Bringing Aycliffe Business Park Together | 13
The County business owner Colette
Farrell with new Apprentices Callum
McFadden (left) and Scott Marriott.
APPRENTICES
JOIN THE COUNTY
AFTER £50K REFURB
By Martin Walker
Newton Aycliffe award winning restaurant The County is celebrating a £50,000 makeover
after seeing another record year in turnover.
Now the management is taking on two new
Apprentices to add to its growing team in
Aycliffe Village.
Colette Farrell and Stuart Dale, who are seven
years into a 25-year lease at The County, have
spent thousands of pounds on improvements
since taking over the pub in January 2008,
when annual turnover stood at £300,000.
The duo have nearly trebled that in six-and-ahalf years, with 2013-14 gross hitting just under
£800,000.
The secret recipe to their success, pardon the
pun, has been attention to detail and customer
care.
“We’re very conscientious - it’s all about the
customer, says Colette.
”
“We spend a lot of time training the staff on
everything about the customer experience.
“It helps when the staff are happy. They enjoy
working here and I think that comes through to
the customers.
”
New recruits at The County include Apprentices
Callum McFadden, from Aycliffe, and Scott
Marriott, from Ferryhill.
Callum, 19, started with the restaurant washing
pots and is now doing a level 2 Apprenticeship
in professional cookery with The County,
through Bishop Auckland College, while 21-yearold Scott is doing a level 3 Apprenticeship.
Colette said: “They want to learn. It’s great to
see young people interested in the hospitality
industry and to be part of their career journey.
“They’ll complete their Apprenticeships next
year and we’ll then have two new newly
qualified chefs to add to our growing team of
30.
”
Prior to moving into The County, business
owners Colette and Stuart ran the Hare and
Hounds near Sedgefield for eight years.
Colette, from Manchester, started in the
hospitality industry at 21, and moved to the
North East in 1996, taking up the role of
operations manager at Blackwell Grange Hotel
in Darlington.
The County made national headlines over a
decade ago when then Prime Minister Tony Blair
entertained French President Jacques Chirac at
the pub back in November 2000, when the two
leaders were pictured sipping a pint of beer.
Last year, The County was selected as the best
pub for grub in the Northumbria section of the
national Good Pub Guide 2014, and was praised
by the guide for its real ales, good wines and
“popular, interesting food”
.
Colette is now determined to keep building on
its success, with the management personally
financing a recent £50,000 refurbishment.
“It’s crucial that we re-invest back into the
restaurant, she says.
”
“When we first took it over, the place was
empty and there were hardly any customers.
We wondered just what we’d taken on.
“But we’ve turned it around with hard work
and ambition. We’re here for the long haul
and putting money back into the business to
promote its future growth just makes long-term
business sense.
”
As well as the restaurant, The County boasts
seven rooms which are regularly used by firms
on Aycliffe Business Park, including Gestamp
Tallent, PWS, Wilsonart, Lucite, 3M and Hitachi
Rail Europe.
The County is now taking bookings for
Christmas parties and lunches, with a
festive lunch menu from £15.95 per person
and a dinner menu from £27.95pp, which are
available from Monday 1st December.
To book, call 01325 312273 or email
[email protected]
www.thecountyaycliffevillage.com
Festive Bookings Now Being Taken
Festive Lunch Menu from £15.95 per person
Festive Dinner Menu £27.95 per person
Available from Monday 1st December
Restaurant with Rooms
Call us on 01325 312273
www.thecountyaycliffevillage.com