Two years on, what happened to our recipe for instant success?

"Oh, I can't find anything I really like on your menu… Cornish-style chicken and leek pastie? I'll have that. Hang on a minute, Dad, what's a leek?"

"It's a long thing, and green" said his father.

"Oh, I don't like them."

This recent conversation between a 35-year-old man and his elderly father sometimes makes me wonder about how far food education in this country really has evolved, and whether we should try to bridge the gap between the scampi and chips brigade and destination foodies. Or should we simply accept the fact that never the twain shall meet?

This week marks two years since we bought the Bricklayers - and what a two years. It started its life as a drinking pub, and we set about turning it into a food outlet.

Along the way - in fact, on our first day of opening - we encountered representatives from HM Customs & Excise, who arrived to remove all the kitchen equipment as the last owner had debts outstanding.

On day two the refuse removal men drove straight past and refused to empty our dustbins for two weeks, or until they were satisfied that ownership had changed hands.

And we were blacklisted. Regular customers who used to frequent the public house as it was were asking us to return their property - it turned out the majority of the pub's contents were only on loan.

In sorting out these problems and many others besides, I have now learned more than enough about pubs, pub-restaurants, destination venues and what kind of pub food will work where and why. Most of this has been learned from making mistakes, rectifying them, and watching and listening to people.

Just over two years ago, I travelled around the country trying to find inspiration from other pubs and restaurants. I found places such as the Star Inn at Harome in North Yorkshire - destination venues that demonstrate that as long as your food is good, people will travel from miles around and bring you instant success.

How wrong I was to assume we would be an instant hit too. At first I could not work out the reason, but now, after two years of gradually increasing our customer base, seeing turnover climb and building up repeat business, I have to conclude that there Is no single reason. There is just a collection of small but relevant reasons why some food outlets take off quicker than others and succeed more than equally capable restaurants elsewhere.

We are now in all the major restaurant guides and have enjoyed two very good reports in the local press. We have also received local radio coverage and most of our new business is by word of mouth. (But please, if you do come to check us out, do ask for a menu - you don't need to pinch them.)

I am more than happy to speak to anyone in the industry who wants a good natter. In fact, I love meeting people from other areas as often I find that people who have visited us and enjoyed their meal have left without a word.

Sara Pezzack is the proprietor of the Bricklayers Arms, Montgomery, Powys

Next diary from Sara Pezzack: 4 July