It’s something of a homecoming for Isabelle Hendley as she takes on the running of a Shepherd Neame pub just four miles from where she got her first job waitressing.
Twenty-six-year-old Isabelle is the new general manager of the independent brewer’s Windsor Castle pub, in Carshalton, Surrey, which has now re-opened its doors to customers.
Dating back to 1860, the traditional pub, just a short walk from Carshalton High Street, has been fully redecorated inside, including its spacious bar and restaurant, while further redecoration to the exterior is planned.
It has also re-introduced food and is offering a fresh new menu to pair with its selection of beers, using locally-sourced produce.
“We really want to make it a community pub again,” said Isabelle. “It is a really traditional pub, with a loyal customer base. We want to build on that I’m so pleased to be here. They have been doing a lot of live music here and we definitely want to keep that going.”
She started her hospitality career at Shepherd Neame’s Woolpack pub in Banstead, four miles away. Starting out as a waitress in 2019, she worked her way up to deputy manager before leaving last year to take up her first general manager’s position at the brewer’s Boathouse pub in Yalding, near Maidstone.
She also met her fiancé, Arturs Peksejevs, who is now the new head chef at the Windsor Castle, while working at The Woolpack, and the pair have been working together ever since. They will be getting married next year.
