When I took on Teal Farm three years ago, I walked in on day one and realised I had no idea how much kit I needed before the doors opened. I’d bought a glasswasher. I’d bought a till. Then the health inspector turned up and I was missing half the basics. This is the list I wish someone had given me. Use it. Print it. Tick it off. Don’t be me on opening day.
SECTION 1: THE BAR (The Kit That Wins Every Night)
Your bar is where the money comes from. Get this right.
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Glasswasher
You need a glasswasher on day one. Not on week two. Day one. I use a Buffalo DW467 and it’s the most reliable piece of equipment I own. It sits under the back counter, holds 20 pint glasses a cycle, runs every 90 seconds during service. The drain pump is non-negotiable – this is the rule that catches every new licensee out. You cannot run a gravity drain system in 99% of UK pubs. The Buffalo has a pump. It works. Buy it here: https://amzn.to/4ukKRuU
Budget: £300-400
Back Bar Fridges x2
Two, not one. One breaks down on a Friday night at 7pm and you’re pouring warm lager for three hours. I run two Polar GG2F back bar fridges from Nisbets (nisbets.co.uk – search “Polar GG2F”). Each holds 170 pints. On Saturday I need both running flat out. If you’re a wine bar or cocktail joint, you might need three.
Budget per fridge: £400-600
Ice Machine
You’ll use 20kg of ice on a Friday night. You cannot keep up with bagged ice from the cash and carry. Full stop. Get a 20kg-per-day ice maker. Nisbets stocks them. Get the stainless steel one if you’re in a high-volume pub. You’re using it 200+ times a week.
Budget: £600-900
Spirit Measures
Government-stamped measures. 25ml and 35ml. You need at least 12 of each. Buy two sets (24 total). One set gets lost. One set gets left in the till. This isn’t optional – you’re legally required to use approved measures for spirits.
Budget: £40-60
Optics and Speed Pourers
Optics (the measured pour systems) for your spirit bottles. Get six optic heads. Add six speed pourers for wine and water bottles. These clip onto bottle tops and let you pour a consistent pour in one smooth motion.
Budget: £50-80
Bar Mats and Drip Trays
Non-slip bar mats (at least 4 – one per till position minimum). Rubber drip trays under every optic. These stop sticky floors and dead spirits wasting profit.
Budget: £60-100
Glass Racks
You need at least 10 pint glass racks for the glasswasher. You’re running cycles every 90 seconds in service. You’ll have racks waiting to go in while others come out hot. Get commercial-grade racks that fit your glasswasher model. The Buffalo takes standard 400mm racks.
Budget: £100-150
Beer Line Cleaning Kit
Pythons and keg lines need cleaning. Hire a specialist to deep clean your system before opening (£200-300 one-off). Then buy a line-cleaning cartridge kit – CleanlineUK or similar. You’ll do a hot water flush every night and a chemical clean weekly. This costs £15-25 per week to maintain.
Budget initial: £200-300 specialist clean. Then £60-100 for your first chemicals kit.
CO2 Regulator and Gas Lines
Your CO2 comes in 10kg bottles on contract from Nisbets or a local gas supplier. You need a regulator (£80-120), high-pressure hoses (£30-50), and a low-pressure line kit (£40-60). Check with your supplier on opening – they’ll often install this for free.
Budget: £150-230
Wall-Mounted Bottle Opener
Mounted beside the till. Stainless steel. Non-negotiable. You use it 200+ times a week.
Budget: £15-25
SECTION 2: THE CELLAR (The Engine Room)
Your cellar keeps your beer and lager at 55°F and your reputation intact.
Cellar Cooling Unit
If you’ve got a cellar that isn’t climate controlled, you need a cellar cooler. At Teal Farm we maintain 55°F year-round. A Polar or Williams unit from Nisbets will cost £1,200-2,000 but it’s non-negotiable for quality. On a 30°C day in July with no cooling, your lager is undrinkable by 6pm.
Budget: £1,200-2,000
Keg Couplers (By Brand)
You’ll stock Carlsberg, Heineken, Guinness, Peroni – maybe 8-10 different brands. Each brand needs a branded coupler. Buy 2 of each coupler you’ll need. Couplers are cheap (£8-15 each) and they break or wear out. Stock them.
Budget: £100-200
Beer Line Cleaning Chemicals
Caustic for hot clean, acid for final rinse. Buy a case (10 cartridges) from a supplier. You’re spending £5-8 per cartridge. At one cartridge weekly, you need at least 12 in stock before opening.
Budget: £60-100
Cellar Thermometer
A big, readable thermometer that anyone can check. Non-negotiable for quality control and the EHO interview.
Budget: £15-30
Python Cooling System (If No Cellar)
If you don’t have a cellar (many new-build sites don’t), you’ll run a Python chilling system that cools the line itself. This is more expensive upfront (£300-500) and uses more electricity, but it works.
Budget: £300-500
SECTION 3: THE KITCHEN (Legal Requirements First)
The health and safety inspector will check these on opening day.
Probe Thermometers x3
You need three separate thermometers. One stays in the bain marie. One in your fridge. One is your handheld check thermometer. Legal requirement. Non-negotiable. Get Thermoworks digital probes.
Budget: £60-90 (£20-30 each)
Colour-Coded Chopping Boards (6 Colours)
Red for raw meat. Blue for fish. Yellow for poultry. Green for salad and vegetables. Brown for cooked meat. White for dairy/cereals. Buy commercial-grade boards. You need at least 2 of each colour.
Budget: £80-120
Colour-Coded Knives and Kitchen Utensils
Match the chopping board colour system. You need at least 2-3 knives per colour.
Budget: £60-100
Commercial Oven
Only if you’re doing food. Most new pubs start with frozen food (pies, wings, chips from the cash and carry). If that’s you, you don’t need a commercial oven – a standard commercial microwave and a deep fryer will do. But if you’re cooking fresh, invest in a proper commercial oven (£2,000-5,000+). This is a massive decision. Start small and expand if food takes off.
Budget: £0 (if frozen food only) or £2,000-5,000+ (if cooking fresh)
Bain Marie
If you’re serving hot food, you need a bain marie (heated serving well). Nisbets stocks Polar and Williams models. Budget £400-700.
Budget: £400-700
Heat Lamps
Keep food at temperature under the pass. Two heat lamps minimum. £150-250 each.
Budget: £300-500
Portion Scales
You need at least 2 calibrated portion scales for consistency and cost control. Legal requirement if you’re selling by weight.
Budget: £100-200
Food Storage Containers (Labelled)
Buy a bulk pack of GN containers in stainless steel with hinged lids. Label every single one with contents and date. At least 20 containers to start.
Budget: £150-250
Allergen Management System
You need a documented allergen system. Buy allergen symbols, labels, and ingredient logs. This is now legally required for every food item served.
Budget: £30-50
SECTION 4: CLEANING & HYGIENE (The Stuff That Gets Used Constantly)
Glasswasher Chemicals
Detergent and rinse aid. Buy a case of each (10 cartridges per case). You’ll run through these faster than you think. At 20 cycles per hour during service, you’re using a cartridge every 2-3 days.
Budget: £80-120 per case (so £160-240 for two cases to start)
Purple Line Bar Cleaner
Purple line is standard in UK pubs. It cuts grease and keeps your bar tops hygenic. Buy in bulk – 5 litre containers.
Budget: £40-60
Sanitiser Spray
Sterile surface spray for tables, bar, kitchen prep areas. Buy 3-4 spray bottles and a 5-litre concentrate.
Budget: £50-80
Colour-Coded Mop and Bucket Sets (4 Sets)
Red for bar area. Blue for toilets. Green for general areas. Yellow for kitchen. Each colour gets its own bucket and mop head. You’re not cross-contaminating toilets and the bar.
Budget: £80-120
Blue Roll Dispensers (3 Units)
Wall-mounted dispensers for kitchen and toilets. One per area. Non-negotiable for health compliance.
Budget: £40-60
Disposable Gloves (Bulk)
Box of 1,000 small, box of 1,000 medium, box of 1,000 large. You use these constantly. Buy in bulk from Nisbets.
Budget: £30-50
First Aid Kit (Catering Spec)
Not a domestic first aid kit. A commercial food handling first aid kit with blue plasters (no red ones – they show up in food). Legal requirement.
Budget: £40-60
Fire Blankets x2
One in the kitchen, one by the main exit. Legal requirement. You’ll never use them but you’ll need them on opening day inspection.
Budget: £30-50
Fire Extinguishers
Call a fire safety specialist. They’ll survey your site, install the right extinguishers (water, foam, powder, CO2 – depends on your layout), and train your staff. Don’t guess this one. It’s your legal responsibility.
Budget: £200-400 installation + training
SECTION 5: STAFF & ADMIN (The Backroom Kit)
Black Aprons (Staff)
Buy 12-15 aprons. They get dirty, they get lost. Staff need clean ones daily.
Budget: £40-60
Non-Slip Kitchen Shoes
Buy 5-6 pairs in various sizes. Legal requirement in a food handling environment. Your staff are slipping on wet floors without them.
Budget: £80-150
Order Pads
Duplicate order pads (bar + kitchen copies). Buy a bulk pack.
Budget: £15-25
Staff Noticeboard
Mounted beside the staff toilet. This is where health & safety notices, temperature records, rota changes, and reminders live. Legal requirement to display certain notices.
Budget: £30-50
Personal Licence
You need one. Everyone behind the bar pulling pints needs a personal licence. CPL Online (cpktraining.com) runs the fastest online course. 1-2 weeks. £99-150 per person.
Budget: £99-150 per staff member (minimum 3: you, deputy manager, senior staff member)
BII Membership
The British Institute of Innkeeping. Professional body. £180/year. Gets you industry discounts and updates.
Budget: £180/year
Food Hygiene Certificates
Everyone handling food needs Level 2 Food Hygiene. Online course, 3-4 hours, £20-40 per person. Do at least 5 people before opening.
Budget: £100-200
THE TOTAL COST: HONEST BUDGETS
Minimum Setup (Small Pub, Limited Food, 20 Covers):
– Bar equipment: £1,200-1,800
– Cellar: £300-500 (if no cellar cooling)
– Kitchen (limited): £200-400
– Cleaning & hygiene: £200-300
– Staff & admin: £300-400
– Total: £2,400-3,400
Recommended Setup (Standard Pub, Food Programme, 50 Covers):
– Bar equipment: £2,000-3,000
– Cellar with cooling: £1,500-2,200
– Kitchen (proper): £1,000-2,000
– Cleaning & hygiene: £500-700
– Staff & admin: £500-700
– Total: £5,500-8,600
Premium Setup (Food-Led Pub, 100+ Covers, Full Service):
– Bar equipment: £3,500-5,000
– Cellar with full cooling: £2,000-3,000
– Kitchen (commercial grade): £4,000-8,000
– Cleaning & hygiene: £1,000-1,500
– Staff & admin: £800-1,200
– Total: £11,300-18,700
These are real numbers from Teal Farm and 15 years in hospitality. Budget for the middle option unless you know your business model inside out.
One More Thing
You’ll spend money on stuff I haven’t listed here. Grease traps. Signage. Utilities set-up. Insurance. But the list above is the kit that wins or loses your opening week. Get it right, and you’ve built a foundation. Miss key items and you’re firefighting for months.
I still refer to this list three years in. Every time we expand or upgrade, we go back to the basics and ask: what does this equipment do? Does it work? Will it last?
That’s the mindset. Not the trendiest, not the flashiest – the reliable kit that does the job night after night.
Before you sign anything, know your numbers. Pub Command Centre gives you real-time labour %, VAT and cash position from day one. The tool that tells you if your equipment investment is actually working. £97 once. https://smartpubtools.com/5684-2/
Your margins are tight enough without guessing.
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