Visitors to refurbished country dining pub, The Kitchen at The Cross Keys, Epperstone in Nottinghamshire are assured of a “Right Royal” welcome thanks to a highly successful business relationship between RecruitForMyPub.com and Hawthorn Leisure, the pub company that thinks differently.
RecruitForMyPub.com, which offers a specialist end-to-end recruitment service to their pub company partners, is part of MyPubGroup.ltd, while Hawthorn Leisure owns and operates over 300 leased and managed pubs across England, Scotland and Wales.
It was through RecruitForMyPub.com that Hawthorn Leisure signed former Royal Chef, Des Sweeney and his business partner Trish Conway to take over as the leaseholders of The Cross Keys at Epperstone, Nottinghamshire. Two years on, the site has been restyled and rebranded as The Kitchen at The Cross Keys. The pub is hugely popular with locals and visitors to the area and menus are changed on a daily basis to reflect what’s on offer from its local suppliers.
Des Sweeney, Partner at The Cross Keys, commented: “My business partner, Trish and I have always wanted our own pub, luckily with timing on our side, there was an ‘Open Day’ hosted by Hawthorn Leisure at The Cross Keys. The location and setting were perfect. Despite the site being dark, damp and unloved we could see the potential to re-develop and create a business that we could call our own. The team at RecruitForMyPub.com gave us regular updates on progress, as well as tremendous support with the recruitment of our staff.
Our pub is a welcome and much-loved addition to Epperstone with extensive outdoor seating for the summer months and a log fire between the lounge and the restaurant to cosy up to during winter evenings. It even has “Pony Parking” for those who want to tether up their horse while enjoying a pint and a snack inside!”
Des’ culinary expertise which has already delighted visitors to food and drink festivals around the Midlands, will soon be appreciated nationwide. He has been filmed by a television camera crew for the Michael Buerk-presented programme Royal Recipes, creating a main course of Venison Wellington and Crepes Islandaise, a dessert first served to The Queen and Prince Philip on a state visit to Iceland.
All in all, another success story for the ever-strengthening partnership between RecruitForMyPub.com and Hawthorn Leisure, which was established to acquire, invest in and support pubs across the UK. Its strategy is to work closely with its Partners, providing management support and capital investment to help drive growth and maximise the potential of the pubs.
Rachael Nixon, Head of Operations at RecruitForMyPub.com, commented:
“Hawthorn Leisure has sourced 83% of its lets through RecruitForMyPub.com during the last 12 months. The relationship that we have works effortlessly and the fact that we have now worked together for nearly 5 years is testament to this success.
Being Hawthorn Leisure’s fully outsourced end-to-end recruitment provider means that we help to match make pubs with leaseholders and can also recruit staff in advance of a pub opening to the general public.”
Andrew Parker, Operations Director at Hawthorn Leisure, commented:
“The working relationship we have with RecruitForMyPub.com is unique and without their support finding the right candidates would be a far more difficult process.”
The Brewhouse, Sutton Farm,
Holloway, Claverley, Bridgnorth,
Shropshire, WV5 7DD
Phone: 01902 374940