It was when his employer went into receivership that Peter Matthews decided to strike out for himself, and make the move from being manufacturing director of a textile company to running a pub and restaurant business with his wife, Christina. He had always fancied the idea of running a hospitality business.
Their original target was a hotel, and the couple came close to buying one in Teesdale, but pulled out at the last moment. Then, while visiting family, they saw the Knowle Inn in the Somerset village of Bawdrip - just two miles from where they had previously lived during their 32 years in the county.
Peter and Christina paid just over £100,000 for the leasehold interest of the property, which has a 22-seat restaurant, a family room and a first-floor function room. And they certainly chose a challenge. "It had been run into the ground by the previous owner, who had killed the place, but I could see its potential. It was a case of building it up from the ashes," says Peter, who diplomatically describes the food as "not exactly well-liked".
Having put a lot of effort into establishing a seafood-led restaurant on the premises, demand is such that the couple aim to increase the capacity of the restaurant from 50 to 100 covers. "At the moment, we're turning people away with the setup we've got," Peter explains. "But we're new to the business - you can't run before you can walk."
Success comes at a price, though. Five months in and the couple, who live on site in the one-bedroom owners' flat, are lucky if they can get half-a-day off a month. "It's bloody hard work, and my wife is getting the brunt of it, as when it's busy she's in the kitchen all the time," says Peter. "We're just very tied to the business at the moment. But we're enjoying it and we can still see the potential."