A CHAT over a pint has led to North East accountants Bell Tindle Williamson adding an historic pub to its client portfolio.
The Kings Arms at Seaton Sluice, Northumberland, was taken over by Paul and Rita Hazlett in February last year after Paul gave up a senior position with baby goods manufacturer Tommee Tippee to try to fulfil the potential of a pub that he and Rita often visited.
Despite the difficult economic conditions, the couple exceeded their first year targets by over 30% and, this year, are already trading around 55% up on 2010.
Harry Outhwaite, a client development manager with Bell Tindle Williamson (BTW), became a regular visitor to the Kings Arms and got chatting to Paul about the help his company could provide.
Further meetings were held in the pub, to give the BTW team the chance to see how the venue operated, and Paul and Rita appointed the firm to provide the pub with business advice, accountancy and payroll services as part of their policy of working with local suppliers wherever possible.
Originally built in 1786, The Kings Arms sits on top of the cliffs on West Terrace at Seaton Sluice, overlooking the harbour and South Beach.
Paul said: “Rita and I had worked in bars back in the late 80s and early 90s, and The Kings Arms was the sort of pub that we always said back then that we’d one day want to run so, when the opportunity came up to take it over, we took a chance and went for it. We were looking to extend our policy of using local suppliers wherever possible, and BTW’s services fit perfectly with what we needed – they understand how we operate and dovetail the way they work to it to ensure we get a highly professional and personalised service.
Malcolm Tindle, partner at BTW, adds: “Paul and Rita have done a fantastic job in building a strong local business and supporting the community in which they’re operating through choosing to work with local suppliers like ourselves. Our strength lies in helping businesses such as The Kings Arms operate in the most financially efficient way possible, and we’re very pleased to be part of another local success story.”
