Having grown up in the village, Zoe took her first job there at 16 as a waitress, and both her parents’ and her own relationships started under the same pub roof.
So, when the opportunity came to take over the running of the pub, Zoe and Nick leapt at the chance, turning a pub that in recent years had struggled and for a time was shut and boarded up, into a thriving focal point for the local community.
A real focus has been placed on including the whole family, from grandparents down, however particular emphasis is placed on the younger members, with staff instructed to greet children and dogs first, adults second! In fact dogs are particularly well catered for at this establishment, with their own doggy bar set up at the front of the pub.
Plans
The couple have invested heavily in the operation and, despite narrowly missing out on acquiring the freehold recently at auction, continue to maintain that development with plans to add a glass atrium to the rear terrace to extend the summer season.
The business also places great emphasis on its fresh food offer, with a proportion of the menu’s ingredients grown in-house on an allotment at the back of the pub’s car park.
The Boot is a great example of how, with imagination, flair and some shrewd investment, a failing pub can be transformed into a community jewel and bring in families from far and wide.