Wouldn't
it be fun to run a restaurant!
People- ordinary, sane, decent but untrained people
- have decided that it would be wonderful to start their own restaurant.
A
Roger Bates, knew he wanted his own restaurant when he was
23. But he didn't make his move until he was 39. The property he
and his wife, Sandra, bought is a restaurant with rooms for
guests, which is down a quiet lane on the wooded slopes of a beautiful
valley. 'People will come and find you if you are good enough. That
was the challenge.' Roger says the only unpredicted difficulty was
the attitude of some of the customers. 'It was hard to get used
to being treated like servants.' For Sandra, the most demanding
part was the physical work. She also had the difficulty of taking
over someone else's staff and someone else's menus. She gradually
changed the menus, and she has a little more time off now that the
business is established.
B
Tony and Gina Wignell of Strathlachlan in Scotland, have spent
their whole lives in the hotel and catering industry. They have
made one major sacrifice, however, as by moving into a restaurant
they have taken a considerable drop in income for a better quality
of life. Tony and Gina used to manage a hotel, which provided financial
security but never-ending work. Moving to the restaurant has meant
working seven days a week in the high season, but they can make
time for themselves by shutting in the afternoon. And by closing
down entirely during the off-season, they get a clear two months
off. But they found it hard to combine being in the restaurant trade
with bringing up a family. Despite this they carried on and their
children, now 18 and 20, look back and say that they never realised
that there was any other life.
C
It's a similar story for Tina Bricknell-Webb and her
husband Tony. 'I'm on my feet for such long hours. You have
to be incredibly strong to do this job.' Tina's first experience
of cooking in a restaurant was when the chef walked out three days
after it opened. Gradually, her confidence has built up. For Tony
and Tina the hard work has been made worthwhile by a special award
for excellent food. Tony believes their restaurant works because
they run the show themselves. 'If you have a place like this, the
customers want to see you there every time they come in. You're
an actor and they've bought your performance with the price of a
dinner.' Clearly proud of their achievement, the Bricknell-Webbs
admit there have been sacrifices. They have no social life and no
children. If they did start a family, the restaurant would have
to go.
D
David and Jane Blackford found this to be true. When their restaurant
opened for business they had two small children. 'When they were
very small we could manage by putting them to bed early but later
there was a real conflict of interest. On Saturdays and Sundays
we'd sit them down in front of videos. I ended up feeling it was
David and the restaurant against me and the children.' When David
caught pneumonia, they made their decision. The family had to come
first. 'One day we may have another adventure in the restaurant
trade, but for the time being putting up the 'closed' sign has been
a great relief.
E
Perhaps David and Hilary Brown have the most perfect arrangement.
Ever since they met at school in their teens they had dreamt of
having a restaurant. While other teenagers went out to clubs, David
and Hilary saved up to go to restaurants. When they saw a little
restaurant for sale outside Edinburgh, they couldn't resist. Now
the restaurant, which holds thirty people, is their whole life.
It is well known for its food and appears in the best guide books,
so people are prepared to travel long distances to eat there. |
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