Publicans Neil and Shaun enjoy their rugby, like a bit of ska music and love quality food and drink – and by injecting their passions and personalities into their latest venture, they’ve transformed the Wellington pub in Borehamwood.
The Wellington is a premium venue located just down the road from Elstree Studios, and was taken over by Neil and Sean in early 2019 after they came to Punch brimming with ideas about how they could create a distinctive offer and turn it into the community hub that it is today.
Having operated pubs under tenancy agreements for over a decade previously, they were looking for alternative options. And within just a couple of months of contacting Punch, they’d moved into their newly refurbished pub and were ready to put their own twist on it.
They now have a Management Partnership agreement with Punch that allows them to be masters of their own destiny. Since taking over, they’ve built an incredible pub with a unique, premium style that’s head and shoulders above local competition.
From day one, thanks to its stylish new design and their willingness to stamp their own personalities on the pub, they knew they were onto a winner and ready to offer something completely new in the area.
Right from the start, they’ve put a strong emphasis on recruiting the most amazing people to make up their team, interviewing hundreds of candidates and supporting their staff so that they love working there.
They’ve injected their personalities into every aspect of managing the Wellington, right down to the events they hold, introducing quirky evening entertainment such as ska nights, which have turned the pub’s whole demographic on its head in a way that’s been very welcome.
Sean says, “The great thing that happened is that the slightly older clientele who came in for the ska nights are now using the pub regularly for food and at quieter times.
“So, as well as enjoying a night out, they also like the pub for the environment we provide, which we believe is down to our staff and the way we treat our customers.”
Unfortunately, the pandemic has put a temporary stop to these nights, but Neil and Sean are looking forward to getting going again as soon as they can.
They’ve also based the pub’s sport offering around their passions. Even though rugby isn’t huge in their area, Neil and Sean have created a space where people who do like rugby can come and watch it.
It was a risky move, but has paid off for them big time, and works well with their premium offering and strategy of increasing spend per head.
Neil adds, “What you offer creates the crowd that you get. What we’ve found is that by taking out some of the lower range of drinks, we’ve increased the spend per head.”
They’re well set up for sport too, with multiple screens for different sports in separate corners of the pub.
“A pub needs that I believe, even if the sound’s not on. We’ve proved that even during the pandemic, when we’ve had to turn the volume right down, we were still busy for the sport that we showed,” says Neil.
“Sport is a big part of our overall offer. Sport, food, a great environment – and service at the top of the list. If you can do those things well, then you can be a successful pub, regardless of the factors you can’t control – like your location.”
They’ve also focussed on social media and have built up a huge following, with around 1,500 likes on Facebook and a growing Instagram following. Sean posts every day at times of the day when they get the most interaction and has recently been posting photos of their takeaways and Sunday lunches.
During the pandemic, the Wellington has seen further refurbishment too, with an outside area called the Stables given a facelift. Underused before the pandemic, it has been given a new door, heating and two TVs.
Sean says, “We’ve advertised it as a premium space, with room for up to 40 people under normal circumstances, that groups can use as privately. It’s amazing – everyone wants to book it.”
And in November 2020, Neil and Sean decided to take a bold step and open another pub – the Western in Rickmansworth. Here, they’ve been one of three pilot pubs for Punch’s new takeaway burgers brand, Bull & Bird. The trial has been a huge success and the concept is now being rolled out successfully at the Wellington too.
It’s been a rollercoaster journey for Neil and Sean, but by focussing on people and personality, they’ve seen amazing success so far – and more importantly, they’ve set themselves up for a bright future.
