Tell us a little bit about your journey through M&B. When did you first start with us?

I joined the company in 2011, so nearly 10 years ago when I started as a waitress at a pub called the Barnt Green Inn which is on the outskirts of Birmingham. I moved to a nearby pub called The Victoria and started my development there and then after 8 years, I moved to The Bathampton Mill where I am today!

Moving to Bath must have been a big decision for you after staying near to where you’ve grown up. How did you feel when that opportunity came your way?

To be honest, I didn’t ever think about moving away from Birmingham as my family are all here. I’d had a couple of opportunities to relocate but I’d never felt it was the right time or place for me to go. When my area manager came to me with the opportunity in Bath, I decided to take the plunge. I’d visited Bath before and loved it so knew I’d be happy there but also the business I would be moving to would offer some new challenges which I think it is important to take on to keep things fresh.

 Have you learned anything about yourself through moving?

I think I’ve learnt that adapting to a new environment and situation is a lot easier than you build it up to be. I’m really close with my family so I worried I might not enjoy being away from them for so long but with technology today, it’s amazing how connected you can feel to home when you aren’t there. The move itself, I found really easy especially given I was familiar with how the business would be run, it made it one less thing to have to worry about. My area manager checked in on me in the first few weeks to make sure I was getting on OK and once I was settled, I was quite proud of myself for taking the opportunity!

What have you enjoyed most about moving to Bath?

Sometimes I have to remind myself I’m in England and not Rome! The architecture is amazing and touristy spots mean there’s plenty to see and do - it’s a really idyllic place to be. I’ve met loads of new people here and as we’re coming out of lockdown and things are opening up, I’ve been able to explore a bit more and I’m finding little markets and quirky little cafés and bars which is perfect for me.  

It’s also really, really close to Bristol another city I love and where I’ve spent a bit of time for work  – I didn’t realise how close it was so if I ever do miss that big city feeling, I can just hop on the train and be there in 10 minutes.

How does your business here differ to those you worked in back at home?

The Mill is definitely more seasonal and I think that has a lot to do with the location – rolling countryside and next to the river. It means that you can go from 0 to 100 when the sun randomly decides to come out. I love the rush and when we get busy out of the blue but I have had to adapt to be prepared for that a little bit compared to the businesses I’ve worked in previously which were fairly consistent in terms of trade but it’s a welcome change.

Aside from that, the views here are just incredible and its so peaceful – I wake up and see fields and green rather than the car park which is always nice haha!  

How do you spend your time when you're not at work – were you surprised at what Bath has to offer?

The main reason I love working in this industry is because I just live for eating out and trying as many new places as possible but since moving here I haven’t had much of a chance to explore with everything being closed so that’s something I’m looking forward to.

What I’ve really enjoyed though is the shift in the activities I do outside of that, I’m going on walks more than I ever did before and making the most of the environment around me which has had such a healthy and positive impact.

For any prospective General Managers considering relocating for a new challenge, what advice would you give?

I’d say just go for it – it’s so easy in this industry to get stuck in a comfort zone and since making the change, I’ve realised that it was exactly what I needed to avoid being stuck in that rut. The UK is a big place - there’s so much to see and enjoy and in our industry the seasons just fly by so it’s important to think big and take opportunities. I’ve had loads of support from colleagues in the district, my area manager and my team so I would absolutely tell people to take the plunge!