Back in March, to celebrate International Woman’s Day, DRAM celebrated a few of Scotland’s inspirational female general managers who are making their mark on the licensed trade.
They spoke with our very own Geraldine Murphy – who runs Glasgow whisky institution The Pot Still with her brother Frank and dad Brian – about her career, working with family and what she loves about the licensed trade.

Name: Geraldine Murphy

Role: Co-owner, The Pot Still

Location: Glasgow

Age: 33

Geraldine Murphy has co-owned popular whisky bar The Pot Still in Glasgow with her brother Frank and dad Brian for five years but has worked behind the bar for 14 years.
She says, “My dad’s owned bars in Glasgow forever so I’ve always been in the trade, since I was 19. Frank was working as manager at The Pot Still and asked me to cover a shift and I never left!
“I worked my way up to assistant manager, left to be a manager in the Harbour Lights in Irvine then came back when we took over.”
Geraldine says her staff and customers are why she loves the job: “People want to talk to you about whisky and have a conversation. We get people from all over the world. It’s nice to hear people’s different stories.
“I also love seeing our staff do well and move into jobs in the whisky industry. It’s a testament to their passion.”
Geraldine’s advice for women looking to move up the licensed trade is, “Be your own person and as long as you’re firm, fair and confident you’ll do well.”
When it comes to working with her family, Geraldine admits, “Me, Frank and dad get on really well but, like with most family businesses, there’s times I want to strangle them! But I don’t think it would work without the three of us.”