From managing London pubs to running a coastal town pub, Sarah Jones-O’Shea and Maddie O’Shea MBII have used their individual experiences to put their stamp on the town and their pub, The Coach & Horses in Whitstable, Kent. The BII’s Teodora Pancheva MBII reports
Combined, Sarah Jones-O’Shea and Maddie O’Shea MBII have more than 40 years’ experience of working in hospitality, having been successful General Managers running East London pubs. So, when they decided it was time to take on their own business together, they opted to move out of the bustling city to the tranquil seaside town of Whitstable. They took over the Coach & Horses, a Shepherd Neame tenancy, in 2022 and since then have been making their mark on the north end of the Whitstable High Street.
Running a business together has meant big changes – but in the best ways. Maddie explains: “It’s so much better because you’ve got someone to share the workload. And we work well together, we have a similar kind of ethos.” The freedom that comes with running their own business quickly became apparent too. Sarah says: “I had reached the point, after gaining lots of experience across different venues, where it was difficult to work to someone else’s ideology…. And now that it’s just us, it’s exciting to see how everything we did for other people has come to fruition in our place – we’ve put our stamp on things.”
From the start, Sarah and Maddie brought their personal touch to the Coach & Horses, making it stand out from other, more traditional venues. “I think the whole pub is a story of us, as well as the story of all the people who come in,” says Sarah. Hundreds of polaroid pictures featuring pub customers are displayed on the walls, while small ornaments, which have been gifted by the patrons, decorate the venue. There is literally a little bit of everyone in the Coach & Horses. “It’s a creative space for us, a place to express ourselves, but also for our customers to express themselves as well,” says Sarah. Music is a key part of that creative freedom and every Friday and Saturday night the pub has DJs to entertain the crowds. There are 24 regular DJs, including Maddie herself, and the music is a big draw. Maddie says: “It has grown organically and become its own little monster – it’s amazing.”
Their unique approach to the pub has served to set it apart from others in Whitstable, with a changing offer that successfully appeals to a broad range of customers. Opening at mid-day, their regulars come in for beer and a game of pool. It’s a haven for the old-boys who have been drinking there for over 50 years, but by 3pm, the clientele changes as the pub becomes full with families on their way home from school, as well as with friends catching up over cocktails and pizzas, which are served outside in the courtyard. By 9pm, the venue moves into a full-on party mode. It’s an operating style that has grown organically over time, as the Coach & Horses became a home-away-from-home for many different groups. Sarah and Maddie have nurtured this by using every area of the pub to cater to their community’s needs – and it has paid off.
“We’re very accommodating to everyone who comes in. We want them to genuinely feel like they are a part of something, a part of this family,” says Sarah.
Within its small-town setting, the Coach & Horses relies on word-of-mouth over social media as the best marketing tool, yet only a few years ago the town thought the pub was closed for good. Maddie and Sarah moved to Whitstable just before the pandemic hit and saw first-hand how the Coach & Horses struggled. But, by giving the place a much-needed makeover and injecting some life back into it, local people were excited to get back through the door.
“This pub is 400 years old and we get so many people reminiscing about when they came here with their mum and grandparents. I think they were eager not to lose something that was a part of their history. People were really pleased that when we came in, we invested in the place,” says Sarah.
There is no shortage of community spirit at the Coach & Horses, with art exhibitions, showcasing local artists’ work once a month. While last year’s Whitstable Carnival saw the pub taking over the town square, with their DJ pumping up the town spirit for the all-day carnival. Sarah and Maddie have new plans afoot too, they are looking to add live bands to their music offering, and they are looking to work with other local small businesses to get some farmers’ markets up and running. “We’re in talks with the council, trying to see what the Coach [& Horses] can do, to be even more involved in the community, and have other business in on it too,” says Sarah. “And we’re starting Whitstable Pride next year as well!”
With two years at the pub under their belts, the couple have been reflecting on that first year. “We thought it was going to be a real struggle, but we seemed to hit the ground running and we’re constantly gaining momentum,” says Sarah. Thanks to the love and care they have put into the place, customers have remained loyal and there are always enough bums on seats.
“A lot of the people are regulars and locals, whereas other businesses here rely on the tourist pound. It’s a nice bonus that we’ve never had to do that,” says Maddie. However, with their new kitchen set to open in coming months, the Coach & Horses aims to operate on a 70/30 wet/dry split, and hopefully will attract more tourist trade during the summer season.
With Maddie and Sarah in the driving seat, the Coach & Horses is on an exciting path, with new plans and ideas ahead to keep serving the community and create local partnerships in 2025 and beyond.
