THE WINNER: Tom and Ed Martin
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With almost no knowledge of the industry other than bartending during student days, brothers Tom and Ed Martin have come an extremely long way, having built up a string of high-profile London gastropubs.
The Well in Clerkenwell opened in 2000, and the White Swan in the City launched a year later. The Gun in Docklands then followed in 2004 and went on to win Time Out's Best Gastropub award in 2005.
The adventure began when Tom, a practising lawyer for a City law firm for six years, turned down the chance to accept a partnership and instead opted to open a pub with his brother, who was still at university.
Despite raising some cash by remortgaging his flat and putting together a good business plan, Tom was turned down by several banks because of his lack of experience. When one bank finally agreed, Tom and Ed jumped in to buy the site which was to become the Well, with an investment of £750,000.
By the time the Well was launched in 2000, Ed was still studying finance at Bristol University. He gave up his ambition to become a City banker to manage the pub. "It was a hard grind," Ed admits. "The first two years of the Well were a huge learning curve for us. We had a lack of understanding of the systems and procedures and didn't train and manage staff efficiently. At times we would overspend on the produce, and even underspend."
But the brothers were busy from the day they opened and were in a position to rapidly decrease their bank loan. They stuck to their philosophy of "Build it and they will come, if the food, drink, decor and service are above par" - and it paid off.
The Empress of India, the Prince Arthur, the Botanist, the Hat & Tun and the Cadogan Arms have since been added to their pub portfolio, and the brothers have plans to open another two pubs in London over the next couple of years.
Indeed, there's an elegant style to the Martins' pubs that makes them easily recognisable from the street, with fine new paintwork and a classy typeface. And the brothers strongly believe in forging strong links with other family businesses. They have worked with their suppliers for more than five years and serve only the highest-quality produce from predominantly British suppliers, using small farms and producers such as Wright's Oysters. They aim to have a menu that is customer-friendly and not over-adventurous. It seems to be working.
As Ed Turner, Geronimo Inns' commercial director and a judge, said: "Ed and Tom Martin have created a range of pubs that really understand their locality. There is massive passion for quality produce, excellent people and innovation. They do not really seek the limelight, but just quietly expand, which is somewhat unique in our trade."
SHORTLISTED
- Andrew Coath, licensee, the Swan, Salford
- Tom and Ed Martin, ETM Group
- Hamish Stoddart and Lee Cash, Peach Pub Company
THE JUDGES
- Steph Barton, director, the Drunken Duck Inn, Ambleside, Cumbria
- Philip Burgess, director, the Dartmoor Inn at Lydford
- Steven Doherty, chef-director, the First Floor Café, Windermere, Cumbria
- Andrew Pern, chef-owner, the Star Inn, Harome
- Alexander Salussolia, managing director, Glendola Leisure
- Cathie Smith, director, BII
- Ed Turner, commercial director, Geronimo Inns