This week M&C takes five minutes with Nottingham Brewery managing Philip Darby. He talks about his love for yachts, potted shrimps and why CAMRA needs to turn its attention away from ale.
What’s your main business priority for the coming year?
To make the pubs that we’ve got a little tighter, sharper, more customer focussed and to establish new outlets with the same set of values and expand our retail side.
What is the best marketing campaign you have seen in the past 12 months?
I haven’t seen anything that has driven me to go out and buy anything on the back of it.
Where did you have your best meal over the past year?
Rules Restaurant off Trafalgar Square in London. I had Morecambe Bay potted shrimps to start followed by steak and kidney pudding and cheese and biscuits. The quality of food was absolutely outstanding, as was the way it was served and the ambience and surroundings.
Which business in the sector provides the best experience?
Sam Smith’s brewery stands by its traditions. They’re always fairly priced and they don’t go in for gimmicks. What you see is what you get and it’s a good quality.
What are your main concerns for the sector?
The overburdening of the trade with new openings of micro-breweries against the closure of pubs means there are fewer outlets but more suppliers. I’d like CAMRA and SIBA to be more focussed on helping pubs and publicans. The Campaign for Real Ale has been an absolute stupendous success since its concept but they [CAMRA] needs to focus now on real pubs because they are becoming fewer and fewer. The Government is not doing anything to help or support community pubs and they’re a dying breed.
Which other business (any sector) would you most like to run and why?
I’d love to sail yachts round the world for a living because I can’t afford an expensive yacht myself.
