Epos Now meets the Lemon and Rosemary Yard: trust in good taste

Destined to be friends and determined to become business owners, when Front-of-House Manager Alex and Head Chef Abbi found the old Mermaid Inn, they had a vision for what they could achieve. But in trying times and with over 400 years to dust off the floors, they had mountains of work before they could even open the doors:

“The place looked like it was impossible to turn around,” Alex explains. “We had to be very clever and strict in what we spent our budget on as a new business.”

“You were strict, I wasn't,” Abbi laughs. “But we upcycled everything, like the colourful chairs that we have here. They were old boozer chairs with horrible smelly cushions on them! And we did all the work in 39 days!”

Veterans of the hospitality industry, the pair have experience and knowledge from their careers, including great relationships with local suppliers, and a flair for their roles in the team. But marketing a new business is tricky, and they relied a lot on word of mouth to spread the news about this exciting new spot.

The Lemon and Rosemary Yard duo had used Epos Now before and had no plans to use any other provider! However, they did want to try out some of Epos Now’s newer devices and services.

“We hadn’t used the integrated card payments with you before,” Alex tells us. “We’d always had another company. But that payment system is amazing! It works really well. You guys nailed the payout system as well. For us, cash flow-wise, it's amazing. Because we knew the money was sitting there for the whole weekend or two/three days, but we just didn't have access to it.”

Always in sync, the two tell us in unison, “It’s made a huge difference!”

Alex and Abbi struggled to get financing as a new business, but they found help from a company they were already working with.

“We really had to fight during those first 12 months because no one wants to lend you anything,” Alex says. 

“Epos Now Capital was a lifesaver because there are so many unexpected expenses that need to go out. We budgeted really well, but there are still times when you need that money. So when it came up we needed that boost. It was absolutely amazing!”

“We needed it for cash flow, as a safety net” Abbi continues. “It means a lot to have that when it's the two of us and we’ve put in everything, all our time and money.”

Taking out a loan is always a difficult step. It takes putting your faith in a business to help you when you need it. Alex and Abbi turned to Epos Now because they felt they had a brand they could rely on.

“We really felt the other rates were too much! Because you’d have really good selling days, but when you look at your figures and you think Oh My God! I’m about to lose all of that money. But that feeling just isn't there with your rates. It's good.” 

“And having it all under your umbrella …” Alex begins.

“It feels safe,” Abbi finishes.

“Our staff are full of confidence using our POS system now, when they were very shy before," Abbi enthuses, “and they love working with the till system. They’re so speedy and they understand it more than me! Even my mum, who struggles with anything technical, can pop things on tables. The table plan is nice and easy.” 

Alex adds, “I think the most important thing for us is that you can't really make a mistake. There’s nothing we cannot rectify in an instant. We can move tables, merge them, split bills (which we always need to do).”

Run on a small, close-knit team, The Lemon and Rosemary Yard still needs a lot of attention to flourish, and paying attention to reports and figures first thing in the morning or last thing at night can be tricky. Although, Alex and Abbi find it a little easier with Alex’s special blend of beans brewed in Tiffany, their much-loved, hardworking coffee machine.

We asked the ladies how they got on with their Epos Now reports and the end-of-day close-down procedure: “Love it! Bam! Bam! Gone!” Abbi waves a hand.

Alex agrees. “Again, the reports are brilliant and so helpful. Yes, we’re here every day, but when you look back on the last year or an evening, or anything, it’s so useful to see the figures in front of you when making decisions."

“For instance, we decided at the start of this year to stop hot, cooked breakfasts in the morning because we realised the wastage was becoming crazy. When we looked back, we could see how much we’d taken, like how many sausage rolls had we sold. Bam! There’s the number, and it wasn’t worth it.”

“And you also have the VAT breakdown to monthly cash and card takings for the bookkeeper. I don’t know how people used to do it before!” Abbi sighs.

With their treacherous first year out of the way and a growing customer base and reputation, things are certainly looking lemon and rosy for Alex, Abbi, Tiffany the coffee machine, and the rest of the team.

Thanks to Epos Now taking care of day-to-day trade, and stepping in with a helping hand when needed, The Lemon and Rosemary Yard has all the right ingredients in place for this business to keep rising long into the future.

To finish our discussion (before Alex and Abbi need to dash off to work. Abbi is whipping up Chinese for another of their sellout “Around the World” cuisine nights), we asked each of them for their final thoughts on Epos Now.

“Without a shadow of a doubt,” Abbi agrees instantly. “If someone said we're opening something and need a till system, we’d recommend Epos Now straight away. We wouldn't hesitate. We think you’re fabulous!”

With Elsing close by the Epos Now base, The Lemon and Rosemary Yard can expect plenty of the Epos Now Team to drop in and try some of Abbi’s food and (judging from our office) a large cup of Alex’s signature coffee. All the while, their Epos Now system will be taking care of business!

If your business has an Epos Now Success Story like Alex and Abbi, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.