When the booking system goes down: what a shift leader can do

Some pubs could not view existing bookings or take new ones on Thursday after an outage affecting DesignMyNight and Access Collins, The Morning Advertiser reports. Venues told guests to bring their booking confirmations, and one asked customers to be patient while every booking was treated as a surprise.

The systems are used across thousands of venues. The cause and scale had not been confirmed when the report was published.

On your shift: a plan for when the diary disappears - Ask guests to show their confirmation email or text at the door, and note names and covers on paper. - Keep a printed or downloaded copy of the day's bookings from the night before, if your system allows it. - Hold back a couple of tables for walk-ins and bookings you cannot see, rather than filling every seat early. - Brief the team before doors so everyone gives guests the same message. - Point guests to phone or walk-in for new bookings, and log them in one place. - Check the supplier's status page and tell your manager what has happened.

So what: an outage is not your fault, but how the door is handled is down to the shift. A paper backup and a two-minute briefing keep service calm.