Meet Tom Gabbitas… You will never meet someone more at home in a pub than the landlord of The Victoria Inn at Eastleach.
With more than 25 years of experience, starting with washing dishes, Tom found himself working for one of the UK’s most popular restaurant chains. He then worked in management positions for other hospitality companies in Bristol, before moving with his now-wife Maya and their family to a beautiful village in the middle of the Cotswolds.
In November 2016 Tom and Maya decided they were ready to run their own business and found the beautiful Victoria Inn. “We were very interested in that specific pub as we lived in the village already and knew what a perfect location it was” says Tom.
Tom believes that many different elements give his 18th century pub the unique personality that punters know and love it for. “As a landlord, it feels like an extension of my home, and equally I want customers to see it as an extension of their home” he says.
Tom places a huge emphasis on seeing his job as enjoyable and fulfilling, saying: “Pubs are very much part of a lifestyle, not just for the landlord but the community too. It’s a focal point for the local area, a place where people come together and feel that they are part of a community.”
For those considering running their own pub, Tom has some advice: “Make sure you know the economics of running a pub, as well as being well versed in good hospitality. But my top tip is simply to enjoy what you do!”
Tom is now participating in Arkell’s last campaign which aims at recruiting for new publicans for their pubs by unveiling what it’s really like to be a pub tenant and – more specifically – an Arkell’s tenant.
The campaign showcases some of the unique “publicans life” stories that sit within the business from a handful of Arkell’s existing tenants like Tom. More info: https://www.arkellsrecruitment.co.uk/what-our-licensees-say
Thank you to Arkells for this piece – find out more about the Victoria Inn here.
