bob walton

26 June 2003 by
bob walton

As is the owner of Trunkwell House restaurant and the Elm Tree pub in Berkshire, my time is divided up between running the two businesses, managing a £180,000 conversion of the upstairs of Trunkwell House into six suites, and working for the Restaurant Association, of which I am vice-chairman.

At 7.30am my alarm goes off. My wife, Debbie, gets up and helps our nine-year-old son, Callum, get ready for school. While she's doing that, I put on my clothes and have breakfast. I have a banana, for its natural glucose, some cereal and a cup of tea to get me rolling.

My house is at the end of the driveway to Trunkwell House and I am usually in my office by 8.30am. Not having to commute is gorgeous. The only time I drive any real distance is when I go somewhere to play golf, which I love. I try to have one day off a week for golf.

Exhilarating
I'm also taking helicopter lessons. It's the most exhilarating but frightening thing I've ever done. I've been learning only since the beginning of the year and already I'm hooked. One day I'll have to fly a helicopter on my own and that will be a real challenge.

Each morning, when I first arrive in my office, I spend the half an hour that I have before my secretary arrives going through my e-mails and preparing myself for the events we have on that week. We run approximately 65 weddings and 150 functions a year and when the phones start ringing at 9am that's it for the day.

From then on, I have a list of things to do - and my list always gets longer rather than shorter. My job basically consists of holding meetings with my manager, my secretary and my chefs and sorting out whatever it may be.

At the moment, I'm particularly busy organising a refurbishment project here at Trunkwell House. We're spending £180,000 on creating six suites that should be ready in July. It's my job to get the rooms sorted.

Another issue I'm dealing with is a planning application that we have submitted to West Berkshire District Council. We've already been granted permission for a 21-bedroom extension but the new application is for a further 44 bedrooms. If it goes through, work will start in January 2005.

My days don't really follow any particular routine and I certainly would not describe them as hectic. I'm busy but it's controlled.

At lunchtimes I wander down to the pub, sometimes just to get away from the ringing phones. To eat, I'll have something like an omelette or some smoked ham and chorizo.

After lunch I simply crack on with it and I don't usually finish until 9pm at the earliest. If we have a function on in the evening, it'll be 2am.

My days are long but I'm lucky in that I can dictate the times that I work. I work as long as I have to and if I feel I need a break, I simply stop what I'm doing and go out on my Harley Davidson for a run around.

I do get tired because I'm on my feet all day but I never get exhausted because I enjoy what I do. I'm passionate about the business but on the other side of the coin, I like to have time to enjoy life. I like working but I also like going on holidays, spending time with my son, playing golf and relaxing.

By Louise Bozec

Factfile

Bob Walton
Trunkwell House, Beech Hill, Reading, Berkshire RG7 2AT
Tel: 0118 9883754
Web:
www.trunkwell.com

Rooms: six suites (will be ready mid-July)
Rates: £150 a night
Facilities: 40-seat restaurant, two conference rooms and a 250-seat marquee in the garden

Just a minute…

WHAT'S THE BEST MEAL YOU'VE EVER EATEN?
It was in Barbados last year. I had yellowfin tuna that was seared on the outside and practically raw inside. I was overlooking the Caribbean, the service was stunning and I can almost taste the tuna now just thinking about it.

WHAT'S YOUR AMBITION?
I don't necessarily see myself retiring but one day I would like to have a restaurant on a beach somewhere hot, perhaps in Majorca, Barbados or the Cayman Islands. There, I could play golf three times a week, ride my Harley and fly my helicopter.

WHAT WOULD YOUR LAST SUPPER BE?
Foie gras, lobster thermidor and crêpes suzette. They're my favourite foods.

I wouldn't normally eat all that because it's a bit rich. But if it was my last supper, I wouldn't care.

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