Success story
Greg McMullan, Lessee of the Abercromby Arms, Tullibody.
Greg McMullan and his wife Katie took over the Abercromby Arms in Tullibody in May 2003. It was a bold move as the pub was in need of a major refurbishment and the village already had another pub which had a regular clientele. However, when Belhaven acquired the pub there was a significant budget set aside to fully refurbish the bar and lounge, and Greg was the ideal candidate to take on the challenge!
"I was ready to run my own business. Having been in the pub trade since I graduated I really wanted to be my own boss. Whilst Tullibody was outwith the area I had in mind, we have settled in well and recently bought a house in the area."
All in all, Greg has been with Belhaven since 1997, firstly as a manager, then as an Area Manager within the managed estate and latterly as a tenant. His wife Katie wasn't involved in the business initially, other than helping out occasionally, but she has given up her career as a hairdresser in Greenock and joined the pub full time. Moving from the upstairs flat into their own house in the village has helped their work / life balance!
So what have been the highs and lows of leasing for Greg?
"Having control of all the decisions has been a definite plus of running a leased business. Not ever decision was the right one in the early days but you learn from those mistakes. There really haven't been many lows, other than getting to grips with managing the costs of the business."
As Greg has now followed up his original 5 year lease with another 5 year deal, what words of advice would he give anyone considering leasing a pub?
"You really need to look beyond the Profit and Loss account, at the true costs, and make sure you have enough working capital to see you through the early months. But, that aside, I enjoy the freedom I get from being my own boss and I get to do things my way!"
