Tom & Nicola Nickerson - Seasons at The Boot, Langford
Mother and son, Nicola and Tom Nickerson had an ambition to run their own restaurant – as millions of TV viewers can testify.
The couple were among the contestants in Raymond Blanc’s TV show, The Restaurant, who competed to see if they had what it takes to run their own restaurant.
They didn't win the BBC2 programme, but have now taken over their first pub, the food-driven business at The Boot in Langford, Beds.
Nicola, from Norfolk, is a keen cook and entrepreneur who runs the family company selling seed. She has joined forces with 23-year-old Tom, who was previously in hotel management, to take on the Charles Wells pub.
After years of discussing their plan to open a restaurant, the Nickersons moved into The Boot in time for a busy and successful Christmas and New Year.
Tom said: “It was always our plan to run a pub restaurant rather than just a restaurant, and being on the programme was a good experience.
“We didn’t really learn a lot, because Raymond Blanc and his panel of ‘inspectors’ were there to judge us and not mentor us, but taking part showed us we were capable of running a restaurant.“
The TV industry experts judging contestants included Lee Cash of Peach Pubs, which operate gastro pubs in the region. “They are different from us but they run a good operation and from our point of view they are a benchmark of how a pub restaurant should be run,” said Tom.
He is delighted to be running The Boot. “I love everything about running a pub,” he said. “You can have a rapport with the local community which is really satisfying.
“Restaurants are often in densely populated areas and are very competitive. The Boot allows our personalities to come to the fore.”
Nicola is continuing to run her seed business and helping out in the pub at weekends, as well as handling a lot of the admin for The Boot, with Tom concentrating on front of house.
The small pub is divided roughly evenly between a drinking area and a 36-seater dining area, where the average spend for a three-course meal and a glass of wine is £30.
“We have been here six weeks and the last four weekends have been fully booked,” said Tom. “But we want to improve our weekday lunch trade and Sunday roasts.
“Our predecessor did not do roasts on a Sunday so we are trying to reintroduce that by telling local people they are available and are very good.”
