Steve Haslam on TV show to ‘change perceptions of "wealthy" people’

Haslam appeared on Channel 5 show Rich House, Poor House ​this month (Thursday 26 October) where he along with his family swapped houses with Watford couple Louise and Neil Brimicombe and their children.

In the show, the families swap lives and gain insight on how the other half live. Haslam outlined how the perception people can sometimes have about wealthy people isn’t always true.

He said: “So many people think [money] is just given to people on a plate and that could not be further from the truth. Especially as in this industry, you have to work for every penny.”

The pub operator also wanted his children to learn about a life that is not as privileged as the one they lead.

Life lesson

He added: “Also, I wanted to teach my children a life lesson. They are well grounded anyway but instead of me banging on about how I used to live, they got to experience it for a week.

“I have only been living comfortably for 20% of my life. The rest of it I have been working class, working hard and hoping that one day I would build something and I did.

“But it has only been the past decade and we continue to work hard. We are not sitting back and enjoying the fruits of our labour. It is still bloody hard work with a lot of knocks along the way.

“Like any entrepreneur, you just want to go forward. Although you are proud of your roots, you never want to go back, you want to drive forward and better. Not just your own life but other people’s too.”

TLC Inns, Haslam’s 12-strong pub and restaurant business has gone from strength to strength over the past 10 years, despite fluctuations in the economy and marketplace.

Exploring options

He said: “We have recently taken on our 12th venue meaning we now have six pubs and six Grand Central restaurants.

“The business is not buoyant because the market is a little flat at the moment but we will continue to push through it and grow.

“We are always exploring options for where to grow, where not to grow, what to sell and what not to sell. It is the daily rigours of business.

“At the minute, we are remaining very positive and continue to look for opportunities.”

But Haslam put the business’s success down to the people he works with: “We didn’t do it for the money but money is a by-product of success and with our team, we have been successful. Without our team, we are nothing.”