00:00It's a tough time for small businesses and it's a tough time for people and you've thrown yourself kind of headfirst into the bride tea rooms, a business a lot of people know.
00:07Can you tell us a bit about why the decision came about and why you've done it?
00:10It was mainly my daughter and my partner. They told me to take a gamble and then I obviously did and I thought, yeah, I'm going to go for it.
00:18This came about, this place and I thought, it's got potential.
00:21And I thought, with all my experience over the past, this is all I've ever done really, food, waiting on, coffee, stuff like that.
00:31So I thought, all my experiences is in one place. I just thought, yeah, I'm going to go for it and then got a bit of a bombshell with the minimum wage going up.
00:39But I thought, that's coming in in April. So I'm not panicking about that yet, but it would have been a bit more daunting if it had come out before and then all that kind of stuff.
00:49I was like, hmm, but I'm not going to let that affect me. I'm going to just put 100% into this place and then just see how it goes.
00:55As long as the service is good and the food's good, I think it's, people tend to drive out nowadays for an experience.
01:04It's harder to park in town, stuff like that, and it just kind of puts you off.
01:08I don't really, I don't really go into town myself because of that reason.
01:13But we've got a big car park at the back. Coaches have been inquiring about stuff and all that stuff.
01:19And, yeah, there's a lot of stuff up here, point of air, everything like that.
01:22And I thought, yeah, this is the place.
01:25Absolutely. And I've walked in here today and it looks fantastic and it's a lot of hard work going into it.
01:29Three months of hard work. I've been working, plus up here every day, morning till night, every day.
01:35Moved up here about three weeks ago. And, yeah, just, it's been a lot.
01:41It's been easier now I've moved in here because I'm not travelling to and from Douglas.
01:44I left my job about three weeks ago just to fully concentrate on this for the final three weeks before we open.
01:52Yeah, just fantastic. And what can people expect when they come here then?
01:55Because, obviously, it's been over a year now since the bride tea room was shut.
01:59I feel like the people of the bride have missed something like this.
02:00What can people expect when they come back in?
02:02Expect, I'm hoping a nice welcoming, lovely fire roaring.
02:07That's a big hitter, I think, that'll be.
02:10All the locals around here seem really nice.
02:13They've sent us in cards, phone calls, wishing us all the best, all this stuff.
02:18And I just feel it's a nice little village touch.
02:21Yeah, I'm just really happy now.
02:23Happy days. And you touched on your experience there, which is fantastic, and that'll help you a long way.
02:28What have you done previously and how will that come in to help you?
02:30I've run bars, quite a lot of bars for Heron and Brearley, done a private one, worked in Starbucks for a couple of years.
02:38It's all experience. Kitchens, worked Australia in kitchens, stuff like that.
02:42Worked in hotels over here.
02:44And that's all I've ever done with my work history, really.
02:47And I thought, yeah, I'm going to go down the non-alcoholic route, try and promote that for the business here.
02:52So it's something different.
02:54Coffee shops a while ago was up and coming.
02:56And people are tending not to go to the pubs as much nowadays.
03:01Prices increase and all that stuff.
03:03And I just want people to come out and still, like, taste beer or whatever, but can drive home as well.
03:10So I'm just going to try a different route and try and get something unique out here.
03:14Absolutely. And just finally then, I've had a look at the menu and it looks fantastic.
03:18I'm getting hungry thinking about the party.
03:19Is there anything people can expect on the menu, a bit different?
03:22What would you...
03:22On the menu, I want to try and change it every couple of days.
03:26I've got so many portions of each item.
03:28Probably going off eight.
03:30And then once that's finished with, it'll be something else going.
03:33So if lasagna's finished, I'm going to put sausage and mash on.
03:36Or there'll be a curry or a chilli.
03:37And the menu will be constantly changing.
03:39I want to keep pie on all the time.
03:41The ingredients are going to be different.
03:42Just so people know, oh, they do a good pie up there.
03:46And they'll always be guaranteed a pie.
03:48And then we've got sandwiches.
03:50We haven't changed much from what they did before.
03:53Still keeping afternoon tea.
03:54Sunday roasts.
03:55We're doing just Sunday roasts and kids' meals.
03:58I just want to really focus on the Sunday roasts.
04:01What else are we doing?
04:02Breakfast baps in the morning.
04:05And yeah, normal lunches.
04:07And then just keep the menu changing all the time.
04:09So people don't get bored either.
04:11And it's a small menu.
04:12It's a small tea.
04:13We're going to have to get through these hard times.
04:15I don't really want to put a big menu on where we have to put extra overheads of people
04:19and staff wages and all that stuff.
04:22I thought, if we keep it small, different, and keep turning it over, and then people can
04:27get something different every time.
04:28And we're open to suggestions from people.
04:31If people say, oh, could you do this?
04:33Right, I'll have it on for next Wednesday, so I'll make sure it's on.
04:36And people can just do me like that if they want.
04:38That's fantastic.
04:39And I'm sure people will be pleased to hear that.
04:41And just finally then, what would you say to someone who's toying with the idea of coming
04:44up to bride and trying to outnate it tomorrow or the next few times?
04:47Don't toy with the idea.
04:49I'd just advise booking.
04:51Because I think in here I've got a nice little room with a fire.
04:54I think this room is going to be popular.
04:56But my only advice is, well, just come and try it.
04:59But I would advise booking.
05:01And I hope you have a really good welcoming and experience.
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