THE VENUS COMPANY
Blackpool sands was originally a summer residence of Louisa’s ances- tors – Dartmouth merchants who sailed with sir Francis Drake and were involved in the Port trade in europe and cod from newfoundland. they moved to exeter. Louisa’s father inherited and sold the exeter family home and moved into the thatched houses at Blackpool sands with his wife and four children – Louisa, sir Geoffery, richard and Dibbie – when Louisa was young.
Michael said: “Louisa has lots of
fond childhood memories here – of boats, water, picking winkles and mussels. “the first enterprise at Blackpool
sands was in the early 1950s – Louisa’s mum made jam and knitted goods, which she sold in the shop, and Louisa used to sell peaches on the beach. they also sold locally made ice cream from stoke Fleming” Following the success of summer 1995 the Venus Café franchise started to expand. they opened in east Portlemouth in 1997, Bigbury in 1999, tolcarne in newquay in 2003, and Watergate Bay in 2009. In 2011 they ventured inland, to the then Dartington Cider Press, near totnes.
Michael explained: “We started
having bad summers – and as a beach business 85 per cent of our sales are in the summer holidays, so a rainy summer can do a lot of damage.” now known as the Venus Company, Michael is in charge of strategic marketing and purchasing, Louisa food production and Lee administration. All three founders have pedigree catering backgrounds. Louisa was trained by Pru Leith in London in the 1970s and joined the original Cranks wholefood vegetarian restaurant on Carnaby street. she moved back to Devon to be
part of the opening team of Cranks at the shops at Dartington. she was married with two children and lived in totnes.
Michael started his career in catering, aged just 11, at the royal Castle Hotel in Dartmouth. He said: “I started as a bottle washer and within three days was helping to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in the restaurant.” Michael and Lee first worked together when they were both training in the us for fast food company Wendy’s.
Lee was the first solo manager of a Berni Inn and also opened the first Wendy’s in Britain, on London’s Oxford street. Michael opened the second Wendy’s on the strand. Lee then worked with J Lyons catering and was involved with prestigious events including Wimbledon & Buckingham Palace. After Wendy’s, Michael joined
Whitbread and was involved in the launch of Premier Inn amongst other
“Our mission is to be the greenest café and shop operator “
things before moving to Vancouver, Canada, where he was President and CeO of the Keg, a steak and seafood restaurant chain. He built the chain up from 85 to 120 restaurants. Michael has also lived and worked in Belgium, Israel, Australia and Hawaii. In 1994, aged 38, he grew tired
of travelling and headed home to Dartmouth, where his parents still lived.
He said: “I love Dartmouth and
think it’s a wonderful, wonderful place. I left at 18 and returned 20 years later ready to settle. “I decided to go to the regatta Ball that summer and invited Louisa who I’d fancied since I was about five years old.”
Michael and Louisa had known each other since their days at Dartmouth’s tower House Primary school and their families knew each other well. the couple got together and are now married with a daugh- ter aged 13.
When the lease on the Blackpool
sands café came up Michael and Louisa invited Lee to join them in their venture. From the outset they were
keen to make the company as environmentally conscious as possible.
Michael said: “We never started
Venus to make millions – we are more about being green and sustainable and looking after people. We could make more money but want to be environmentally friendly and use organic food but charge high street prices. We also only put something on the menu that we would eat ourselves. “I’ve always been very environ-
mentally conscious. In n. America I was working with ‘quality’ beef and fish and in Hawaii I was involved with a sustainable micro algae company.” Louisa’s experience at Cranks
wholefood restaurants complements this approach. Michael is now also chair of Food & Drink Devon, which focuses on local, quality food. the Venus Company is a year
round business. they started hiring full-time staff 15 years ago, and now employ 30, which they train in-house. Five years ago they centralised
their food production to a warehouse in Halwell. this has reduced food miles and the company has purchased environmentally friendly vans to transport between Halwell and the cafes. they have picked up a Queen’s
Awards for sustainable development, in 2005 and 2010 – the only café company to be awarded once, never mind twice. Michael added: “Our mission is to be the greenest café and shop operator!” the Venus Cafés at Blackpool
sands, Bigbury and Dartington are open everyday except Christmas Day. east Portlemouth, tolcarne & Watergate Bay are closed most of the winter. For more information visit www.
lovingthebeach.co.uk• Interview by Kate Cotton
visit
www.bythedart.co.uk - for everything & anything about Dartmouth
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