Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2009 | Page 46

life

INTERVIEW
Converting it took over a year, and,
significantly, only local labour was used.
“We don’t spend a penny off this Island if
we don’t have to,” says Neil.
Just as with the Spyglass, the doom
mongers were out in force. One such,
who had better remain nameless said
“What makes you think you can make a
pub pay in Newport? Nobody else can.
“But The Bargeman’s Inn kicked off as
soon as it opened,” says Andrew, gently
triumphant. “We employed

a chap

called Colin Dimmick a publican and chef,
who had run the White Hart. Colin’s great
stance was ‘People likes gravy’.” This
seemed a reasonable truism on which to
base their business. “So we went down
the gravy and veg route,” says Andrew,
“and never really looked back.” The
Bargeman’s Inn is celebrating its 10th
year.
They were still reeling from work
involved converting the Bargeman’s
when another pub came on the market.
The family had identified a building in
Shanklin as one which “ought to be
bought if we ever needed another pub”.
(The Gibbs talk of needing pubs like most
of us talk of needing a new car.) Despite
the bad timing (that fickle mistress at
work) they couldn’t ignore their instinct
that Shanklin needed a pub right there on
the sea front, and it became the Steamer
Inn. Just two years later the pub at
Arreton Barns came up too – another one
The Spyglass Inn, Ventnor

which, Jane says, they had thought would

Mortimer of Crossroads Motel fame,

Jane had lived abroad, and were on the

for you could almost write a soap opera

point of sailing round the world on a

about the family network: Steph’s cousin

retirement trip before looking for a tea

owns the Royal Hotel, another cousin

room to run. However, just as the boat

owns the Eversley, and her brother owns

was packed for the world trip, Jane’s

a café. An everyday tale of publicans . . .

mother fell ill, and they returned to the

wine bar owners . . . gift shop proprietors

Isle of Wight. “I saw a property, asked

..

Neil if he wanted a part share in another

The Spyglass had been going 10 years

pub and sold the boat,” says Andrew.

before Neil’s brother Andrew and wife

The property in question was Newport’s

Jane became “accidentally” involved.

former squash courts. “It was frightening

Andrew was a car body designer. He and

how big it was,” grins Andrew.

46

represent a wonderful opportunity if it
ever came available.
Despite an inauspicious start – even
before they had exchanged contracts
on Arreton Barns, the pub burnt
down – the Dairyman’s Daughter has
thrived. “We see the craft village as the
entertainment,” Neil says, “and invest in
the businesses accordingly.” As a result
the resident potter and the glassblower
have gone from strength to strength in
their own businesses. Recently Jane and