A historic South West pub group is planning to buy up more venues across the region in 2022 as part of an “ambitious investment programme” following the pandemic, its chief executive has announced.
Liberation Group runs more than 120 pubs, bars and inns across the West of England and Channel Islands, and is also the parent company of West Country brewery and pub brand Butcombe.
The company’s chief, Jonathan Lawson, told BusinessLive the firm is planning a major hiring drive as part of its expansion as well as developing its brewing portfolio.
The news comes two years after the company, which was founded in 1871, was forced to shut its estate of pubs and put 90% of staff on furlough.
“We are 100% much stronger now than when we went into the pandemic,” said Mr Lawson, who told BusinessLive the lockdowns were a tough time for the brand, which was “burning through cash” while its venues remained closed.
“That initial period around March 2020 was pretty challenging. We had to close everything. We kept the brewing going but by and large most of the business was shut and we were working out how we could survive.
“Our investors and banks were incredibly supportive and our people were amazing. Those who remained all took a pay cut and worked shorter weeks to protect cash and everyone pulled together.”
Mr Lawson, a former boss of Greene King, took over the helm of Liberation Group a year before Covid hit. Since joining the business in January 2019, he has overseen an extensive refurbishment programme and developed the group’s brewing products and brands - all while managing the challenge of the pandemic.
Liberation Group now has four times the number of rooms in its pubs than before the Covid crisis - and, according to Mr Lawson, they have been “packed out” the last two summers.
“I was running pubs for Greene King in the financial crisis and I learnt that emerging trends at a customer level tend to accelerate quickly,” he told BusinessLive.
“Some of the trends, such as demand for local produce and beers, and staycations, were rapid. Our investment into those things were timed perfectly.”
According to Mr Lawson, part of the organisation's success has been its focus on using local suppliers; all its beef comes from Stokes Marsh Farm near Devizes, in Wiltshire, and its vegetables from family-run business Arthur David in Chew Magna.
“I really hope that we are finally seeing some greater levels of appreciation for what it costs to put fresh food in front of a customer. We work really hard to support our local suppliers.”
The biggest lesson Mr Lawson has learnt in the last two years, he said, is that his team is the “lifeblood” of the organisation.
“A business like ours is all about people - we are as good as our teams. My team is better than I am,” he said.
But recruitment has not been easy for the business, which found itself with “lots of gaps” during one of the busiest trading periods last summer.
The group, which has especially struggled to hire young chefs, said it is now working with schools and colleges in the South West to try encourage more young people into hospitality careers. The business is also carrying out its own training programme to bring front-of-house staff into back-of-house roles. The move has seen the business train kitchen porters into sous chefs.
“It’s hard but we are in a better position now than we were this time last year. We have to work hard as a business, and a sector, to make it appealing for people to come into,” said Mr Lawson, who believes the Government could do more to support the industry.
“I would love to see some innovative reform on the part of the Government to encourage businesses to invest into our business. The whole business rates system also needs an overhaul," he said.
But Mr Lawson is positive about the future for the industry - and the brand.
“In 2022 we would like to stay open for the next 12 months. We have a lot of plans. We will continue to do what we have already done,” he added.
“We think we can get Butcombe into the top 10 cask ales this year and we are doing some really innovative things within Liberation Brewery in Jersey around small batch brews. All of it will mean exciting things for our teams and people.”
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