Every year we do a focus on women we love in the trade. Ladies that are making a positive contribution and helping to grow their respective businesses. This year’s collection is no exception.
Senga Campbell
Campbell Inns
South Ayrshire
Senga Campbell has been in the trade since 1991 when she and husband John bought The Railway Hotel
in Auchinlech, and created Campbell Inns. Initially she took over the responsibility for the food side of the business, and the day to day running of the business, as hubby John concentrated on his other businesses, combining her efforts in the pub business with bringing up three daughters. Last year, they decided to take back one of their premises which they had originally leased out, The Dumfries Arms in Cumnock, and Senga oversaw all the interior design. Today, the Dumfries Arms is a testament to her attention to detail. The luxury 26-bedroom hotel, with a 250 capacity banqueting suite, cocktail bar, restaurant and private dining room, is lovely. As for slowing down and enjoying the fruits of their labour, says Senga, “I enjoy going on holiday but the stress of leaving the business is sometimes too much. But we both get such a buzz out of the hospitality business that I can’t imagine doing anything else!”
Jacqueline Fennessy and Catherine Hardy
(Pot and Kettle Ltd.)
The Left Bank,
The Two Figs,
The Bungo Bar
Glasgow
The latest addition to Jacqueline and Catherine’s business is The Bungo bar on Glasgow’s Southside, which opened at the end of 2011. A £250,000 investment transformed the former Fotheringay Bar into a sleek, contemporary bar over a ground floor and a basement. Says Jacqueline, “This is just what this area needed, although we soon realised it would need more than a lick of paint and the first phase of the refurbishment took some nine weeks to complete. We’re also planning to develop the basement space for functions etc. in the next month or so.” The couple have been in business together for some 20 years, initially as colleagues at Big Beat in the early 90s, leading to their first step on the ladder in the form of the leasehold at Glasgow’s 13th Note. The couple’s ethos is ‘great cocktails, food and design in a relaxing vibe’ and this is rolled out across all of their Glasgow outlets, the others being The Left Bank on Gibson Street and The Two Figs on Byres Road. They also like to play hard, and at the time of DRAM going to press the business partners were enjoying a relaxing break in the Gambia.
Sandy Gourlay
Oran Mor
Glasgow
Sandy Gourlay has been General Manager of Oran Mor in Glasgow for the past seven years, and has helped make the venue one of Scotland’s leading cultural centres. Not only is the outlet known as a great pub, but it is also renowned for the quality of the theatre produced there through its innovative Play, a Pie and a Pint performances. But Oran Mor is much more than just a pub or theatre, it also is a work of art, with a spectacular auditorium which is utilised for weddings and functions. It’s Sandy job to steady the ship and she is very much owner Colin Beattie’s right hand woman. With more than 100 staff reporting to her, she is in charge of operations, controlling the budgets, overseeing the buying and is also very much front of house. In fact she has her finger in every pie! She has a keen interest in music and has one son, but her role at Oran Mor doesn’t leave her much room for socialising.
Michelle Henderson
The Birds and the Bees
Stirling
Michelle Henderson is one of the driving forces behind Stirling establishment the Birds and the Bees. She met hubby Ross when she worked as a barmaid there, but before joining Ross in the business she ran her own company. And bringing Michelle into the business, says Ross, was one of the best decisions they ever took as her involvement in the pub added a new dimension to the business, particularly when it came to attracting families and couples. Today around 1,500 meals are served every week, and turnover is in the region of £1m. Michelle is very much hands on, despite having four children! And she constantly comes up with fresh ideas to grow the business. The two now have another challenge. They are currently refurbishing an 18th century Inn in Torbrex which is set to open in April as The Inn at Torbrex. When completed it will be a family-friendly inn with a Malt bar and dining room.
Lynn Mortimer
Lynnet Leisure
Lynn Mortimer is Managing Director of Lynnet Leisure, the business that her father James founded. She is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Mortimer empire, which has been more of a challenge over the past 12 months following the death of sister Donna. This year the family have set up the Donna Mortimer Ballantyne Charitable Trust and the first event a Ladies Lunch is already sold out. The next event will be a ball in June. As well as running their own charity the Mortimer’s over the years have been very philanthropic and have helped raise millions for other deserving causes. Meanwhile their business empire continues to flourish. The latest addition is Apartment 29, at Royal Exchange Square (see design feature) which has just opened. They are still planning to build a hotel in Glasgow city centre, but the planning and negotiations with historic bodies are still ongoing.
Ailsa McCallum
Johnny Foxes and
The Den
Inverness
Ailsa McCallum is General Manager at Johnny Foxes and The Den in Inverness, where she came on board as assistant manager in 2005, followed by a brief stint as deputy manager before being made general manager after just nine months. Says Ailsa, “I love the challenge of working here and there is never a dull moment. In the last few years, and as well as the day to day running of the operation, I also co-ordinated the set-up of the bars and restaurant at the Eden Court Theatre after we acquired them, quickly followed of course by the addition of The Den back in 2009.” Ailsa began her trade career with Caledonian Heritable in Edinburgh, aged 22, before returning to Inverness – she hails from the Black Isle – a few years later. She loves the sociability of the industry as well as working hands on and motivating her 30 staff always to excel at customer service. So what does the future hold for Ailsa? “I see my future here and the current challenge is the tough times we’re all facing in the trade, but it’s exactly that, a challenge, and we as a business are rising to it.”
Suzanne McGuire
Vespbar
Glasgow
Suzanne is just as much at home tending to the needs of passengers at 35,000 feet as she is serving customers on ground level in Vespbar, the Glasgow bar she runs with partner Jim McLaughlin (aka DJ Jim Da Best). She explains, “I have worked for BA serving First Class customers for 17 years, which I still do part time, and I have brought my experience in this field to the bar.” Vespbar opened in September last year and combines elements of old school Glasgow with influences from many of the destinations she has touched down in over the years. She explains, “Our ‘metres of pizza’ is an idea we got from New York’s Italian quarter and, as far as we’re aware, aside from some restaurants there, and one in Milan, we are the only people serving up this concept.” Suzanne has of course lessened her flying time to spend more time in the bar where, she feels, her and Jim complement one another. “Jim’s a promoter and a DJ, so he concentrates on that side of the business, leaving me to pour my know how into the customer service side, which I’m loving,” she says.
Maroulla Nicholas
The Glynhill
Renfrew
The Glynhill Hotel in Renfrew has been in the Nicholas family for the past 42 years, after Harry Nicholas opened the hotel in 1970. And his daughter Maroulla, who owns the hotel with brothers Daso and Ross, has been in charge for almost two decades. In her role as Managing Director she has seen the hotel continue to prosper, and today it has 145 bedrooms, leisure facilities, a carvery, a 350 capacity function suite and a bistro with some 170 employees. Maroulla started working with her father in 1981, working her way up to Financial Director and then Managing Director, and after her dad died in 1997, she focussed on the hotel, almost to the exclusion of everything else. Today, Maroulla is slightly more chilled, with a partner, and her passion for shoes undiminished.
Louise Ralston
Grill on the Corner
Glasgow
Louise Ralston joined Living Ventures’ Grill on the Corner in Glasgow in 2009 as General Manager, having previously worked for Malcolm Binnie’s Townhouse Restaurant Group as GM at the Wheelhouse restaurant in Falkirk. In the three years that have followed, Louise has orchestrated several landmark changes to the business, like growing the staff from 20 to 70, and taking the operation from an average of 600 covers per week to 3,000. She says, “I also oversaw a new design, warming up the interior with lots more wood, plus an extended offering beyond just food that now includes drinks parties and whisky tastings, corporate events and charity fund raisers. The Grill is also at the top of the company sales table and leads the way in social media with a record number of followers on Facebook.” Louise believes that you need to be one step ahead of the game in order to be a success, and is continuing to release her inner interior designer, as she’s currently hatching plans for further design enhancements to the Grill on the Corner, to be implemented later this year.
Lisa Wishart
Lisini Pub Co
Uddingston
Lisa Wishart is Managing Director of the Lisini Pub Co which owns various outlets, mainly in the Lanarkshire area. These include the very popular Angels Hotel and The Parkville in Blantyre. But last year the group purchased Dalziel Park – a country club set in 250 acres, which includes a hotel, conference centre and golf club. The company restructured, in order to facilitate the growth, and Lisa heads up the company, particularly the financial side. Before joining the family pub business Lisa was a PE teacher, and an avid hockey player, in fact she played for Scotland. But juggling a family life, as well as a pub company with 250 employees, doesn’t leave that much time for much sport now, although owning your own golf course might come in handy. Lisa is married with one son, and a black flat coat retriever called Paddy – so at least she still gets plenty of walking in, and has been known to enjoy the occasional night out.