Best customer service in Brigg award 2005

Yarborough Hunt voted 'Best Customer Service in Brigg'

18 December 2005

"We like to encourage people to talk to each other", says Steve Cross, landlord of the Yarborough Hunt. The customers of the Yarborough Hunt public house come from far and wide - drawn by the quality of the hand-pulled real ales, the atmosphere and above all the excellent service offered by Steve and the other barstaff.

Indeed the customers of the Yarborough Hunt value the staff and pub so much that they voted in droves for the pub in the Brigg Life Customer Service Award vote which ran on www.brigglife.co.uk.

Steve first heard of the nomination of his pub in the customer service award when a customer said that he had received a text message from another regular saying that he should vote for the Yarborough Hunt.

Kerry, Steve and Caroline

Over the week of voting the pub attracted a lot of support leading to a convincing first place on Tuesday 13 December 2005 when the polls closed at 12noon. In the last 5 minutes of voting, 79 votes were cast.

The hospitality industry and customer service is in Steve's blood. From the age of 4 since his parents were the landlords at the Butcher's Nook in Hemswell Village, he has absorbed the experience and atmosphere of a life in a public house.

Steve went on to work as a qualified chef at the King Henry the 8th in Crosby, the Bridge Inn, the Steel Works canteen and then worked under the famous Marco Pierre White at the Bluebell in Doncaster. Then followed a move back to Lincolnshire as Steve both managed and worked as chef in the Lincoln Barbican - and other Italian restaurants and the Peacock Pub also in Lincoln.

Two-and-a-half years ago Steve began working at the Redbourn Club in Scunthorpe. At the Club, there was a Tom Wood's connection: Shepherd's Delight real ale supplied by the Elsham Top brewery - and it was through an industry contact Graham Skipworth who ran the Horn at Messingham at the time, Steve got to hear of a potential management position at the Yarborough Hunt.

A year-and-a-half ago Steve made the move to the Hunt. Kerry - who worked alongside Steve at the Redbourn Club - was picked by Steve for her experience and now works at the Yarborough.

Father of three, Steve, now concentrates on keeping the range of real ales "spot on" - watched by his son - who is 'breathing in' the hospitality industry much as Steve did.

The other bar staff - Brian, John and Caroline - contribute greatly to the excellent customer service and were hand-picked by Steve based on their experience in the trade.

"Even though it's Tom's pub," explains Steve, "I feel that it's my pub and my reputation. This pub is a magnet for all people who like to drink decent beer and I believe if people are paying for a decent pint they deserve good service".

BriggLife would like to congratulate everyone at the Yarborough Hunt for providing the Best Customer Service in Brigg - and also thank everyone who voted.