‘Good local food’ secret to successful Northamptonshire village pub as it makes final 12 in national awards
A husband and wife team behind the success of the popular The Woolpack Inn in Islip have been named in the final 12 in a national pub award scheme.
Darren and Shannon Harding not only run the pub together, they met there and held their wedding reception in the historic coaching inn.
And their recipe for success is based in their community values, offering ‘good fresh food’ and drink and supporting other local businesses.
The couple have made it through to the semi-finals of the The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) Licensee of the Year Awards, one of a dozen out of more than 800 entrants.
Shannon said: “It’s mind-blowing to be chosen out of 800 nominations. We never entered thinking we would make it through.”
Despite the economic pressures on the pub trade, with increased costs on business rates, fuel, food and wages, Shannon thinks their success is down not pretending to be something they are not.
She said: “There are so many pubs closing down, it’s scary. It’s a really challenging especially in the current economic climate.
“But, we are happy to be at the heart of the community doing good fresh food and to continue to be consistent in what we do.”
As well as the bars, the Greene King-owned venue has two patio areas with outdoor seating, dining spaces for 100 people, 10 guest rooms and a large car park. It also has easy access to Thrapston, the A14 and the nearby River Nene.
The BII competition looks over multiple areas of the business, a formal application process, then a mystery customer visit and online presence audit. The next stage will see The Woolpack Inn judges visit all the semi-finalists and hear from Darren and Shannon first hand about their business.
During their 12 years at the helm, the couple are very work as closely as possible with local businesses and suppliers. Their team of five chefs use locally-sourced ingredients for their freshly-cooked menu.
Darren said: “We are not trying to reinvent the wheel. We are a traditional pub with fresh food. We offer very reasonably-priced weddings and Christmas party nights. We support local suppliers wherever we can. It’s important to support local companies. We are trying to be as sustainable as possible.”
Should they go on to the next stage, they will be joining five other finalists in London, where the winner will be crowned.
Shannon added: “For us, it’s about being a ‘home from home’. The whole team and the customers are like a family. We eat, sleep and breathe work – 24-hours a day, but we both love it.”