Keris and Lee De Villiers: This is an entertainment industry!
Last month we were awarded the title of 'Britain's Proudest Pub' and that is exactly what we are. This is a tough industry, now more than ever; it takes hard work and commitment to get it right. We like to think we are pretty close.
We joined the industry 10 years ago, both coming from a customer service background in South Africa.
It was a given for both of us that this would be the trade for us. Never realising what a big part of our lives the Great British Pub would become.
We were trained 'old school' and the best advice we were ever given was to always have fun. And that is what we always try to do.
Last week we held our own British Week, where we celebrated our 'Britishness'. The pub was decorated in as many British flags and with as much memorabilia as we could get our hands on. Each day we featured various specials including homemade scotch eggs, steak and ale pie, cockles, jellied eels, haggis and of course finishing off the week with lamb kebabs and homemade vindaloo - truly British! Throughout this month we are also collecting the best of British items to send over to our soldiers overseas.
The Nightingale Walk is also something very close to our hearts as well as those of our customers and staff. The annual event, which to date has raised £480,000 over 30 years for various local charities, happens every year at the end of May.
With some 300 walkers taking part and more than 50 volunteers it really underpins our community spirit. With our youngest participant last year checking in at three months old and one walker flying in from South Africa to participate every year, it really is something special to be a part of (check out www.nightingalewalkingonandon.org).
It is really great to see more and more pubs supporting various charities like this. Fantastic pub initiatives such as Tap into WaterAid have been introduced and really assist pubs in making a difference.
And as well as special events and charity fundraising we try to keep our sense of humour at all times. For example, we have Ram Rod — our travelling (toy) ram, who accompanies our staff and customers on their travels. Ram Rod has travelled over a million kilometres in the past four years, from Scotland to Antarctica. He has his own column in our Nightingale Song newsletter, as well as his own Facebook page - www.facebook.com/ramrodnightingale.
We were told, after all, to always remember 'this is the entertainment industry!'
We believe pubs are more important than ever before. When times are tough people rally together and they do that down at their local.
The Nightingale means so many different things to so many different people.
To our customers it is their front room, to our back-packing staff it is part of their adventure, to Young's it is a jewel in their crown, and to us… to us it is home.
