Becky Salisbury
Company:
Salisbury Pubs
Job title:
Director
How did you get into the sector:
I’ve always loved good food. I was brought up in the country in a big family and learned to cook at an early age. Veggies from the garden, nose to tail meat and puddings you could feel hit the bottom of your stomach. I started doing bar work to pay the bills as a teenager, did a lot of private catering and fell into a management position in the late 80’s with Hugh Corbett. I must have been doing something right, as I was promoted to GM after 5 weeks.
What do you enjoy about your role:
The complete diversity of it. My role changes from hour to hour at times. As we only have a small HQ team, we have had to become expert at every aspect of running not just pubs, but a thriving business as well. So whether I’m heading up a marketing drive, planning new menus with our kitchen brigades or playing surrogate mum to a member of staff, there’s never a dull moment.
Career high:
Winning The Publican Award for Catering Pub of the Year in 2005 for The Alford Arms was fantastic, but also having just received 2 Country Dining Pub of the Year Awards from The 2012 Good Pub Guide was pretty special. (Hertfordshire – The Alford Arms in Frithsden and Buckinghamshire – The Royal Oak in Marlow).
Career low:
I did a stint doing telesales, when I thought I should get a “proper” job….. it was dire!
What are your plans for the next year:
We are looking for a freehold at the moment, so fingers crossed we might find a good site sometime next year, but regardless of expansion, we just want to help the pubs get even better. The plan is to focus more on hospitality rather than just service; find more local suppliers and generally develop the offer across the board.
What was the biggest break of your career:
Getting promoted to Catering and Developments Manager at Slug and Lettuce. As a result I was heavily involved in their frenetic UK expansion in the mid/late 90’s. It was a fantastic learning curve, great fun and helped give me the tools to be able to start our own business.
What are you most proud of in your career:
There are a few things, but they are all based around getting to work closely with my husband David, running a business that we both love and especially that we have managed to retain our fantastic culture, based on a generosity of spirit and great work ethic. We have built an extended family around our 5 pubs, which nurtures both us and our customers and staff every single day.
What advice would you give to people keen to progress in the industry:
Go above and beyond the call of duty. Be curious, don’t wait to be asked and above all enjoy what you do. If you do, the chances are you’ll be good at what you do and both your customers and bosses will notice.
Who inspires you:
Tim Smit for showing the UK that it’s possible to mix success with community spirit, ethical practices and sustainability; Gary Pettit of Inn Brighton for his tenacity and honesty over the years and Hugh Corbett for teaching me not to take life too seriously (and introducing me to claret!)
What do you do in your downtime:
I love being home. It doesn’t happen that often, so just pottering round the house and garden, walking the dog and cooking up the odd meal for pals is uber relaxing. It will also come as no surprise that David and I love eating out and especially discovering rare, untouched pubs. Our current favourite is The Royal Oak in Wineham… just perfect.
What question do you always ask in interviews:
How would you best friend describe you? It’s a tough one to answer honestly and the reaction is just as important as the answer.
Tips that have made you a success:
Work hard, you’re in the wrong business if you like a 9 to 5 regime. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Avoid being judgemental and always admit to your mistakes before someone else spots them. Know how you affect other people…. take a hard look in the mirror on a regular basis.