Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2013 | Page 107

FOOD

used as DHSS flats, and three tenants
were still living there - but were
swiftly moved on!
“We bought it because it was a
building in a great position, and
initially we thought we might turn it
into tea rooms,” said Neil. “When we
decided to have a pub the licence was
opposed, but it went through in the
end.”
Stephanie smiled: “Neil didn’t even
have a jacket or decent pair of shoes
to go to the licensing court, so he
borrowed them off someone who was
living with us at the time, just to look
the part.”
After the licence was granted,
Neil began the renovations – with
Stephanie not too impressed – until
she was ‘bribed’ with the promise of
a new car when it was completed.
It sealed the deal for her, and even
though the work took a year to
complete the new red Vauxhall Nova
duly arrived as the pub was opened.
Neil added: “When we opened
we didn’t really know what we were
doing. On the opening night I was
behind the bar for about 10 minutes,
and that was enough f