Triumphant over his challenges in both his personal life and career, BII Ambassador Tim Skinner FII is a licensee with hospitality in his blood. Today, he thrives as the proud licensee of The Devonshire in Marlylebone – A bustling London pub at the heart of its community – alongside his three other pubs, The Kings Head and Prince Albert in Guildford, and The Lord Palmerston in Dulwich. Gabriel Bantleman MBII reports.
Like many, Tim’s hospitality career started early; on his 13th birthday to be exact. Eager to start working, Tim cycled to his local restaurant where he managed to land a role as a Saturday pot wash. “I loved it… I’m a doer and always like being productive — the hustle and bustle of the kitchen was really quite inspiring.”
Fast-forward to adulthood, Tim ventured into a multitude of roles spanning hotels, restaurants and pubs, spending many years as a General Manager (GM) for well-known companies. After nearly 10 years running a freehouse in Sussex, knock-on effects from business rates and other industry pressures resulted in difficult trading conditions, ultimately leaving Tim no option but to close his doors.
Emphasising that he’d never been someone to struggle mentally, he explained: “I’m very much a positive, get through anything, type of person… or at least I thought I was.” But after closing the pub, spending the pandemic alone, after losing his mum, and breaking up with his long-term partner, he found himself drowning and in a mental health crisis.
“Thankfully, I had a lot of help,” said Tim, highlighting the BII and LTC as key support providers, as well as his family and friends, with one friend offering him a place to stay in London.
“I went from the countryside to the big smoke. I packed a bag to go and stay for the weekend and ended up being there about a year and a half, until I started to feel better.”
Having overcome this difficult period in his life, Tim was ready to jump back on the horse and return to the trade. A conversation with Star Pubs presented an opportunity; they were looking for a manager for the Devonshire Arms in Marylebone, previously a tenanted pub, that had been closed during the pandemic.
“I think it was the right place at the right time. It was a great opportunity to get back into the trade and build my confidence back up,” said Tim.
Despite overcoming his own mental struggles, he still faced a number of challenges due to the lingering, post-pandemic problems. “When we first opened, it was table service only and a very slow start.” Although it wasn’t ideal, Tim said that it gave him the chance to get a feel for the pub, learn about his regulars and ease into the business.
He added: “I’ve now been here for five years, and I am absolutely loving it.”
By London standards, the Devonshire Arms is a relatively modern, around 100 years old, wetled pub on the humming streets of Marylebone, which sees Tim encountering a variety of customers.
“On weekdays, it’s very much about our loyal regulars who work in the area, stopping in for a mid-day or early evening pint.” He explained that customer numbers can go from zero to 100 very quickly, with the venue having to cope with 150 people walking through the door within the space of five minutes.
Historically, the pub closed at weekends, until Tim expanded the opening hours. “The customers we get on weekends are completely different to midweek — mainly shoppers and tourists, and it’s a much slower pace. The variety is nice.”
Proud of the reputation he has today, Tim highlights quality and speed of service as the key factors for his trading success.
With a team of 10 (including Tim), efficiency is a must. “Somebody who has an upbeat, positive personality and is willing to learn is really important — they don’t necessarily need to have hospitality experience if they tick those boxes.” His team works well together when adapting to sudden changes in footfall and “everybody is all hands-on deck”.
Tim finds value in having access to lots of training, facilities and experiences to allow him to support his staff. “I want to run a business people want to work in — we pay 15-20% over the market rate and if there is anything I can do in terms of development, that’s what I focus on.”
On quieter days, such as a Saturday, private hire keeps the Devonshire thriving. “We’ve done some really good pub weddings — it keeps things interesting.”
His local community consists of office workers, so companies’ Personal Assistants regularly book the meeting rooms downstairs.
Tim also welcomes some wellknown faces and friends, including the comedian Alan Carr, who visited to film his Bottoms Up podcast last December, the legendary winemaker Barbara Laithwaite and columnist and Chief of Wine, Libby Brodie.
Tim’s love for his community shines through as he shares how everyone enjoys seeing the pub thrive — even his neighbours, who often watch crowds build outside during peak hours. And in July each year, there is the local Marlow Bay Music Festival, which has been going strong for 10 years, raising money for homeless shelters and the London Mission. “We love getting involved, volunteering where we can.”
The Devonshire Arms wouldn’t be complete without one star employee in particular… the pub’s dog, Ted, who Tim labels “the real boss”. Tim Skinner at the Devonshire Arms Commonly found sunbathing in the doorway, Ted is a master at bringing in customers. “He’ll sit in the doorway, and people pass, come up to see him and he takes them in.” Not only that, but with over 400 followers on Instagram, Ted is quite the local celebrity. Be sure to follow @pub_dog_ted on Instagram and support the Devonshire’s top employee!
When it comes to his own socials, Tim (@therealpublandlord on Instagram) likes to take a personal approach. He strays away from generic salesy posts, instead using his platform to show his character — whether that’s about his personal achievements, pub updates, news, or opinions on current industry topics.
With decades of experience under his belt, Tim shares the following advice: always stay curious, whether that’s getting to know your team, or your regulars. “Getting to understand people is probably one of the biggest benefits of our industry.” Adding, coming to terms with the fact you can’t control everything. “There is always a solution somewhere, you’ve just got to take the time to work out what it is.”
Finally, Tim weighs in on the importance of doing what works for you — every pub is totally different and your version of success and your journey will look different to his.
Recognising his BII Membership as a fantastic pillar of support, Tim found the mental health helpline and other resources vital in his journey.
“You’ve got all these resources available to you — sometimes it’s easy to stay in your own bubble but there’s this big support network of genuine people who really want to help — the people behind the BII are amazing.”
Looking ahead with optimism and excitement, Tim will continue to promote the Devonshire Arms as a hireable pub space, whether for weddings, conferences or other events. Music is also on the radar: “I had my family piano relocated to my pub in Sussex and it was great; people would pop in and play — it brought the place to life.”
Tim has a love for pianos in public spaces, like train stations, and it might not be too long before a piano is brought to the Devonshire Arms, connecting and celebrating the community, with Tim (and Ted) at its very heart.
