A Pub Franchise Success Story: Returning Home to Hazel Grove

Introductory Highlights

• Sharon returned to her hometown after more than 20 years in hospitality to run a much-loved local pub.
• She has benefited from comprehensive business support, hands-on training and the backing of the Greene King franchise network.
• The freedom to add her own ideas combined with Greene King’s proven systems have resulted in a growth in local trade.

The Challenge

After more than two decades working in the hospitality industry in Spain, Sharon returned to her home village of Hazel Grove ready for a new challenge. Having worked independently for many years, she understood first-hand the pressures of running a hospitality business and the demands that come with operating alone.

Taking on one of the village's most established pubs was an exciting opportunity, but Sharon wanted to ensure she had the right foundations in place to succeed. Her goal was to preserve the pub's important role within the community while building a sustainable business that could continue to thrive for years to come.

The Solution

The Greene King franchise model gave Sharon the ideal combination of independence and expert support. Rather than facing the challenges of running a pub entirely on her own, she gained access to a wealth of business support, practical training and experienced professionals who are there to help whenever she needs them.

A comprehensive induction programme provided hands-on training before opening, allowing Sharon to build confidence in every aspect of running the pub, from cellar management to day-to-day operations. Ongoing guidance from the training team and her dedicated Business Development Manager ensured she always had experienced people to turn to for advice, ideas and solutions.

Alongside this support, Greene King supplied proven operating systems, marketing materials and promotions that helped to structure the week’s activity, while still giving Sharon the flexibility to introduce her own ideas and create a pub that reflects the local community.

This balance of consistency and creativity has allowed her to focus on delivering a fantastic customer experience while growing the business.

The Results

Today, Sharon is proudly running a franchise pub that has long been at the heart of Hazel Grove. Backed by Greene King's ongoing business support, she has the confidence to make informed decisions while benefiting from the experience and expertise of the wider franchise team.

The combination of practical training, pro-active support and proven systems has enabled Sharon to focus on strengthening relationships within the community, increasing local trade and developing a successful business that retains its unique character.

With continued investment in franchisees through training, operational guidance and marketing support, Greene King provides ambitious pub operators with the tools they need to succeed — while never feeling like they're doing it alone.

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Full Transcript

After spending over 20 years’ working in the hospitality industry in Spain, Sharon returned home to the village of Hazel Grove in the Greater Manchester are She is now proudly running a pub that she has always recognised as the heartbeat of its community, where she is also feeling the benefit of being part of the Greene King franchise family.

Sharon (Franchisee) – “I feel very nostalgic about this pub because when I was young I was brought up in this village. So, walking around these streets as a child, I still remember this is one of the original pubs in the village.”

“I think after working independently in the sector, it was and still is a very difficult sector to be in. I always used this terminology ‘tools in the box’. There’s lots there, lots of support.”

Nick (Business Development Manager) – “It's a perfect middle ground between being part of the managed estate and being a lease & tenanted operator. So, you have all the expertise of Greene King to help support you and the framework of the franchise agreement. Yes, there's a framework to work within, but also, we want to make the best of the business. So, there is that freedom as well.”

Sharon (Franchisee) – “I went on the induction in Bury Saint Edmunds. All the training team were there at that point. You've got a working cellar and so there was a lot of hands-on training, so a lot of it was done before I was actually on-site.” “The training team came in and, you know, they leave you at a point where you've got everything you need, and then going forward, you can call on them for support. You know, it does feel like we are a family. I say it all the time, my Hive family, because that is what it feels like.”

Nick (Business Development Manager) – “I can be with them on the good days and bad days. So, the bad days, I'm there at the other end of the phone for them to rant out, and then for us to essentially find some kind of solution at the end of it.” “It's something we pride ourselves with in Pub Partners in particular, that we call ourselves small and mighty, and that we can get things done quite quickly. It's very different to the managed world, where everything is kind of done in the background. We can normally reach out to someone and get an answer there and then.”

Sharon (Franchisee) – “Our rhythm of the week is very well thought out, but it's also there that we can add our own touches into it as well. All very cleverly done. I've been known to say before ‘you've been working on that a while, haven't you?’ And, of course, that's what happens behind the scenes. It's all fresh and you know, and again it's those tools in the box. That's what helps us do our job.”

Nick (Business Development Manager) – “I can provide kind of real-life scenarios to them where I've been in a very similar situation and the ways that I found a workaround and what worked for me and what didn't work for me, more importantly. And ways that when it didn't work for me, how did I improve?”

Sharon (Franchisee) – “I think the biggest thing is that support, it does feel like a family. Although we're all here doing a job, we all have a job to but ultimately, it's the support.”