15th January 2025
Written by Rachel Wallace
We recently caught up with Gemma, one of our exceptional General Managers at one of our Managed Pubs. After a year in her role at the Craven Heifer Inn, we learnt a little more about Gemma's journey through the hospitality sector...
So, how did you get started with Robinsons. Could you tell us about your journey and how you started?
Robinsons purchased and took over on the 28th November 2023. There was another General Manager in place at the time ready to take over, who was my original General Manager from before, but he decided to leave. So, on the first day, Ellis sat me down and said, “would you mind having a go?” ... Anyway, here we are a year later.
What has it been like since taking the responsibility on?
It has been really challenging in a positive way. At the beginning, it was a really challenging time of year anyway because it was December. We were mega busy, and with the takeover all the systems had changed. There was a lot of intense learning in a very short space of time. We managed to pull through Christmas and do really well, and then when January came, reality hit. I thought “I’m actually doing this now!”. It has been an interesting journey, it’s been challenging, there have been tears and tantrums, highs and lows.
Was this your first General Manager role?
I’ve always had a manager role, within hospitality, but I had never pursued a General Manager role as I have three children. I went from doing 25-30 hours a week to fulfilling a full-time General Manager contract, which meant I had to make a lot of sacrifices spending time with my children. I think I’ve now found the balance after a year in. There were times where I probably overworked myself, but when I do something, I throw myself fully into it and then sort of lose sight of everything else!
What have been the biggest challenges?
Essentially, learning everything the Robinsons way, and making sure I’m doing it the right way. I’m a stickler for rules – I love a rule. I like to know what’s going on and I like to know that everything is done properly. The hard work is worth it, Ellis (Retail Operations Manager) is proud of us, and I’m really proud of the team and how we’ve all adapted. Changing management is always difficult and some people struggle to adapt to new ways, but we seem to have found a nice balance now with a good strong team, so it’s good.
What do you like best about the job and the role?
I have always loved hospitality, since I was 13 –with my first waitressing job. I love making people happy. I love customer satisfaction. That has always been my priority – making sure someone has an amazing experience. It slightly changes when you become a General Manager because you also need to make sure your team also have an amazing experience. That is something I have found challenging – trying to make sure everybody is happy. I think that stems from being a parent as well, especially with the younger ones in the team. I’ve gone from just making sure the customer experience is good, to balancing it with the team experience, but overall, I just want people to be happy.
How did your hospitality journey start, of course you said you started at 13…How did the passion for the industry come about?
When I first started waitressing in 1998, I worked in the little teashop in Skipton on a Saturday and Sunday and I just absolutely loved it. I’ve always loved hospitality, so I’ve always had a hospitality job. When I got to about 19, I thought – right I need to decide on a career path. I went to work for a mortgage company. I did that for around six years whilst still having hospitality jobs on the weekend. I just couldn’t bear sitting down staring at a screen all day, not interacting with people, not moving.
From there, I left, and I was already working at a pub called The Angel at Hetton, which was a Michelin-star gastro-pub. I eventually became their wedding coordinator, which I loved. I love weddings; I love seeing them all come together and seeing the happiness on people’s faces. I did that for a long time, but then they sold that pub just as I was due to go on maternity leave, so I made the decision not to return.
After my maternity leave, I applied for a job here seven times, I lived just down the road. I just wanted a waitressing job and the General Manager at the time said “your cv is too much, we don’t really need you”, but then I came in and started at two nights a week initially while my youngest was still a little baby. Over time I just snuck into the Assistant Manager role somehow! I have been here now for about seven and a half years!
Wow, so you have been here long before Robinsons took over!
Yeah, I know the place like the back of my hand! It’s like my second home.
That’s lovely… Would you say the pub has a family to feel to it then?
Definitely. We often get asked by customers ‘oh is it different now you’ve been taken over by a brewery?’. I think we still feel like a family-run pub because of the way we all interact with each other. We all care about each other, we’re all friends and to be honest, Robinsons essentially leave us to it! As long as you are doing your job and doing what you are told, you are running your own pub. I think that’s the brilliant thing about it. There isn’t a feeling of being controlled or anything like that.
Of course you were here before Robinsons, but why did you choose to stay after the change?
I had met Ellis a couple of times in the lead up to the sale, and I got on really well with him. Everyone that I met was really friendly too, particularly the likes of Nick Burns – I think he’s an amazing person! Obviously, there’s the convenience of the location for me, and I love this pub, but primarily everyone was really nice, so I didn’t question whether I would stay or not.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to get into a General Manager role or to anyone interested in running a pub?
Find a balance. It is an intense job. It’s a lot and it can take over your mind, which I’ve learnt in the last year. It’s a great experience though. You meet so many people – when it’s great, it’s great. You will also have incredibly tough days and then you challenge yourself and ask yourself – what am I doing! Overall, if you like people and you like making people happy, it’s the perfect job!
Gemma would like to wish a special heartfelt thank you to Matt Abbott for all of his support & the wider Robinsons team.
If you are looking for a role in hospitality, or are interested in running one of our fantastic pubs, visit the links below:
