Help Our Hospitality: ‘We’re not just a pub, we’re a community,’ says proud owner of iconic town centre venue

The proud owner of an iconic town centre venue has shared a poignant message – that it is not just a pub but a community – in her latest Help Our Hospitality interview.

Rachel Nash founded Violet Taverns in November 2022, ahead of taking on the temporary lease of The King Billy, in Commercial Street, at the start of the following year.

She took on the role of licensee in January last year, after stepping up from her role as manager that she held the year before.

After visiting the pub for the first time 20 years ago when she moved to the county, Rachel admits she never imagined she would run it herself two decades later – and often has to pinch herself.

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 40 years.

Though the end of her lease was technically in January, Rachel is in talks of securing a long-term partnership moving forward.

When asked how she has found the first year of running the pub, Rachel told the Chronicle & Echo: “It’s been challenging. We still find a lot of people don’t know it’s reopened – that’s been our biggest problem.”

Though the start of Rachel’s journey was a challenge as she was left with an empty diary and had to book bands in for every weekend for the rest of the year in her first three weeks, she made sure to get ahead for 2024.

“We’ve got bands begging to play here,” said Rachel. “It’s well-known in music circles. We’re trying to widen the music we play. Rock bar is too narrow a word for it, we’re a music bar.”

Talking about what she has enjoyed most since taking over, the licensee added: “It’s my baby and pub family. We’re not just a pub, we’re a community.”

Rachel’s biggest learning curve has been taking a step back and letting her staff do the jobs they are more than capable of – as she previously liked to take care of everything herself.

She said: “I’ve got a fabulous team of girls around me. They take no messing, are reliable and I don’t know what I’d do without them.”

Rachel is proud that they know how to have fun at The King Billy – and that applies to both staff members and regulars.

With the Chronicle & Echo’s recent focus on celebrating female-owned businesses, Rachel says it is “very important” that women are celebrated as often they have to “work twice as hard to be taken seriously”.

Though Rachel did not experience that herself, she says being unknown among The King Billy community when she joined made people weary.

“Within a week of being here, everyone knew I was 100 percent invested in the pub,” she said. “They’ve got my back.”

Looking to 2024, Rachel hopes to continue growing the customer base and ensuring the venue is seen as their local, rather than somewhere they visit for live music occasionally.

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