Posted: 18th March 2016
Councillor Swaps the Housing Market for a Public House
After more than 25 years as an estate agent, a district councillor has embarked on a new venture: running his local pub, the White Horse in Hawkinge.
Cllr Philip Martin grew up in Folkestone, and has lived in Hawkinge for the past 10 years, overseeing his estate agency business House Martins. When the Shepherd Neame pub became available at the start of the year, Cllr Martin decided that it was time to fulfil his lifelong dream of becoming a licensee.
Cllr Martin said:
I have worked in pubs on and off since I was 18, often supplementing my day job with evening and weekend shifts over the years. I always had an ambition to run my own pub, but was busy with other projects. The White Horse has been my local for 10 years, and I have made a lot of friends there, so when it became available, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.
As a new licensee, the father-of-two has received a range of support from Shepherd Neame, including completing the personal licence course and other training including cellar management. He has already started to make his mark on the pub, introducing a new lunchtime food offer. Bar snacks and pub classics are now served from Wednesday to Saturday, with a roast dinner on Sunday, all from 12 noon to 2.30pm.
Cllr Martin, who is also President of the Folkestone Lions Club, said:
I have always been a people person, and I am absolutely loving my new role. Running a pub is hard work, but the rewards are immense. There is nothing like being behind the bar and enjoying friendly camaraderie with customers.
The White Horse is open from 12 noon to midnight, Monday to Sunday. For more information call the pub on 01303 892268 or find them on Facebook.