Question and Answer: Foxglove
Q&A FOXGLOVE
Hey Kimberley, thanks for letting us pick your brains. First things first; what is your connection to Shaun Bebington of Pocketful of Stones?...
I started working for Shaun in his old pub, The Lukin in Fitzrovia, when I first moved to London in 2013. It was only ever going to be temporary, but I’d never experienced such a genuinely great working environment before. Shaun was a very cool boss, and when he asked me to move into the staff accommodation I just ended up never leaving. He then started Pocketful of Stones distillery and I was left in charge of the pub, which worked perfectly for both of us. When the Lukin closed down, we were both quite sad at the prospect of not working together, so we started looking for a new pub as a joint venture. Paul, the other half of Pocketful of Stones, ended up getting involved as well, I believe we’re somewhat of a dream team.
With your backgrounds, acquiring a Free House must have felt like a dream come true?...
Absolutely! The Lukin was a franchise of a well-known chain, and although we had some freedom in terms of wine and spirits, there was absolutely no flexibility with beer, which is what I’m personally most passionate about within the industry. Because of Shaun’s own brand
we got the idea to instead of funding big corporations, we’d try to buy from small, independent companies like ourselves where possible and having that option is just incredible.
Did it have to be specifically London for the pub or was it just love at first sight?...
London would have been the obvious choice because I am based here and I was going to be the one mostly looking after the pub. Shaun lives in Cornwall though so we actually started looking there as I was happy to relocate for the right opportunity and property prices are obviously a lot more reasonable there. When we stumbled upon this place by chance though, it was very much love at first sight.
So many people harbour ambitions to open a venue but never quite have the courage or know how to actually make it a reality. What has been the most eye opening thing for you guys during the process from initial conversation (over a few beers no doubt!) to now?...
We catch up with Kimberley Daal of the newly established KPS Pub Company who have just thrown open the doors at The Foxglove in Angel, Islington, N1.
Formerly called Cured, KPS have totally transformed this establishment and injected passion and integrity into the pub scene based on their appreciation of good-quality, independently made alcohol. The focus here is fully committed to artisan beer and spirits. The Foxglove strives to make craft beer accessible for the uninitiated, as well as to bring the latest trends in brewing and distilling to the connoisseur.
Shaun had obviously opened a pub before and my entire working life has been in hospitality, so it wasn’t as big of a leap for us as it would have been for most people I’d say. We already had a steady working relationship and the know- how, but obviously moving to a new neighbourhood with an entirely new clientele is always a challenge. I think we got very lucky with our location, Islington is an amazing place to work in. We have some quite ambitious plans to make this into a destination pub as opposed to a local boozer alone and that’s a test in itself! It’s very much a process of trial and error, which is both exciting and tricky simultaneously.
What has been your inspiration for the décor and design of the Foxglove?...
We love an old school pub, which I think should always feel like an extension of your home. That homely vibe is very important to us, and we’re constantly looking for ways of improving it. As we’re not a big corporation with a huge budget, it’s very much still work in progress. Adding personal touches here and there is very rewarding though as it becomes a
20 FEBRUARY 2019
WWW.VENUE-INSIGHT.COM
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