A young entrepreneur has returned to her Richmondshire roots to set up business at The Bay Horse in Ravensworth.
Hayley Barrett, a former student at Richmond School and Sixth Form College and a Northumbria University Business Management graduate, previously worked in finance roles at J Sainsbury PLC and in merchandising at Missguided before making the decision to run her own business with her partner Sam Turner.
Twenty-seven-year-old Hayley is no stranger to the world of hospitality as she has grown up in the industry, having lived in pubs and restaurants since she was born. The daughter of highly regarded chefs Adrian and Gill Barrett, Hayley worked part-time for her parents when they ran Overton House in Reeth and then during her placement year at university, she helped them to set up the hugely successful Barrett’s Café Bistro in Richmond. She was involved in all of the branding, interior design, menus and staffing, experience which she has been able to put into practice for her own business venture.
Hayley said: “I have had a dream to run my own business from an early age, and this inspired me to study Business Studies A-level and read Business Management at degree level. During my final year at university, both Sam and I chose to specialise in Entrepreneurship. We had to set up our own business as part of the module and we made it to the Young Enterprise National Finals, which was a group of the top 10 businesses across the country that year. From there we always said we would run our own business one day.”
“We knew we wanted to be in the hospitality sector in the Richmond area. When the opportunity to take on The Bay Horse came along it was like it was meant to be – I went to school in Ravensworth and my mum, who was born in Ravensworth, actually used to work in The Bay Horse as a teenager. Our vision for The Bay Horse is really simple – to bring back a vibrant traditional country pub to the area through our family’s warm and welcoming service which we hope will create a buzzing and inviting atmosphere for the community.”
Hayley and Sam spent four months renovating and refurbishing The Bay Horse, doing much of the work themselves to keep the costs down. They have ripped everything out and installed a new kitchen, flooring, central heating and customer toilets and have decorated throughout. The result is a cosy and welcoming ambience, including snug areas and a log burner. Hayley’s Dad Adrian is the main chef, her mum Gill is the pastry chef, Hayley is assistant Chef and Sam is front of house. They are serving classic, high-quality food including a wide selection of fish dishes. Hayley and Sam source as many of their products as locally as possible and already they are expanding their range of beers and lagers to include local suppliers such as the Wensleydale Brewery.
Jenna Potter, Headteacher at Richmond School and Sixth Form College, said: “We are always delighted to hear about the success of our former students and it’s wonderful that Hayley and her partner Sam have set up their own business at The Bay Horse. Hayley had a real flair for Business Studies at college and it is fantastic that she is now applying her knowledge and experience in her own pub. She is a tremendous role model for our younger students as someone who worked extremely hard at her studies, gained experience in the world of work and then has applied her entrepreneurial spirit to be her own boss. Hayley will be a fabulous mentor for any of our students who are considering a career in Business.”
After only a few weeks in business, the pub is already bringing the community together and is very much a hub for residents and visitors alike. The pub is currently open Wednesday and Thursday, with fish and chips to eat in or take away from 5-7pm, and then evening meals served from 5-8:30pm Friday and Saturday, with a traditional roast lunch from 12-3pm on Sunday. Full details of opening hours and sample menus are on the website at www.thebayhorseravensworth.co.uk or follow The Bay Horse on social media at www.facebook.com/TheBayHorseRavensworth or www.instagram.com/the_bay_horse_ravensworth