The Wellington

Out of the fire, into the frying pan

The Wellington in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, was devastated by a fire in 2009. Reopened in May 2010 – with an expanded restaurant and renovated bedrooms – a TISSL EPoS system has played a significant role in increasing turnover by 40%

Devastated by a fire in June 2009, the Wellington in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, was reopened on 24 May 2010 and now includes a bigger restaurant, an enlarged terrace and six restored and renovated guest bedrooms. Today the venue – known to locals as ‘the Welly’ – offers a combination of medieval architecture and contemporary design.

Part of a group which also includes The Broadway in Letchworth, Hertfordshire; d’Arry’s in Cambridge; The Forresters in Church Crookham, Hampshire; and, opened in April 2010, The Rusty Gun in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, The Wellington has been the site of a licenced premises since the 12^th century. An important coaching inn on the Great North Road, diarist Samuel Pepys stayed there and van Gogh is also rumoured to have been a guest.

“TISSL has given us a system which is accessible, simple to use and extremely agile”

TISSL EPoS systems have been in place at The Wellington for the past five years and are currently also in two of the group’s other sites – The Broadway and d’Arry’s.

While the fire gave the team an unscheduled opportunity to make changes – such as reinstating bedrooms – some things have remained, including most of the team, favourites from the old menu and The Wellington’s popular a’Arenberg wines. A key element which has also stayed in place are the TISSL EPoS systems.

“TISSL offers us a great, simple, robust, front-of-house system”

“I’ve worked in the hospitality industry for many years and have had experience of other EPoS systems,” says Chris Gerard, managing director, at The Wellington. “I’ve dealt with a simple clunky system and I’ve used a complex, extremely detailed, EPoS – and TISSL sits between the two which, I believe, is the perfect place to be.”

He continues: “TISSL has given us a system which is accessible, simple to use and for a business, like ours – which wants to change our menu regularly – extremely agile.”

Since it has reopened, The Wellington now has regularly changing ‘specials’ and new French and Chilean wines.

Head chef, Sukh, who started at Gary Rhodes’ first restaurant and went on to become a senior chef at The Savoy, offers a menu ranging from traditional fish pie to more exotic and ‘adventurous’ dishes including pan-fried duck breast with braised red cabbage and grilled fillet of beef with white truffle potato puree. There is also a daily fish special – such as seared sea bass with udon noodles.

“The support TISSL gives us is quick, accessible and dependable”

The reopening of The Wellington has seen a 40% increase in turnover – due to the changes and the additional seating area and also down to the efficiency of the TISSL EPoS system.

“TISSL offers us a great, simple, robust, front-of-house system – and that makes a real difference to the way we run our business,” he says.

He adds that the back-up TISSL provides is very solid.

“The support TISSL gives us is quick, accessible and dependable,” Chris says. “If I need a report on some aspect of the business, then I can get the information really quickly and, if I need it, there’s immediate support to help me do that. That back-up is key in a fast-moving business such as ours.”

Adds Kevin Coetzee, managing director of TISSL: “The team at The Wellington has had to face many challenges over the past 12 months. However, we are proud that they retained us as their EPoS provider and we are delighted with how the venue has come back, fitter and stronger than before.”