FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO NEXT DOOR
Christy Parker speaks to a Youghal off licence holder who has come a long way.

When Bradley Beard’s dad Neville, urged his son Bradley not to make his travel adventure from South Africa merely “a two month trip,” neither party could have foreseen how emphatically his advice would be taken. It has been over twelve years now and it’s fair to say that Bradley’s subsequent distractions as a married father of four and proprietor of a Youghal off licence are far more enticing to him than re-negotiating his roots in the southern hemisphere. “Yeah, life’s much better here,” he concurs with a smile.

Bradley’s story is a wonderful advocacy for placing one’s palm in the hand of faith with a ready willingness to be led to one’s destiny. It’s about every physical journey having a personal counterpart that defines the real exploration, while reminding that there is a unique story within us all.

Bottles everywhere…

The South African was born the middle offspring of two girls and a boy in Durban 32 years ago. His elder sister Leanne lives in Johannesburg, while his younger sibling Nicole is about to return to South Africa from Mogeely believe it or not, having followed her brother to Cork, where she met and married a fellow South African!

Bradley’s present profession was earmarked at an early age, as his granddad Ken, owned an off licence franchise that included many branches across the region. Amongst his grandfather’s properties, stood “the largest off licence in the southern hemisphere” recalls Bradley of a 2,200 sq. ft. monstrosity that was also a wholesaler to pubs and other off licences. Bradley was reared amongst such shelves and as a schoolboy spent much of his holidays packing them with cans and bottles. Yet for all the booze on his horizon, he never saw a beer keg until he arrived in Ireland! “It’s largely bottles and cans over there,” he dismisses “I never even tasted draught beer until I came here.”

…and shorts –in winter

Leaving school at 18, he entered the family trade and in due course rose to manager status. Four years later, his curiosity beyond drink, Durban and South Africa saw him pack his bags for exploration. “Having spent my life so close to my family I needed to travel to grow as a person and to establish my independence,” he explains reasonably His grandfather, supportive, financed a flight that was originally planned towards a friend in Scotland but which he altered to visit former school friends in Cobh instead. He arrived in Ireland in January wearing shorts and IR£300 in his wallet. He soon reduced that sum by the price of a proper pair of trousers!

He had no preconceived idea of Ireland, though his grandfather (since deceased) hailed from here, but he “loved it immediately.” Tall and burly, he quickly hoped on the back of the passing Celtic Tiger and found work with a security firm, mostly being sent to parade the wards and grounds of the South Infirmary. “It was so easy to get work back then, once I had been validated by the gardaí,” he recalls.

Marriage

Eventually switched employment to labouring on in construction around Cobh, celebrating day’s end in busy local hostelries with his newly discovered reason to live called ‘draught beer’ no doubt! Affable and humorous, he exchanged lingering glances with a barmaid in the Admiral bar who happened also to be Dawn, the landlord’s daughter. Doubtless still conscious if his father’s recommendation to take his time abroad, he subsequently married that same Dawn Murphy, in 2005. They reside sill in Cobh along with their four girls Courtney (10), Kelsey (8), Hailey (6) and Taryn (4).

Marriage and parenthood redefined Bradley’s ambitions. “I needed a stable income and so returned to retail,” he recalls. He found work as a night manager with Tesco’s, first in Mitchelstown and then Wilton. It was difficult finding quality time with family while working nights. Then in 2009 he found day work managing a cash and carry outlet in Cork, whose owners Galvin’s also owned the premises housing the Next Door off licence at O’Brien’s Place in Youghal. When Galvin’s went into liquidation, they recommended him to the premises new owners, Aqua Blue, from whom he agreed to take out his current lease on Next Door, close to Green Park, in July 2010.

Thank you

Commuting daily to the counter from Cobh is not easy but is part of life that he compares very favourably with the one he abandoned in Durban. “Ireland is far safer and a far better place to raise children,” he explains. “The people here are friendly in so many ways and furthermore highly supportive. I cannot exaggerate how good Youghal people have been to me too, supporting me even during times when supermarkets have promotions and lower prices. I really appreciate that and it’s a pleasure to be part of their community every day and to try to provide a good personal service in return.”

If here is one aspect of Irish life he finds inferior to his native country it’s “the weather.” He misses the milder winters and summers when the sun actually puts in an appearance. “But that’s a small quibble in the greater scheme of things,” he smiles, speaking in the accent that probably has him regularly mistaken for an Australian. “Rates are high here too,” he observes momentarily before deciding not to dwell on it.

Armed security

More relevant, if no less considerable, are the comparisons between his trade here that as persists in his native country. “In South Africa off licences open from 7 am to 7 pm but have to close on Sundays. As a manager it’s much more hands-on here too, especially in small premises. Over there I’d probably be delegating to a several staff, as off licences tend to be far larger,” he elaborates.

There are more dramatic contrasts too. “There is far more crime in South Africa. I’d actually be worried about my family while at work. I’d have to admit my customers through a buzzer system and have armed guards on the premises,” he explains. He was robbed at gun point once while closing up and reveals that “it influenced my decision to leave South Africa at the time. Neither is there any social welfare in South Africa,” he adds, “so if you lose your livelihood, you are totally bereft. The poor get no state assistance and a visit to a South African slum puts a lot of poverty in the developed world into huge perspective.” It instantly strikes one from that consideration that provision of social welfare helps to alleviate crime.

With offers like eight and 10 cans for a tenner, there are people in Ireland who argue that the off licence trade itself is ‘criminally’ undermining the nation’s traditional pub trade! He accepts the point but declines to elaborate on it, limiting his opinion to being unable “to comment on how pubs manage their businesses,” while adding that he “really would love to see pubs busy as they were when I first arrived. It was fantastic but times change for many reasons.”

Conscience

Of more concern to him, he says, are “people who have drink problems. I have tried to talk some people who have come in here out of buying alcohol,” he proceeds “and have refused to serve people on that basis. I tell them it’s ok to come in for a chat or a coffee but I don’t want to be responsible for anything bad happening to them or their families. Most accept it well.”

A similar conscience applies towards underage drinkers or those who would wish to supply them. “I have a good relationship with the gardaí,” he begins. “I ask for ID and I will phone the gardai” (who can also be described as ‘next door’), if I suspect someone is buying for someone underage. I feel strongly about that and anyway this is also my family’s bread and butter. I certainly won’t jeopardise it.”

Staggering

For those who do purchase alcohol from Next Door, the range is as staggering as can be the effect of drinking it. Spirits, beers and wines from across the globe contradict man’s warlike propensities as they stand shoulder in perfect peace, ready to exhilarate some curious palate. “There is a growing trend now towards are speciality beers,” says Bradley, indicating beers that carry a distinctive after-taste. “There’s a banana beer from Britain and I believe there’s a chocolate beer coming soon.” Then is the wide variety of ginger beers and British ales, not to mention Savannah, South Africa’s favourite dry cider.

If a product is not there, the ever-obliging Bradley will try to get it for you, reflecting one area of enterprise that the big chain supermarkets are unlikely to meet. Presently he is trying to source a Ghana beer for a customer. “I’m waiting for the suppliers to return my call,” he muses, one eye directed toward his telephone.

Working long hours in a suffering economy does not allow the rugby-loving (what South African isn’t?!) proprietor much time for recreation, When time does allow, he particular enjoys fishing, whether teasing trout from a quarry lake in Mallow or simply casting from a beach. Whatever else he catches, a flight back to South Africa won’t be amongst them.

Inquiries/orders from Next Door off licence, O’Brien’s Place; Tele: 024-90500