Local entrepreneur Billy Hutchinson turned a derelict pub in Brewood into The Lesters Arms last year, spending £1 million on its transformation.
Here, he looks back at the first 12 months and how navigating the tricky world of hospitality is a far cry from running his packaging business Lesters.
“It has been a fantastic first year for the Lesters Arms…one which has had plenty of challenges, but ultimately has seen us become a household fixture in Staffordshire and the Black Country’s dining scene.
Recruiting the right team members has undoubtedly been one of our biggest challenges in year one.
When we dreamed up ‘The Lesters Arms’, we set out to create something quite special – an elevated, relaxed gourmet experience that attracts discerning diners. This means our front-of-house and kitchen teams need to meet a very high bar, not just in terms of skill but also attitude, professionalism, and attention to detail.
Finding individuals who not only share our vision but are also capable of delivering that consistent, high-end service our clientele expect has been a continual, but ultimately rewarding process.
We now have a team of 30, all of whom are local and live and breathe our culture so that diners receive the best possible service.
One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is how unpredictable the cost of food can be. The fluctuation in ingredient prices has posed a real challenge, especially when your brand promise is centred around quality and value.
Balancing rising supplier costs with our commitment to locally sourced, premium ingredients – without compromising the guest experience – has required constant innovation, adaptability, and some very tough decisions in the kitchen. It’s been a valuable learning curve in terms of planning, building excellent supplier relationships, and menu strategy.
If we could rewind 12 months, one key thing we would reconsider is the number of covers and how we utilised our space, particularly in relation to parking.
Demand has exceeded our expectations at times, and while that’s a great problem to have, we’ve occasionally found ourselves limited in our ability to accommodate everyone who wants to dine with us – especially during peak times. With a few layout changes and better foresight on capacity, we could have created more opportunities for guests and improved operational flow, both inside and outside the pub.
Looking ahead, our focus is on pushing the food and drink offering even further. We’re proud of the standard we’ve set in year one, but we know we can raise the bar again. The goal is to refine and elevate every element of the guest experience – from the sourcing of our ingredients to the creativity of our menus and the way we serve.
We’ll be doubling down on our commitment to local suppliers and seasonal produce, ensuring The Lesters Arms continues to stand out as the go-to destination for people who love great food and a warm atmosphere.
There’s lots of traction on our recent innovations, including the launch of our ‘Dining Club’. This gives members the opportunity to enjoy an exclusive three-course monthly menu and, every quarter, a show-stopping five-course journey that will allow our in-house chefs to push the envelope when it comes to ingredients and new dishes.
This latest promotion follows the introduction of our ‘Let’s do Lunch’ on Mondays, ‘Tapas Tuesdays’ and ‘Grill Night Wednesdays’ – all of which help to increase visitors during the week and our ‘not so busy’ times.”
