Looking to move on from his role as an area manager for Whitbread, and with a history of success in and around the pub sector — having run 15 pubs previously — Jason drove home past the closed House in the Tree for the second time in a year. Looking run down and unloved, Jason saw an opportunity, confident that he could turn the pub around, where others had failed. And having negotiated an impressively low rent for the first year, he and his wife Donna, began to make it their own.
Armed with his last month’s wages and £5,000 on a credit card, they spent three months clearing, renovating and cleaning, opening with a small menu and a refreshed drinks range. Thirteen years later, they have invested a huge amount of time, effort and their own money into making the House in the Tree the roaring success it is today, with an impressive turnover and a loyal team, including Linda, their chef, who has been with them for over 10 years.
Selling 20 trays of hand-made pies a week (their signature dish) and supported by a staple menu of fish and chips and family friendly meals, they have a 60/40 split in favour of dry sales, with people coming from all around to visit them. So, what makes the pub so special?
An accidental purchase by her son of two Kuni Kuni pigs as a gift for Donna (he thought they were micro pigs — they were not!) was the start of the Petting Zoo, which is now home to goats, bantams, guinea pigs and more. This draw means they can avoid promotions and discounts, focusing on the experience that people get when they visit the pub, including becoming a stopover point for small motorhomes and campervans.
Being family focused, with the zoo, a large garden and newly refurbished play area, Donna and Jason like to attract families to come, play and stay.
“Every pub in the area wants the income from families, but they don’t want children there all day, they want families to come in, eat, but then go.
“We want families to come and stay for the whole day! So we’ve got a football pitch, we’ve got the animals, we’ve got an ice cream shack and a fantastic children’s play area.”
They have recently started providing live music in the garden on a Sunday afternoon — another reason for families to stay even longer — although Jason says they don’t want to become a music venue. Instead, it’s about giving people (especially those with young families) somewhere to come, chat, connect and enjoy music in the background.
Their traditional approach to a “proper pub” with hand pulls and a quirky, nostalgic interior showcasing the history of the venue, also gives them a loyal following of regulars, sports teams and support for the community via their charity events.
Something that will ring true for a lot of licensees is the integral part they play as Landlord and Landlady of the pub. If they aren’t there, takings are usually down, proving that people go to the pub for the people (not just the beer!). That puts pressure on them to be constantly visible, but luckily Jason can’t seem to keep away, even popping in on his days off.
Running a pub is about so much more than just being in charge of a business — to make it a success, you need all the right factors in place, at the right time and with a whole lot of heart, soul, passion and commitment. It’s also about knowing your audience.
They both place a huge importance on community, both for their success as licensees, but also as part of their reason ‘why?’ Jason commented: “As you can probably tell, we talk to everyone, we know everyone, we’re part of this community — everyone knows us. It’s about talking to people — a lot of our regulars are either widowed or divorced. They’ve got no one to talk to if they don’t come to the pub.”
Jason admits that they would like to have a higher GP on their wet sales, but putting their prices up to where they really need to be, would potentially mean driving down footfall and risking the loyalty of their regulars — a delicate balancing act that so many pubs have to perform.
“There is only so much you can keep putting on — especially with our regulars. We’ve put prices up on beer by 30p or 40p — it’s not enough, but we have to look after the customers.” With all the experience they have, what is the best advice they could give to new licensees coming into the trade?
“Don’t spend lots of money doing the pub up – it’s about atmosphere, how good your food and drink is. Then invest in things when you can — don’t get loans out, only invest when you have the money to spend. Keep your money in the bank, and not in your cellar. Keep your cash flow tight!”
And when it comes to staffing, Jason says they could run the pub with fewer team members, but they like to make sure people are served well, as well as giving employment opportunities to local people.
Donna and Jason paint such a brilliant picture of a vibrant pub that manages to be a destination venue, a family hub, a local’s home from-home and an essential part of the community. They never rest on their laurels, constantly reinvesting in, and reinventing their business to make it the best it can be — making it “different to the rest”, but managing to keep the best bits of a traditional pub at the heart of the House in the Tree.
