Public houses as multiple retailing: Peter Walker & Son, 1846-1914

The operation of Liverpool public houses by the company Peter Walker & Son during the period 1846 to 1914 was distinguished by an adherence to their direct management, as opposed to the tenancy model espoused by most brewers in the period. The employment of managers was accompanied by detailed monitoring of performance, the construction of a managerial hierarchy and a focus on the appearance of the houses, features which reinforce the predominantly retail orientation of the company. This distinctiveness is related to broader features of the Liverpool context to argue that an institutionalist approach that gives due weight to both economic and cultural factors is needed in exploring the development of management practice.