Q&A with Peter Pestell from The Sun Felmersham

Q&A with Peter Pestell Landlord of the The Sun in Felmersham

QPete, please tell our readers a little about yourself and your business?

Well I’m Pete and together with my wife Conny I run The Sun, a pretty, free-hold Pub and Dining Room in Felmersham, North Bedfordshire. I spend most of my time behind the stove while Conny does the hard graft.

QHow was your business before Covid -19 and how was impacted?

Being the only Pub in the village every day is different at The Sun and there is always lots going on however we strive to be an Affordable Pub serving Local, Seasonal Food and Drink. Before the big C came along it was a pub where our super locals and some from further afield piled in for their tipple of choice and something to tuck into.

QWe have watched with admiration on how you’ve effectively evolved and adapted your business during this time please can you tell us?

Your thoughts and adaptions of your business during lockdown 3.0?

Lockdown 3 wasn’t anyone’s choice way to start 2021 was it. However we are using the opportunity to continue to use cracking produce from our top notch suppliers all based here in Bedfordshire to cook all sorts of tasty takeaway dishes!

ii) What are your plans over the next few weeks whilst the restaurant trade is still restricted?

As well as different takeaway menus six nights a week we don’t see lockdown as a reason to stop feasting so there’s a Burn’s Night Dinner, Winer Dinners with our Friends at The Wine Cellar (now also in Felmersham!) and for the romantics… our Valentines Dinner

iii) What has been the reaction so far?, What has been the most successful idea implemented?

We have had so much support from our lovely customers. We really are blown away!

The highlights include cooking thousands of takeaways, hundreds of NHS meals all paid for by our customers and Launching Café Felmo’s (temporally closed in lockdown 3) our covid friendly truck selling mega bacon rolls, fresh coffee and of course CAKE.

iv) Tell us more about your ethical approach to your business during lockdown and how you have put the local community at the forefront?

The Pub should be about more than just a place for a good knees-up (although trust me, it is). If there is anyway The Pub can help to support the community or help local charities then surely that’s what we should do? If we have to stop hugging each other and piling into The Pub for a bit to help stop the spread then you know what, that’s what we have got to do. However I believe our local community has been more of a support to us than we have been to them.

QWhat are the long term goals/visions for your business? /Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

We love it here, the support is great, our suppliers keep bringing us the good stuff and we have the best team going. Where do we want to be in 5 years? Felmersham would be nice I reckon!