Butcher and restaurateur are pub partners

NIGEL Sutcliffe and Barry
Wagner are the new proprietors of the Three Tuns pub in Market Place, Henley. Nigel is the owner of the Oarsman bistro in Marlow and is married with two children. Barry is the owner and operator of award-winning butchers Gabriel Machin, next door to the pub. Nigel answers the questions.

Describe your business

The Three Tuns is a pub and chop house, a partnership between a butcher and restaurateur founded on a long-term friendship.

How many people does it employ?

Twenty-two currently — two in the office who take care of reservations, social media and marketing, eight in the kitchen and 12 front of house — a mix of full- and part-time.

What did you do before you started this business?

Barry has owned and operated Gabriel Machin butchers for more than 20 years and I have been in hospitality for nearly 40, most notably the Fat Duck in Bray with Heston Blumenthal from 1994. I have owned the Oarsman in Marlow for four years.

When did you start your
business?

We took the property in March with Brakspear and, after significant investment and some serious services issues, we opened our doors on May 23.

What was your objective?

To build a popular pub using the high-quality ingredients that Machins is renowned for, making people happy and having some fun on the way.

Who or what influenced you?

This project is slightly different because we are joining two already successful businesses. However, we still need to work out all the moving parts, which will take us a couple of months to work through. Barry came up with the idea in lockdown because he missed the pub.

Do you have a mentor or role model?

I have had many over the years but I remember a dressing down from my first boss Ian Leslie. I’d been on the job about a week when he called me into his office and said, “Nigel, I’m more than capable of screwing up my own business, I don’t need to employ you to screw it for me.” He was inspirational.

What would you do differently if you could start again?

I think being naive is a good thing. If you knew what was coming at you, all the challenges, all the unimaginable roles you fulfil, all the odd jobs that fall to you, all the hours you need to put in, and the sacrifices made, you might never take it on.

How is your business doing compared with last year?

The Oarsman is 15 per cent up in terms of revenue but, like most businesses with increasing costs, net profit is the same. One of the things I’ve only realised recently is that in hospitality we need to continue to grow top-line revenue in order to make financial progress.

Do you compare on a regular basis?

Margins in pubs are very tight, particularly with ever-increasing staff costs. Every day will surprise you in terms of revenue — it’s either feast or famine and is never consistent. You need to try to forecast as best you can and in an ever-changing market place there is little to base that on. It is better to focus on improving the product and services for tomorrow than looking at spreadsheets.

What would you like to change?

Fewer taxes. When you buy a bottle of gin, 47 per cent of the cost is tax and as a business owner we pay 47 per cent on our revenue against our net profit of between nine per cent and 14 per cent if we manage it well. That’s unreasonable.

How do you market your business?

Word of mouth from trusted friends, colleagues and family is still the best and generally more honest than the keyboard-influenced comments. Increasingly, social media gives you a wider window to put out your message and an idea of what you’re all about using pictures.

What’s the best thing about running your own business?

For me it’s a reflection of your personality, being able to showcase fabulous produce from wonderful suppliers. That is a real privilege. You get to build a team with whom you want to work. Being responsible for improving people’s lives is quite something when you think about it.

What’s the most challenging aspect?

Everything that’s out of your own control, the randomness of trade and sometimes people. If there was such a thing as conscription it should be three months on the road driving a truck and three months behind a counter or bar for the experience of customer service.

Where is your business headed?

It’s early days, so we have much to focus on — where we can improve, training team on craft and communication and how we can work through the butcher’s counter and make the most of the wonderful produce.

How important are online sales?

They aren’t. We’re very much experiential, thankfully.

Do you set any goals for your business?

We do. We look at areas that can be developed, menus for particular times of the day or week, adding value to less busy times and working with marketing to communicate that.

Do you have a five-year plan?

To get through the next 12 months.

What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned since you started your business?

Turn up. Listen.

What would you advise someone starting a business?

They say the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago and the second-best time is now, so get on and do it.

What three qualities are most important to success?

Consistency in order to meet guests’ expectations.

Stamina — you’ll be surprised what the human body and mind can do.

Patience — not much will go your way in the beginning.

What’s the secret of your
success?

Hard work. I don’t think I’ve got a secret or done anything remarkable in that sense. I’ve been privileged to be part of some unique things, of course, but the work has made the difference.

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made?

Trust where it wasn’t warranted. I took investment from someone then discovered we didn’t have mutual ambitions, which made things incredibly challenging. It’s important to understand all aspects of what you’re going to do, your ethos, beliefs and how you are going to behave outside the financial position — it’s not all about money.

How organised are you?

Very — I have to be. Fortunately, I was brought up that way, so it wasn’t something I had to learn. We need impeccable order to deliver the chaos.

How do you dress for work each day?

I have a uniform, as does Barry. I think you start to map out your day, putting things in order mentally, when you put it on.

What can’t you be without every day?

The team of people around me, those that take care of all the little details and make me look good.

Lunch at your desk or going out?

The desk is for work. I believe you should step away from it and breathe. The worst statement invented is “Let’s grab a coffee”. Don’t do that, give it some consideration, support a little business and consider nature in your every activity, including yourself.

Do you continue to study?

Our industry is wonderful and industrial espionage is as easy as booking a table. I indulge in TED Talks as there are some brilliant educational speakers.

What do you read?

I’ve just finished But Beautiful by Geoff Dyer, which is brilliant, I’m currently reading On the Road by Jack Kerouac. The best book I’ve read recently was A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, which seems so relevant to our industry.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

Having some fun, putting lovely produce on plates and in glasses and making people smile.

How are you planning for
retirement?

I’d quite like to build three or four more pubs and go down to a day a week. In other words, by keeping busy and retaining an income while having some time for travelling.

Interview by Will Hamilton, intermediary and global marketing consultant, Hamilton Associates