Piano proves key addition

Piano evenings have fast become a big hit at the Coach & Horses in Edenfield, Lancashire ­ and diners in the new extension, which is currently being built, won't miss out on the music either, as Tony Halstead reports

The builders have moved in and work has started on the Coach & Horses' new conservatory extension. But thankfully for licensee Steve Sharples,the presence of the workmen has not disrupted business at the Lancashire freehouse.

Work is currently confined to the side exterior of the pub, and breaking through into the main body of the pub building will be one of the final jobs of the scheme.

"The builders arrived at the beginning of December and have already completed the footings in preparation for the main construction work," reports Sharples. "We expect the job to be completed by mid-January with the new room in business by the first week of February."

The £30,000 project will give the pub an extra 30 or so dining covers that Sharples feels will provide a major trading bonus.

"The new room will get sunlight throughout the day so we hope it will beef up lunchtime trade but also give us valuable new dining space on Friday and Saturday nights," he says. "We are usually fully booked on these two evenings and the addition of 30 more covers will be very useful."

Sharples had originally toyed with the idea of getting the work completed in time for Christmas but could not risk delays jeopardising festivebookings. "We did not want to take bookings for the new room and then find it was not going to be ready in time. It was just too much of a risk and I think we have settled for a sensible option by setting a February deadline," he points out.

Sharples and his team are now busily devising colour schemes and furnishings to blend the extension in with the rest of the pub as much as possible. "It's difficult running around looking at curtains and furnishings while we are so busy with Christmas bookings, but the job has simply got to be done," he says.

After a quiet two weeks in the second half of November, the Christmas party season has started in earnest with the first festive "full house" in the dining room last week.

"Bookings have been coming in very well and we are definitely up on last year," Sharples reports. "We are heading for a very busy time over the next three weeks so it's going to be all hands to the pump," he adds.

Sharples is also delighted at the success of his new-look piano evenings; they are proving highly popular with Saturday-night diners. "The feedback from customers has been fantastic and the format is proving a major hit for us," he explains. "People say they love the touch of style which a live piano brings and they much prefer it to ordinary background music.

"The pianist is getting loads of requests forpeople celebrating birthdays so it looks as if the piano is here to stay. We will be installing speakers in the new extension so the music can be enjoyed there too."

The new year will see the approach of Sharples' second anniversary at the Coach & Horses ­ a period which has been eventful but highlyrewarding.

"The last 12 months have been good ones for the business which has moved forwards all the time. We have made a lot of improvements in both equipment and facilities and have been able to finance it all through profits which are being ploughed back into the business."

For Sharples and his business partner, Mark Walker, the decision to buy the Coach & Horses and move into the freehouse business, has more than justified itself.

Before taking on the pub, Sharples spent much of his career as a manager for Whitbread, mainly running Brewers Fayre pubs. The experience gave him the perfect grounding for the free-tradechallenge and the opportunity to cherry pickkey staff from his old company to help run thenew business. "I couldn't be happier with theway things have gone since we moved here," Sharples says.