Wine bar’s brutally honest job ad achieves unexpected success

Five & Lime wine bar in Guildford in Surrey has posted an unusual job advertisement, listing “mediocre pay, horrendous hours and lousy work conditions” among the ‘benefits’.

The job advert, displayed on a sheet of paper, was spotted by Twitter user Ruth Mitchell. On first glance appearing like any other bar staff request, Five & Lime goes on to list a “demeaning work programme, mediocre pay, horrendous hours, lousy work conditions, practically no benefits whatsoever, and strictly no social life”. Potential applicants are advised to “ask at the bar”.

Darren Ayres, owner of the wine bar, told The Telegraph that he was “quite taken aback by the interest” in the job advert.

“It has meant that we have had to ramp up the message when putting out a job advert having had very little response from a previously more staid advert. We ourselves have been caught off guard at the response that has been generated by the window advert both locally and further afield,” Ayres said.

He continued that he had been forced to be more creative with his adverts following increased competition for catering staff in the area.

Today’s award for the most honest job ad goes to…. @fiveandlimebar pic.twitter.com/kEoNKLH148

— Ruth Mitchell (@BeerFaerie) August 21, 2017

He added: “It was clearly meant to be tongue-in-cheek, with a touch of honesty thrown in. And we are happy that it made people smile.

“Hopefully my new staff will not keep me to the job description, but you never know!”

Five & Lime is located on Leapale Road in central Guildford and is popular with students from the nearby University of Surrey.