RAISING THE BAR
THE ONE & ONLY_
WITH A SUCCESSFUL CAREER HISTORY RUNNING FIVE STAR HOTELS IN BAVARIA AND THEN THE NEW FOREST, HOSPITALITY WAS ALWAYS IN THE BLOOD…. PUBS WERE JUST A NATURAL PROGRESSION. IN 1992, WITH VERY LIMITED FUNDS, PAUL AND JUDY PARNELL BOUGHT THE FREEHOLD OF THE JACK - A TIRED AND DILAPIDATED ROADSIDE INN DESPERATELY IN NEED OF SOME SERIOUS TLC. WITH THE A30 BYPASS PENDING AND THE BUSINESS STRUGGLING TO TAKE £2,000 A WEEK, EVERYONE TOLD THEM IT WAS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN.
THE REST IS NOW HISTORY.
AFTER 32 YEARS OF HARD WORK, OVER £13 MILLION SPENT ON LOCAL FOOD AND DRINK, THREE CUTTING EDGE KITCHENS, FOUR REFURBISHMENTS AND SEVERAL RECESSIONS LATER, THE JACK IS STILL GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH BOTH AS A BUSINESS AND AS A DREAM.
A FEW WORDS FROM THE MAN HIMSELF_
‘IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE’ - THAT’S WHAT I’VE ALWAYS BELIEVED. FIND THE BEST STAFF YOU CAN, MOTIVATE THEM AND THEN RETAIN THEM. WITHOUT PASSION AND GENUINE HOSPITALITY YOU DON’T REALLY HAVE A BUSINESS. MUCH MAY HAVE CHANGED SINCE WE BEGAN IN 1992 BUT MANY OF OUR QUALITIES AND THE ENERGY FOR WHAT WE DO HAS REMAINED THE SAME - THE JACK STILL LEADS BY EXAMPLE AND STILL PROUDLY NURTURES THE NEXT GENERATION. 32 YEARS LATER AND IT GIVES ME GREAT PRIDE TO HAND OVER THE REINS TO CRAIG AND MIRANDA…. LONG LIVE THE JACK!
PAUL PARNELL
MARCH 2024
