Percy's

The story so far

Tony and Tina Bricknell-Webb swapped their chain of betting shops for the world of hospitality 15 years ago. Since 1996 they have been running Percy's Country Hotel and Restaurant near Okehampton in Devon. They grow nearly all the organic produce themselves, including chicken and lamb, which Tina - a locally acclaimed chef - cooks.

The couple are currently trying to tackle the skills shortage in the area by setting up a chef's academy. Nearly everything is in place: Hobart is providing the equipment, the Learning & Skills Council has pledged funds of £5,500 per student, and the Duchy College has agreed to be a course verifier.

To build the academy, the Bricknell-Webbs need £1.1m. They have submitted a bid to the South West of England Regional Development Agency for £800,000, will borrow £250,000 themselves, and will make up the shortfall by increasing turnover.

Lamb is off the menu at Percy's - for reasons of good taste. Three of them were born on the estate as Caterer went to press and, it seems, seeing the woolly little creatures gambolling around tends to put the guests off eating them.

The kitchen isn't a lamb-free zone, however. Owner Tony Bricknell-Webb reckons that 44 lambs are due to be born in the next 10 days, and the three teenage students who are being given field-to-plate training by his wife, Tina, will help with many of the births. "I bet some of the students will be passing out," he jokes.

But Tony is really pleased with the way the youngsters are shaping up. Percy's Academy has enjoyed a lot of local publicity since 16-year-old trainee Andrew Lester won first place in the student chef category of the recent British Meat Chef of the Year competition.

Tony is just frustrated that the regional development agency (RDA) hasn't made a decision yet on whether to grant the £800,000 he needs to expand into a proposed new building. "It could be that I've asked for a little too much dosh," he sighs.

The delay doesn't affect the chef training scheme too much, though. Last Monday (17 March) saw the official launch of the academy - with or without backing from the RDA. And eight new students are due on board over the next three months.

For Tina and Tony, it's proof that the youth training scheme is workable. "It was always argued that we wouldn't get the take-up," says Tony, "but the demand is good. Six of the [trainees] will come to us rather than go to a catering college, and two have been in the industry but want to work with us because they were working long hours and not getting the training."

Business is generally good, too. Critic Giles Coren's inclusion of Percy's in his top 10 hotels in the South-west has filled the rooms, as has presence on the internet - Tony says he's getting five bookings a week via the website. He adds that he's also turning away five bookings a weekend and getting two or three bookings during the week, which is good at this time of year.

The next job is to build up lunch business on the back of the Financial Times offer. These lunches were cooked by the students under supervision, which has helped build their confidence, and last week, for the first time, they cooked for four guests while Tina was away. That was a milestone, because previously the kitchen would have had to close down.

So, life in Devon goes on. As for the war in Iraq, Tony says he's "bemused" that London is suffering. Percy's has never chased a foreign market, and it's benefiting from the fact that people are not going abroad for short breaks.

"The climate for us is very good," Tony says. "I see the war providing more short-term business. We look for one-, two- or three-day breaks. Our ideal break is two days, because people go away still hungry for more."

He adds: "On a personal note, I think Tony Blair hung around too long. I am very supportive of the war but hope it all happens quickly."

Factfile
Percy's
Virginstow, near Okehampton, Devon

Tel: 01409 211236
Web: www.percys.co.uk

Owners: Tony and Tina Bricknell-Webb
Opened: March 1996
Bedrooms: eight
Restaurant seats: 36 (28 in use)
Estate: 130 acres
Investment: £365,000
Grants to date: £25,000 from South West Tourism (SWT) for the rooms; £40,000 for the new bar; £22,000 this year to upgrade the rooms in local ash furniture. Also, £3,000 from SWT and £2,000 from Business Link to present the academy bid to the regional development agency

Figures, April 2002 to March 2003 (previous year in brackets)
Turnover: £340,846 (£236,582)
Increase: 44.1%
Staffing costs: £102,563 (£74,723)
Average occupancy: 42% (33.8%)
Gross profit: 84.9% (82%)