Five Minutes With... Lauren Hennessy, General Manager of the Limes, Faversham

Lives: Faversham
​​​​Age: 28
Career: I grew up in Faversham and attended Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School before studying Communications, Media & Society at the University of Leicester. It was during the summer holiday after my second year at university that I got my first bar job, and loved it from the minute I started. Once I had graduated, I worked part time in both a local pub and an Italian restaurant as a waitress. It was a year later that I started working at The Limes, and I have been with Shepherd Neame ever since.


Why did you decide to pursue a career in hospitality?
In all honesty, I feel like the career chose me! When I started working at The Limes six and a half years ago, it was only meant to be a part time temporary position while I figured out what I wanted to do. Within ten months I had become the Deputy Manager, and two and a half years after starting I was given the opportunity to become General Manager at Ye Olde Beverlie, another Shepherd Neame pub in Canterbury. I like to do things to the best of my ability, which is what I feel gave me the opportunities to keep progressing my career so quickly within hospitality. I am always keen to learn new things, and there is always something new going on in hospitality so there is always plenty to learn.

What personal characteristics help you in your role?
A big part of my job is to greet customers in the pub and make sure they feel welcome and relaxed, so I feel that my friendly and chatty nature is well suited to this. I am also a very organised person, which is essential when running a business where there are always 101 things to do!

What qualifications are needed for your role?
When I first started, I didn’t have any qualifications that were relevant to the role. It has very much been a case of learning on the job, and the training provided by Shepherd Neame has been fantastic. They supported me to obtain my personal license, along with qualifications in areas such as cellar management, first aid, and health and safety.

What does a typical day involve?
One of the great things about hospitality is that there isn’t a typical day – it is full of variety! We have a small team at The Limes, so I am involved with all aspects of the business. Normally it begins with cleaning the pub and preparing it for the day ahead, then dealing with emails and as much administrative work as possible before midday. Then, once we’re open I like to be on the floor as much as possible, so that I’m there to greet customers as soon as they walk through the door. We also have a function room at The Limes which is often booked out for meetings in the day, and parties at weekends. We have live music every Saturday night, which is definitely my favourite night of the week.