From its lively Ibiza parties to its delicious Sunday roasts, The Beeswing at Kettering has become a popular spot for many reasons since Callun Loomes took over the neighbourhood pub four years ago.

It’s little wonder Callun has had such a positive impact on the place, as the pub industry has been familiar to him since he was a teenager. His grandparents, Kev and Dee Shepherdson, ran The Old Horse in Leicester for 28 years and it was here where Callun’s pub journey began, as he recalls:

“My earliest memory is being in that pub. My mum worked there, my auntie worked there, my cousins worked there. It was very much a family business as I was growing up, and I started glass collecting for pocket money from an early age.

“As soon as I was 18, I was behind the bar serving and then after a few years, I got my personal licence and did a cellar course. Then my grandparents started going on holidays and leaving me in charge.”

Having studied filming and editing at college, Callun says he originally planned to follow a career in that field. However, by the time he was in his mid-20s he realised that, in fact, running a pub could be for him.

It was prompted by his grandparents revealing in 2020 that they were planning to retire, and he had initially hoped to take on The Old Horse. However, as his experience was limited to working in that one pub, Everards suggested that he built up his skills by running a smaller pub for two years.

“A couple of months into lockdown, Everards asked me to be the live-in manager at The Crown in Uppingham. I moved into the pub and obviously it was locked down, so day to day I was painting and decorating and getting it ready, then we were opening and closing with the different lockdowns.

“It was a lovely village pub, but I was 29 and wanted something a bit more upbeat, so once the two years were up, I asked Everards if there was anything available.”

Callun says he was hoping for a pub in Leicester, so he could be closer to his family, but nothing was available at the time. However, The Beeswing – which is a similar size to The Old Horse - was in need of a new business owner, and he saw the opportunity to bring what had worked at the Leicester venue to Kettering.

Callun initially took on The Beeswing in April 2022 as a 12-month managed partnership, before becoming business owner in late 2023.

Key to the success of the pub, according to Callun, has been a focus on entertainment. Live music is hugely popular, and Callun makes sure he provides a variety of genres, so there’s something for everyone – from rock to acoustic music.

One of the most popular events is Dance ‘Til Dawn, where the pub is turned into an Ibiza club – complete with DJs and doormen - for 13 hours. According to Callun, the last event attracted 900 people.

Other ways Callun has enhanced The Beeswing experience is by installing a pool table and big screens showing Sky Sports. He’s also added in little touches such as a children’s toy machine and a warm pork scratchings machine – both of which were popular at The Old Horse.

One other key feature at the pub is Socks, the very cute pub cat. “He turned up in June last year and never left,” smiles Callun, who put up posters and took him to the vets to try and locate his owner. But with no microchip and no records, animal lover Callun adopted him. 

“I have people ringing up to book and they want to make sure he’ll be there, and I have people who will order an extra slice of turkey with their dinner so they can give it to him. I don’t think there’s anybody in Kettering that doesn’t know about Socks!”

Food is served at the pub from Thursday to Sunday, and when the chefs are not in the kitchen, there are food trucks in the car park, so customers can still enjoy a tasty treat with their pint.

The Beeswing also has a private room which is available for hire. “Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, that back room’s either a christening, an engagement party, a birthday or a gender reveal,” says Callun, adding that there is such variety to what they do at The Beeswing.

Talking about what he enjoys about running a pub, Callun says: “Definitely the social side of it. I live upstairs, so if I get a bit bored I can come down and there’s always some people to sit and chat to!”

Whilst Callun is sole business owner of The Beeswing, he has a strong team behind him – and his family are always on hand to help.

“I speak to my grandparents every day and my mum and grandma tend to come over on a Sunday,” says Callun, adding that his grandad Kev is responsible for the lovely flowers at the front of the pub and will soon be varnishing his outdoor tables ready for summer.

“I was so used to being in a family environment at The Old Horse so it’s great to have their support here.”