06/12/2025
First off, to everyone who took the time reply to to my email last week, thank you. It was great to see so much engagement, and there was definitely a very clear and overriding winner. For those of you who did not read last week’s newsletter, we were trying to get to the bottom of a very important festive debate – what is the best component of a Christmas dinner? Well, pigs in blankets absolutely stormed ahead, taking the top spot with no real challengers at all. Was I surprised? Honestly, no. Having worked many Christmases in my time, I had a feeling that pigs in blankets would come out on top – they have always been massively popular and lets be honest, they are essential. Thank you to those who took part, this was some fun and light-hearted market research!
This week, I wanted to talk about something a little less fun and light-hearted (I know, I know, we see enough gloom and doom as it is), but it is something that cannot be ignored and that I wish to express my concerns around. The topic of conversation this week is, of course, the budget 2025. My intention isn’t to get political; I take great pride in owning community assets in Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Northants. We are custodians for these wonderful pubs, but I simply cant say nothing on the subject.
I’ve spent all week in front of spreadsheets working on budgets and forecasts, looking at how we can adapt to cut our cloth accordingly. Is this a good use of time? Well, it’s a matter of necessity. The effort to grow this business, the sacrifice, resilience, the risk is all huge and unless you’ve walked in those shoes, it’s hard to explain what it’s really like. But for someone, let alone the government, to come and add £100,000 in extra costs is a curve ball to say the least.
We have no choice but to bounce, to get better and I will always do my best to stay positive and encourage our teams. However, I can’t lie about how I feel. I feel angry, I feel betrayed. How can the government be so clueless about small businesses?
I am thankful for the amazing teams I’m honoured to work with, and I am thankful for the wonderful guests who continue to support our pubs. Please, please, now more than ever is the time to support independent businesses, we must do what we can to help them survive.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and as always, thank you for taking the time to read this. Do contact me with your thoughts on what I have touched upon, I always welcome the opinions of others.
Big Love
Mark