The couple took on The Bulls Head at Whetstone at the end of October, and have, as Nicola says, "hit the ground running."
Being at the heart of the local community and ensuring people of all ages feel welcome is key for new business owners Dave Trasler and Nicola Butlin.
The couple took on The Bulls Head at Whetstone at the end of October 2024, and have, as Nicola says, "hit the ground running."
"We had the move, the settling in, and then Christmas was here before we knew it. We came in at a busy time, so there were some very long days and lots of sleep deprivation!" laughs Nicola, who was eager to move into the pub industry after losing the passion for her previous job, working for the local authority.
And, despite the very long days, she is certain that the career change was "definitely worth it!"
Whilst running a pub is new to Nicola, her partner Dave has a wealth of experience, having been involved in the pub/nightclub scene since the 1980s.
"This is my second pub with Everards," says Dave. "I ran The Glen on 'the Monsell' (aka Eyres Monsell, Leicester) for 17 years. It was a tough place but a good place," smiles Dave, who continued to run The Glen for a short time after it was sold to Hawthorne Leisure in 2021, before making the decision to retire.
However, as Dave explains, it was a short-lived retirement. "I realised I needed something to do and I missed the pub life. I knew Nicola wanted to run a pub and we were talking one day and she said 'The Bulls Head's come up', so we decided to go for it.
"Dave was quite adamant that he wanted to go with Everards because he'd worked with them before and they were probably the best company he'd worked for. When we looked at The Bulls Head, we really liked the village feel that it has."
That was early last year, after long-term business owners Jayne and Eddie had decided to retire after 23 years at the pub.
"I knew Jayne and Eddie and I knew they were going to be a hard act to follow," says Dave. But, as Nicola explains, the outgoing business owners were a great help.
"We applied for the pub last May and in October we moved in," she recalls. “In the meantime, we started coming in to get a feel for the place and meet the locals, and I think Jayne twigged quite early on that we were looking at taking on the pub, and she was really accommodating. When we were offered it, she supported us, which was great. There's nothing better than having the previous owners have your back.
“They've been so supportive, and I still speak to Jayne most days. If I’ve got any questions, she's always at the end of the phone, which is lovely."
According to Nicola, although some of the regulars were sceptical when her and Dave first moved to The Bulls Head, they've since won them over and had a lot of support for changes they've made, including introducing party nights on a Saturday and quiz nights on a Sunday.
Sports - for which The Bulls Head has a strong reputation - continue to play a central role in pub life, with poker leagues, skittle teams, pool teams, darts teams and dominoes teams meeting during the week.
Nicola and Dave are hoping to build on the current offering by providing more weekend entertainment, with live music and family fun days in the pipeline.
"We've got a massive garden, and we could do so much with it. I'm looking forward to doing more family events and engaging some of the younger crowds," says Nicola.
Talking about what she enjoys most about running a pub, she says: "When I get to sit back and watch people having a good time - smiling, laughing and drinking, then coming back the next day and saying what a fantastic night that was. That, to me, is everything."
Interested in running a pub? Give us a call 0116 201 4260 or get in touch here.
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