We’re looking for our Manager for The Ivy!
MANAGER, THE IVY INN, HEDDINGTON
A crucial role in opening and developing the commercial success of this community owned and backed pub and café
Around £45,000, plus profit related bonus and accommodation
Wiltshire
Friends of The Ivy is a Community Benefit Society that has bought its village pub – a Grade II listed 17th Century building – and is bringing it back to life. Our mission statement is Real Ales, Real Wiltshire, Real Community, and you can see our full story at friendsoftheivy.org.uk. Over half the people in the village have invested, as have many more in the surrounding area. We expect to open in February.
Before we open we need to find a Manager to help make our plans become a reality. We are looking for the skills and experience to lead and develop a new team, both employed staff and volunteers, and to grow the impact of the business across North Wiltshire and beyond.
The Ivy will be a community hub and a café. It will be a place for friends to meet, a welcoming refreshment stop for cyclists and walkers (and their dogs), and a cosy venue for home workers to find social company. The food we offer in this 60-cover space indoors (and at least half as many again outdoors) will be as crucial as our drink, and we are deeply committed to sourcing ingredients, ales, beers and ciders locally. (So our second critical appointment will be a Chef).
Our ideal candidates will share our vision and our enthusiasm for it. They’ll relish the scope and freedom of working in a small independent business, and they’ll also share our deep commitment to providing the highest possible levels of customer service. The best of them will demonstrate the entrepreneurial spirit to lead the growth of a new venture – and they’ll relish the chance to make this fledgling business fly.
Of course, we’ll need to meet and exceed all the regulatory standards in health, safety and hygiene – but it’s the warmth of our welcome and the ability to sustain that with all our customers which will make us stand out.
Please send career details, ideally together with your thoughts on why this role appeals and why you would be successful in it, to Dave Denny, Secretary, Friends of The Ivy at ddenny@friendsoftheivy.org.uk, and for an informal initial chat you can call him on 07831679516.
OTHER NEWS
There’s a lot going on so there will be more newsletters in the next couple of weeks to cover all the issues. But there are two items we want and need to share.
Kitchen
We’ve bought all the kitchen equipment that was put up for sale at The Westbrook in Bromham when that much-loved pub and restaurant closed. The equipment is used, obviously, but it’s essentially in great condition – though it will need a very thorough, specialist, deep clean before we install it in our new kitchen early next year. The kind owner of The Westbrook is happy to store it for us and to allow the cleaning to take place on his premises – but does anyone reading this newsletter provide these services, or know of anyone who does, who might be willing to help? And yes, as ever, we will be looking for the work to be done at a very favourable rate!
Grants
We’re delighted to be able to tell you that, at its meeting on Tuesday 4 November, Calne Area Board approved our application for a grant of £4,350 – all that the Board had left in its budget for our category in this financial year. The councillors present voted unanimously in our favour and, while we know we could rely on the support of our very good friend Sam Pearce-Kearney, who chaired the meeting, it was great to hear the very positive comments made about our project, particularly by Ian Thorn, the Leader of Wiltshire Council. Thank you, Calne Area Board!
