Desert Island Pubs – Dawn Browne, chief people officer at Fuller, Smith & Turner
Beer Insider is pleased to bring you the latest Desert Island Pubs column, supported by Sunrise Beverages. So settle in and enjoy reading the stories behind the selection of pubs from…
Dawn Browne, chief people officer at Fuller, Smith & Turner
1. Earliest Memory of a Pub
My parents were not pub goers, so my earliest memory is sneaking off to local pub as a teenager – all the ‘younger’ people used to gather in the back room as there wasn’t much else to do where I grew up. It was a small town though so my dad knew the landlord, which meant there was no drinking for me until I was 18. It was a pub called – The Half Moon, in Alford, Lincolnshire – and I feel like I should apologise to the manager as we were not always well behaved!
2. Most Inspirational Pub to my Career
This is a slightly odd one as I was not a pub person at all until I came to Fuller’s but I am now a complete convert of course. So I would probably have to say that it is one the pubs I visited when I went out in trade with David Hoyle, who was running the Fuller’s people team and talking to me about joining Fuller’s. I was working in a huge catering contractor where our ‘unit managers’ were of varied quality and when I went out and met the General Managers running Fuller’s businesses, I was utterly wowed by their passion, pride and sense of personal ownership for the businesses they ran. It was this that persuaded me to join the business. As I remember we visited The Vintry, The Counting House and The Saint (which was, at that time, The Fine Line at Bow Churchyard).
3. My Current Local
That would be The Barley Mow in Englefield Green. It’s a Heartwood Inns pub and has a great terrace overlooking the green. As a people person, it’s always the teams that make it for me and this pub is just always consistently good across food, service and the welcome you get. It’s also the site of the last ever duel in England – but thankfully you don’t get much of that anymore.
4. My Favourite Pub
When you work in a pub company, this is like choosing between your children. When it comes to our own pubs, I have had some fun times in The Sutton Arms at Barbican – I just love how cosy it is and it makes the best toasted sandwiches in London. But I also love The Red Lion Barnes as it’s so many things in one building and it’s led by a really inspirational couple in Angus and Claire. Finally, to show that I’m not totally biased, my other favourite pub is the Duke William in Askham, near Retford. It’s where we always go when I visit my sister and it’s a great example of getting everything right. An amazing menu using fresh, local ingredients, clear spaces for drinkers and diners, excellent and friendly team members, a lovely setting, and tastefully designed with a stunning outside seating area that is beautifully planted. What’s not to love.
5. The Pub you’d like to take to the Island
That has to be the Bel & The Dragon in Cookham – Josh the Manager is always so upbeat and makes me smile. The team would be fabulous company, and I would never go hungry as the food is spectacular. And it has lovely bedrooms so I would have a nice comfy bed to sleep in. This is important when you get to my age!
6. The beer (unlimited supply) you’d take to the desert island?
At this point, I have to confess that I’m not the world’s biggest beer drinker. However, I am partial to a Golden Pride with a fantastic cheeseboard. Other barley wines are, of course, available, and no doubt equally as good. It’s just that I’ve not tried them. Feel free to send me samples.
Glynn Davis, editor, Beer Insider
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