Help Our Hospitality: Owner expresses love for ‘pub family’ that has kept ‘iconic’ town centre venue open for decades

In this week’s instalment of the Help Our Hospitality campaign, an owner has spoken of the love she has for the “pub family” that has kept her “iconic” venue open for decades.

Rachel Nash has been the licensee of The King Billy, in Commercial Street, since January this year – after stepping up from her role as manager that she held since last year.

After visiting the pub for the first time 20 years ago, Rachel admits she never imagined she would be running it herself two decades later.

The rock bar and “iconic venue”, which offers a varied mix of live music, has proved a popular choice among the town’s biker community for around the past 40 years, Rachel believes.

When asked to describe The King Billy, Rachel said: “We’re a pub family and a group of like-minded people who enjoy music and bikes.”

Though Rachel says the business is at “chin level above water”, the main thing is that she is managing to pay the bills and new customers are still visiting The King Billy.

With tables and chairs outside the venue after they were granted a new licence, Rachel believes this is attracting newbies as it is “more inviting”.

The team is also currently working on the back garden by painting to “cheer it up” and give it a new lease of life.

The King Billy is known for being the local of the town’s well-renowned biker community, and Rachel says it is “absolutely” because of them that the venue is still going during this difficult period for the hospitality industry.

Rachel said: “I love my job and the customers. It takes me back to when I was 18, as it’s exactly like a pub I used to drink in.”

The licensee also believes the varied mix of live music on offer brings people back time and time again, but it is about “getting it out there” to new potential customers who may be interested.

Though the culture of socialising has evolved and presents itself differently among the young people of today, this challenge has not impacted The King Billy’s “pub family” – as they will always remain loyal.

When asked what message she wants to send to our readers about the importance of supporting the hospitality industry, Rachel said: “Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

“It’s all well and good that supermarkets sell cheap alcohol, but it’s the pubs that have a duty of care to their customers. We care.”

Rachel hopes The King Billy will continue to get “bigger and better”.

Though sadly things did not work out when she planned to get a wedding venue licence to offer alternative weddings, just a three-year period was an expense the team could not justify.

“We’ll keep plodding on and hopefully things will get better,” Rachel added.

Bike and burger evenings on Wednesdays are popular among the community but with increasing competition from elsewhere, Rachel wants to continue spreading the word.

To keep up to date with The King Billy, check out their Facebook page here.