one dashboard. 30-minute setup. £97 once, no monthly fees.
Get Pub Command Centre — £97 →No monthly fees. 30-day money-back guarantee. Built by a working pub landlord.
What You Get With Our Free Rota Template
This isn’t some fancy corporate nonsense. It’s a straightforward template designed by someone who’s actually run pubs:
- Simple Excel format that works on any computer
- Pre-formatted for standard pub shifts (mornings, afternoons, evenings)
- Space for notes about special events or cover needed
- Easy-to-read layout your staff will actually understand
- Printable PDF version for the staff notice board
The template covers everything from quiet Tuesday afternoons to mental Saturday nights. You can adapt it for your specific needs – whether you’re running a small village local or a busy town centre boozer.
Why Digital Staff Scheduling Beats Paper Templates
Now, whilst this free template will definitely help, I’ll be straight with you – there’s a better way. After years of dealing with paper rotas, staff mix-ups, and constant phone calls, I developed our free pub staff tracker as part of SmartPubTools.
Here’s what makes digital scheduling a game-changer:
- Real-time updates – Changes sync instantly across all devices
- Staff can check their shifts on their phones anytime
- Automatic reminders reduce no-shows
- Built-in staff gamification boosts team morale
- Track performance and hours automatically
The best part? It’s completely free for UK pub landlords. No monthly fees, no premium upgrades – just proper tools that make your life easier.
Get Started Today
Download the free rota template below and give it a go. But when you’re ready to ditch the paperwork for good, our digital platform is waiting. It takes about 5 minutes to set up, and your staff will love having everything on their phones.
Stop wasting time on admin that doesn’t make you money. Try SmartPubTools free today and focus on what really matters – running a brilliant pub that customers love coming back to.
Free Tool for UK Pub Landlords
Used daily at Teal Farm Pub, Washington NE38
The Pub Command Centre handles everything in this article — without a spreadsheet.
Wet GP%, dry GP%, labour costs, beer line cleaning logs (12 lines), HACCP temperature checks, stock ordering, weekly P&L. All in one system. Used every shift at Teal Farm where labour runs at 15.1% against a UK pub average of 25-30%.
On a pub taking £900k a year, running labour at 15% instead of 25% is worth roughly £90,000. That is what tracking it daily — every shift, every week — actually looks like.
£97 once. No subscription. No monthly fee. Works on any phone, tablet or laptop. Setup under 10 minutes. Built and used by a Marston’s CRP licensee with a 5-star EHO rating and 180 covers.
See the Pub Command Centre — £97 →
One-off payment. Works on any device. Used by a working licensee, not a software company that’s never pulled a pint.
SmartPubTools FOH App — Free, Forever
Built by a real pub landlord from the North East. Staff gamification, shift tracking, leaderboards and rota tools — free, no subscription, no credit card needed.
📊 Your EPOS tells you what sold. Pub Command Centre tells you whether you made money.
Real-time labour %, cash position and VAT liability in one dashboard. Built by a working pub landlord. £97 once, no monthly fees. 30-day money-back guarantee.
Takes 2 minutes · Free forever · Made for UK pubs
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Running your pub on gut feel?
The Pub Command Centre gives you wet GP%, cellar checks, staff cost and weekly P&L — from your phone, every shift. £97 once. No subscription.
See the Pub Command Centre →