When Gill and Sara Currie wanted to find a pub they turned to the professionals - C4's Relocation Relocation.
Mother and daughter team Gill and Sara Currie are set to hit the TV screens in the new year in the latest Channel 4 series of Relocation Relocation. For the pub trade novices eager for a lifestyle change away from the bright lights of London, getting behind the bar was a dream come true.
Millions of us tune in for our weekly dose of property duo Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsopp in the Channel 4 hit series but even the backing of the show meant it was still not exactly a smooth ride for the couple to get their foot on the property ladder.
While they are now settled in the Bell Inn in Great Cheverell, Devizes, it is of no surprise to any licensee that finding a decent freehouse with a budget of only £500,000 was no mean feat in the current market.
Despite viewing a lot of properties the two of them found the property hunting hard work especially as they wanted a pub, home and bed and breakfast in the popular areas of Reading, Amersham and Buckingham.
However, the advantage of having the back-up of the TV series meant the two of them could act quickly on suitable properties. Daughter Sara has a full-time job in advertising and Gill was working as a PA when they began their hunt giving them little time to get involved in searching for the right property.
"We were looking for six months before we went to the programme," Sara explained. "Relocation Relocation kept going until they found us something. We love the programme. After viewing the initial three pubs we knew we did not want any of them. They gave us the folder of things they had rejected to look at."
"When the licensee at the Bell Inn decided to sell she told the agent who rang the programme.
"The researchers sat outside the pub until she let them in."
After their search the mother and daughter team eventually moved into the 18th century Grade-II listed building, which was registered as a pub back in 1740. The pub has a 30-seater restaurant, a large garden as well as a bar with a variety of guest ales.
However, the most important thing was getting the living accommodation sorted, especially as many of the properties they viewed had insufficient and bad-quality living space. Sara said: "We concentrated at first on the living accommodation. What we wanted was a home, business and to be part of the community.
"We wanted a haven and I also needed an office."
But plans to renovate the pub have been put on the backburner until they become more established.
"We came in and thought we wanted to do a lot but we decided to leave it because people don't like change," said Gill.
"But the carpet has got to go and we want to change the curtains.
"The first time I pulled a pint was when I came to see the pub. I had to learn all about the cellar and keeping the beer. It was very scary.
"There has been a lot of interest because of the programme. It was a bit manic to start with.
"It's been full-on learning the ropes but we never expected it to be easy."
Sara added: "For the first couple of months we ran around like headless chickens. We would have a quiet night and think everyone hates us."
The range of legislation, including licensing, was a huge added burden they faced when getting into the pub trade. Gill said: "There are things I wasn't aware of such as health and safety, and legislation changes all the time. Applying for new licences we found daunting. We just got a solicitor to do it."
But the finances for the pub are already improving since the mother and daughter team took over. They have changed some of the offer, keeping the real ales, but adding a more widespread wine list and selling more expensive wines by the glass. "We are wine drinkers and what we wanted is a quality product. It took us at least three months to get our house wine sorted," said Sara.
The menu has also been adapted by adding more fresh food and taking some of the fried food off the menu. They are also attempting to make use of the pub's skittle alley by using it as a function room.
The Curries have also made themselves a hit with the locals and admit that while running the pub has meant a dramatic change of lifestyle for them both it has become their social life as well.
Marketing the pub is an essential part of building up the trade. Getting into pub guides, talking to local businesses and getting people to come for lunch meetings has been a bonus. But they are not getting too comfortable with their success and despite being on television admit there is more to do at the venue.
Relocation Relocation with Gill and Sara Currie is to be broadcast on Channel 4 next month. The Bell Inn is situated on the High Street, Great Cheverell, Devizes, Wiltshire.