17/09/2026
🍻 ONE YEAR AT THE BULL 🍻 and oh what a year
A year ago today, we picked up the keys to The Bull.
Looking back now, we’re not entirely sure we knew what we were letting ourselves in for! 😂
It’s been one hell of a year and a massive learning curve for both of us.
We’ve made good decisions. We’ve made mistakes. We’ve changed our minds, tried things that worked and tried things that definitely didn’t. And we’ve learnt very quickly that running a pub is completely different to sitting on the other side of the bar thinking you know how one should be run!
There have been days when we’ve absolutely loved it and days when we’ve genuinely wondered what on earth we’ve done.
We’ve worked ridiculous hours, lost sleep over things we didn’t even know existed 12 months ago, and probably learnt more about running a pub in one year than we expected to learn in five.
But amongst all of that, there have been some brilliant moments.
We’ve met some great people, made new friends and had those nights when we’ve finally stopped for a minute, looked around at a busy Bull and thought, “Yeah… this is why we did it.”
We knew from day one that we were taking on a special pub. Gil & Phil had looked after The Bull for many years before us, and we’ve always wanted to respect what was already here while gradually putting our own stamp on the place.
A year later, we’re still learning. We’re still changing things. And we certainly don’t get everything right.
But one thing hasn’t changed — we care massively about The Bull.
So to everyone who has supported us during our first year, thank you.
Whether you’re in every week, have visited once, stayed in one of our rooms, stopped for a pint, had a meal or simply told somebody else to give The Bull a try — it genuinely means a lot to us.
And a huge thank you to our team, past and present. This place simply couldn’t run without the people behind the bar, in the kitchen and everywhere else that most customers never see.
One year done.
We’re definitely more tired than we were when we picked up those keys 😂
Hopefully a bit wiser too.
And despite everything we now know…
we’d still pick them up again. ❤️
Here’s to Year Two. 🍻
Richard & Emma
