Pub Awards: Best Freehouse finalist - The Drawing Board, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

Everywhere you look there are near-history artefacts (many from Sam’s own childhood) that make you smile in wonderment.

The walls are lined with framed vintage comics, shelving is stacked with annuals, board games are ready for use and there is a plethora of fixtures and fittings that elicit comment – like the aluminium housing of jet engine that has been turned into a mirror frame.

“It is so important to have staff who smile and are friendly,” says Cornwall-Jones. “You have to find people (to employ) who care. We set out to create an atmosphere that was cool but comfortable. We wanted no one to feel intimidated. Humour is so important and we set out to make people smile.”

Offer

And that extends even to the pub’s offer, as evidenced by a stunning menu (created by a head chef with a history of Michelin stars and bib gourmands) that incorporates the popular bar food item of Spam fritters, and backed by an incredible drinks choice, including quirky items seldom seen in the UK.

From a zero starting point (the pub was shut when Cornwall-Jones took over), the Drawing Board has recorded turnover of £800,000 in its first financial year – a figure forecast to rise to £1m in the next two years. No wonder Sam’s smiling.