1 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,600 Hello and welcome to The Brentwood Buzz, a podcast 2 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,960 celebrating all that's good about the people and places of 3 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:14,680 Brentwood, Essex. I'm Kay Bellwood. 4 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,560 As Brentwood gears up for the festive season, The Brentwood 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,720 Buzz has been talking to Debbie Butcher who not only spreads 6 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:25,240 cheer as the events manager for Figo Italian Restaurant on the 7 00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:28,360 High Street, but is also responsible for getting people 8 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:32,880 where they need to be in and our other job as an ABC cab driver. 9 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,640 The Brentwood Buzz joined Debbie for Spaghetti and a Sparkling 10 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,880 Water to find out what brought her to Brentwood to do such 11 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:44,320 different jobs. I was a stay at home mum, which 12 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:48,440 I feel very privileged to be. Then when I went back to work, 13 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,560 moved to Calvin Hatch, then Billericay. 14 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:57,040 Now I'm back in Doddinghurst and since I was at Billericay I've 15 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:00,920 worked in Billericay and Brentwoods and very local. 16 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:03,040 And what were you doing 'cause you, you're sort of in 17 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:04,440 hospitality, you're driving a cab. 18 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,080 So you're obviously a person of of many talents. 19 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:12,120 I joined Felix as a receptionist. 20 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:16,040 I learnt a lot about hospitality from that, became a general 21 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:22,920 manager of Felix and Billericay and then came into Figo and was 22 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,520 here for a couple of years but decided that I didn't want to do 23 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:29,640 hospitality anymore. I'm I'm not a young person and 24 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:35,360 it's very, very hard work. And with an accidental meeting I 25 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:37,800 became a cab driver and I haven't looked back. 26 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,720 So now I'm a cab driver. And then Figo contacted me and 27 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,880 said they were looking for an events coordinator, would I be 28 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:46,800 interested? And I said, OK, we'll run the 29 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:48,360 two together. And so that's what I do. 30 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,160 So, So what kind of training have you had kind of right the 31 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,600 way back to, you know, so you, you leave school and then you 32 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,400 think, I think I'll be an events manager and a cab driver or, or 33 00:01:56,520 --> 00:02:00,480 I mean, what leads up to that? I've had no training at all. 34 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,720 I have worked in an accounts department of a very large 35 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:08,479 company. I've been a stay at home mum. 36 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,560 I used to count the money from a fruit machine, reconcile it I I 37 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:15,560 love working with figures and numbers. 38 00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:20,080 Then I fell into hospitality by accident as I do with all my 39 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,360 jobs. It was a chance meeting. 40 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:27,760 I was offered the job, learnt a lot of hospitality because I 41 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:31,080 started at reception, watched all the roles that was in 42 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:37,840 hospitality from the bar, how reception and bookings affect 43 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,760 the flow of the restaurant. Used to go down and watch the 44 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,160 pass and the chefs doing the cooking, but that's basically 45 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,800 it. And then events. 46 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,320 I just love creating events. I love organising things so 47 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:54,560 people can have the best possible experience. 48 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:59,360 Christmas is my big, big thing. I love organising stuff for 49 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:05,920 Christmas and I just let my imagination go and anything 50 00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:08,680 anyone comes up with I'm I'm with them and they're going 51 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:10,960 further. Because I think that a lot of 52 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,560 us, we, we go out and we eat and, and that's the thing. 53 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,800 You go to a restaurant, you eat, you go away again. 54 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,480 And it's it, you don't necessarily realise quite what a 55 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,000 range of jobs there are to get that. 56 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:23,920 You know, you sat at a table, your drinks in there at the 57 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:26,280 right time, your food cooked and you're having a good time and 58 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:27,600 and maybe some entertainment as well. 59 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:29,960 Yes, there there is a lot involved. 60 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,960 Figo's very relaxed, they're Italians, the chefs are 61 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:39,360 Italians, so it is all very relaxed, all about coming out, 62 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:43,800 the family, having a fun relaxed time. 63 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:49,080 Whereas the other restaurant I worked in was very formal there. 64 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:53,200 There's obviously reception on a busy day when it's quiet, you 65 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:55,440 don't need a receptionist. You've got the bar, you've got 66 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:59,000 the staff in the kitchen, you've got the porters in the back, the 67 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,040 floor staff there. There is a lot to it. 68 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:07,000 And what are what are Brentwood people like for coming out and 69 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:10,920 winning and dining themselves? So are we a friendly bunch or 70 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,160 are we very demanding? Or you can get both. 71 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:19,160 You can definitely get both. You do get families, which are 72 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,720 very good fun. I'm going to be honest and say 73 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,200 children running around a restaurant is not appropriate. 74 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:27,800 It's a dangerous place for children to be running around 75 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,200 that's hard to cope with. And it's even harder when they 76 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,160 start affecting other diners because they expect us to do 77 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:36,120 something about it. But there's not actually a lot 78 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,280 we can do apart from ask parents to keep their children at the 79 00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:42,600 table. But mostly people come here. 80 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,480 They're we've got the green room where people tend to go if they 81 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:51,280 want to be quiet, romantic, you know that it's got that vibe or 82 00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:55,280 you've got the main restaurant where it's a a buzz and the 83 00:04:55,280 --> 00:04:57,440 noise comes with it. It's it's the buzz. 84 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:00,440 I've seen this there's a thing being advertised at the moment 85 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:03,400 which is a three course meal and a an evening of musical 86 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,840 entertainment as in songs from the shows type of thing is is 87 00:05:06,840 --> 00:05:10,800 that is that your doing an an an event for to bring people in 88 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,320 specifically? Yes, that I am responsible for 89 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:20,240 that through networking. I met someone who asked if they 90 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:25,960 could host an A ladies networking meeting on the second 91 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,920 Tuesday of every month. And one of her other things, She 92 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:33,400 has a company of West End singers. 93 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:37,200 She's a West End singer herself. She she's sung at the West End. 94 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,080 She's done Mamma Mia, she's professional. 95 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:42,960 But then she had a family and she still wanted to perform but 96 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:44,640 she didn't want to do 8 shows a week. 97 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:47,800 So she created a company. She knows all the West End 98 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:52,840 singers, all the sound people, and they go out and they perform 99 00:05:52,840 --> 00:05:56,840 in restaurants with proper sound, not just amp in the 100 00:05:56,840 --> 00:06:00,040 corner. They bring the musicals from 101 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:03,040 London to Brentwood. The performers have all done 102 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:09,360 major roles in Les Mis, Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia, Tina 103 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:14,960 Turner, and they come in and they start off, you know, with 104 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,240 Greatest Showman. Usually to get everyone warmed 105 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:23,720 up, they go through various musical performances and by the 106 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,720 end of it you'll be up dancing to Tina Turner, ABBA Queen from 107 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:31,160 We Will Rock You and it's just a monumental evening. 108 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:35,120 It's Absolutely Fabulous, I. Love the idea that you say that 109 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:37,480 you've got proper sound people because there's nothing worse 110 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:39,240 than going to a restaurant and thinking, well, I'm going to 111 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,280 meet up with my friends, have a nice chat and have somebody 112 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:45,240 loudly singing at you in a very small space. 113 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,240 But this, this, that was like a really good evening That that 114 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,320 that that is put on with the with the musicals. 115 00:06:50,840 --> 00:06:53,920 It's built round the musicals, it's built round the music. 116 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:58,400 People are coming to to eat. But to be quite honest, the food 117 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:03,120 people want to eat, the food is very, very second to the the 118 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:05,040 entertainment. It's that good. 119 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:09,320 So they want to come, they have some food, they have some drink, 120 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,040 but they want the fun of the that the musicals bring. 121 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:18,280 It's it's a one off in this area and it's absolutely amazing. 122 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:21,720 They promised it would be good and the last one we did in 123 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:26,640 September was out of this world. I woke up the next day and my 124 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:31,800 socials are blown up. That was from networking and, 125 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,760 and obviously we met through networking as well, so that's 126 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,280 clearly part of the job as well. Have you got any other ideas of, 127 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:39,280 you know, people to bring in? Have you got your eye on 128 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:40,600 anybody? I'm thinking, oh, if only I 129 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,320 could get oh so and so. The trouble is it's, it's 130 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:49,200 actually quite hard to bring people in because bringing live 131 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:53,040 entertainment into any venue, it's expensive and you have to 132 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:54,800 be able to cover the costs of it. 133 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,600 We have bought live music in and we've they've played to an empty 134 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:00,960 restaurant. It's it's very difficult. 135 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,040 Whereas this is a, a ticketed event. 136 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:04,760 We know how many people are coming. 137 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,920 The food is in the price of the ticket, so we know what to 138 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,720 expect. The West End singers are coming 139 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:16,280 to the Light Up Brentwood event and they it's going to be very 140 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,960 focused on the children because it is all about the children. 141 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:23,240 And we have the postmistress from the North Pole. 142 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,960 She'll be here and the children can write their letters to Santa 143 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:31,080 and give them to her and she'll put them in her postal satchel. 144 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:36,600 And I can promise you Santa will get the post and he will reply 145 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,200 and people can come and collect their replies from Figo. 146 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:41,880 They don't need to eat. Just come in, say they've got a 147 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,000 letter from Santa and we will give you your letter. 148 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:45,960 Brilliant. Oh, that sounds, that sounds 149 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:48,520 really, really good. And I can already hear the songs 150 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:53,440 from Frozen being sung. So or elf actually, that's not 151 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,480 at the moment as well. So obviously you love the 152 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,800 hospitality, you love the, the events, the, the entertainment 153 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:01,760 and, and being less on your feet nowadays. 154 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:06,640 But it was it was the, the, the big on your feet for a long time 155 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:08,040 that set you off on the cab driver. 156 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,840 So how do you suddenly go? Oh, cab driving seems like a 157 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:14,200 good idea. I was looking to get out of 158 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:18,120 hospitality because I have arthritis in one of my feet. 159 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,160 It was never going to be long term. 160 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:26,720 And so on one of the job sites, Mini Cabin cropped up. 161 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,640 It was based in Chelmsford and it was saying it was going to 162 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:31,160 take a long time to get a license. 163 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:33,960 And I just thought I'd like to do it, but no. 164 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:38,280 But then when I bumped into Maria from ABC, she was so 165 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:42,120 enthusiastic and so supportive about getting a license. 166 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,160 I thought I'll give it a go. And I just thought I'll give it 167 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,320 a go. And I love it. 168 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:51,080 I love it. It's it's I'm, I'm not AI, don't 169 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,360 sit on the ranks. I'm not a Hackney carriage. 170 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,720 All my jobs are given to me by ABC, so I know who's getting in 171 00:09:57,720 --> 00:09:59,680 my car. I feel completely safe. 172 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:04,400 And it's it's like living in a soap opera because it's the same 173 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,440 people. It's all the regulars and they 174 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,000 get in the car. Go, Oh, hello, how are you? 175 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,000 How did it go? You know, how's, how's such and 176 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,440 such, How's your cat? And, and it's, it's just 177 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:17,360 brilliant. It's it's so friendly and it's 178 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,200 so much fun and I laughed through most of my journeys. 179 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:23,840 I think that would be the thing that if you're a, a woman, 180 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:27,720 you're driving, being a, a cabbie is it has, it's it's own, 181 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:29,960 you know, risks and, and, and what have you. 182 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,320 So that would be, I think, something that you might think 183 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:34,960 about to go now, it seems a bit dangerous, but if you know who's 184 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,520 getting in, you've got a certain amount of control, presumably. 185 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,400 Exactly that. And if there is someone that I 186 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:44,600 don't feel comfortable with either before the journey or 187 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:48,920 during the journey, I can say I'm not taking them or I can say 188 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:53,640 I'd rather not take them again. If someone gets in the car and 189 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,320 they're worried about me during the journey, they will keep 190 00:10:56,320 --> 00:11:00,560 checking in on the radio and, and so I, I do feel really safe 191 00:11:00,560 --> 00:11:06,760 and, and I could look after myself, but mostly people have 192 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,640 to come into the office or ring. We know who they are, they can 193 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,880 see them so and they look after all their drivers. 194 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:15,360 They're really, really good. The drivers are happy being 195 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:16,760 there because they're looked after. 196 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:22,880 And a lot of people like me because I'm a female And if 197 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,840 someone's vulnerable, mind you, all the drivers are so good and 198 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:29,320 trusted. I wouldn't say they particularly 199 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,680 asked for me, but some people do like having a female driver. 200 00:11:32,680 --> 00:11:35,520 So I. Think you, if you're using a cab 201 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:38,120 there, there's a reason. It's either because you're a bit 202 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,480 older and frailer or more vulnerable and you need that. 203 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:43,840 So are you finding you're maybe doing lots of hospital trips, 204 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,920 taking people to the doctors? Oh, absolutely. 205 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:50,840 And it really opens your eyes to what people have to live with 206 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,880 the condition, the the medical conditions they have to live 207 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:55,760 with, how difficult their life can be. 208 00:11:56,120 --> 00:12:01,320 And you, I look at them and think, I, that can be me in a 209 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:05,520 few years time. And it, the mobility is, is a 210 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:09,080 real shock of how some people have to live virtually immobile. 211 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,200 Really. They've got walkers and they've 212 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,880 got scooters. They want to be out and about, 213 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:15,520 but they really, really struggle. 214 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,960 They, they can't drive. They're, they're, they're too 215 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:23,560 old, too frail to drive. And you, you're actually really 216 00:12:23,560 --> 00:12:28,280 surprised who takes a cab? It's not just my daughter said 217 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,560 to me, Oh, so you're going to be driving drunk people. 218 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:34,800 But it's not like that at all. You you've got people who don't 219 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,720 drive for so many reasons, medical, they just don't want to 220 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,320 drive. Some people have given up their 221 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:43,960 licence because it's too stressful on the roads now. 222 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,120 But there's a multiple of reasons why people don't drive. 223 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:49,440 And I actually drive very few drunk people. 224 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:51,760 But that's because I don't work Friday night and Saturday night 225 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:55,040 and. You don't have to do the 226 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:57,560 knowledge like a, a black cab driver would do in London, but 227 00:12:57,560 --> 00:12:59,680 you obviously have to know the roads in and around Brentwood 228 00:12:59,680 --> 00:13:02,080 and sort of Billericay, Basildon to be able to get to all those 229 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:05,120 places. Is there, it's been a nightmare 230 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:07,280 in Brentwood just recently with the gas works going on. 231 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:10,280 How do you get round all of those things like that? 232 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:11,800 Roads closed, there's traffic lights here. 233 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:15,120 It's it's, you know, rush hour. We were going to have to avoid 234 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:16,640 the gallows corner or what have you. 235 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:22,200 You get to know the cut throughs and also because we're on the 236 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:25,520 road all the time, our shifts are about 10 hours, usually a 237 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,640 bit more. You know where the traffic is, 238 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:30,640 you know where it's built up and we tell each other over the 239 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:35,520 radios. So we by law have to charge the 240 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:40,560 shortest distance. So basically from Wilsons Corner 241 00:13:40,560 --> 00:13:45,440 to say Engrave straight line straight down the Engrave Rd. 242 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:48,520 Now that can be solid traffic doesn't matter. 243 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,560 That's what we have to charge. But we don't have to drive that 244 00:13:51,560 --> 00:13:54,400 route. So I can go all round the East 245 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:58,160 Ham Estate or I can drop up through Worley, whichever way I 246 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,880 like, but I have to charge the shortest route. 247 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:07,160 But for me, time wise and fuel, quite often fuel wise, it's more 248 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:09,720 cost effective for me to take the long way round where I'm 249 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:13,600 moving all the time, but still charge the, the, the, the small 250 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:17,160 fare, the the lowest fare. But we're not metered. 251 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,840 We charge by the mileage. The Hackney carriages, they have 252 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:22,880 the purple signage on their cars. 253 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:25,400 Ours are yellow. They are metered. 254 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:30,280 And so you pay regardless if you're sitting in traffic, the 255 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,880 meter will still go round. So that's something to bear in 256 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:35,520 mind. Little tip for you and and. 257 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:39,320 This is a daft question, but are you a good driver? 258 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,440 And that possibly. By that I mean, do you enjoy 259 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:43,520 driving? I love driving. 260 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:46,760 I've loved driving since the moment I passed my test. 261 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,240 I used to be, when I was younger, a bit of a petrol head. 262 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:52,080 I love driving. I'm very aware that if I have a 263 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,200 passenger, it's their ride, not mine. 264 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,480 So you have to take them into consideration. 265 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:02,280 It doesn't matter what other drivers do, you have to get your 266 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:07,400 passenger from A to B safely and comfortably and so that they 267 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:09,880 feel that they've had a good journey because they're paying 268 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:11,960 you for their journey. It's important they've enjoyed 269 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:14,160 it and they'll come back. If they're happy with the 270 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:19,680 driver, they'll come back. I did say to myself when I was 271 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:22,960 looking into becoming a cab driver, I thought, am I going to 272 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,440 be able to cope with this? Am I going to be able to cope 273 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,760 with the traffic and and people doing stupid things on the road? 274 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:33,760 And I thought, OK, if I'm going to do this, I can't fly. 275 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:36,840 I've just got to sit in it and suck it up. 276 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:40,200 And that that's how I do it. I just let it all go over my 277 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,800 head and don't get wound up. If I have to sit in traffic, I 278 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,480 have to sit in traffic. If I know a way round, I'll go 279 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:50,120 round. But it's it's better for my 280 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:54,040 mental health and my health in general if I stay calm and it's 281 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,000 a lot better for the passenger. There's no road rage in your 282 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:00,680 cab. No, sometimes a bit of language, 283 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:05,520 but not if I've got a passenger. What are other drivers like in 284 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:06,520 Brentwood? It's a. 285 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,960 It's a loaded question. Oh priceless. 286 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:13,120 Some of them priceless. So you get, well the same as 287 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:15,720 anywhere, you get very entitled drivers. 288 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,600 The worst thing I have to say are the delivery bikes. 289 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:23,400 They seem to have no Rd. sense at all. 290 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,160 They just land on pavements regardless of pedestrians. 291 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:31,040 They if they'll go down places they're not allowed to go and 292 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,960 they just don't care. They just don't care and I don't 293 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:38,400 understand how they can run a business on L plates personally. 294 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:41,840 And if someone can tell me, please tell me, but I just do 295 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:44,120 not understand. You cannot. 296 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,880 If you get your personal car insurance, they ask you is it 297 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:50,920 social domestic pleasure or are you going to use it for 298 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:52,720 business? And that makes a difference. 299 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:57,360 For a cab, the insurance is absolutely phenomenal because 300 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:01,040 you're earning money from it. So how are these bikes allowed 301 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,640 to run around on an L plate and earn money? 302 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:04,440 I don't know. There's. 303 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,440 Also a point as to how much take away food can people eat. 304 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:10,720 Why aren't they coming to restaurants like Figo in Eating 305 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:16,000 I? Think, I think coronavirus 306 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,640 changed that. People got food delivery and 307 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:22,440 that that's how it stayed. You've got people who've learnt 308 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:25,800 to cook in COVID as well. They love being at our friends, 309 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,280 they love being at home cooking, having a cocktail while they're 310 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:32,480 preparing their dinner and they used to eat out all the time and 311 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,800 that, but that's they've they've learnt to cook, they enjoy 312 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,400 cooking together and that's their evening now. 313 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:41,640 And I think that's why hospitality, apart from the the 314 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,560 cost of living and and the overheads are phenomenal. 315 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,920 I think a lot of people just like cooking now. 316 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:48,080 Yeah. I. 317 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:52,120 Mean we're now at what, 6:30 on a Thursday evening? 318 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:54,520 There's not many. I mean, it's a big restaurant as 319 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:56,000 well. There's not many people in here. 320 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,800 How do you manage that? I mean, do you just sit at the 321 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:00,800 beginning of the evening and go, well let's does anybody turn up 322 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:02,400 or do you try and pull people in? 323 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:05,840 We try and pull people in, mostly. 324 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:08,520 If you come down the High Street, we look empty, but 325 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,120 that's because we see people in the green room, which is at the 326 00:18:11,120 --> 00:18:13,560 back of the restaurant, which is much more luxurious. 327 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:15,680 It's a nicer environment for them. 328 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,200 You get restaurants that like to sit people in the window 329 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:21,760 regardless, so they look busy. But we like to give the 330 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:25,360 customers the better experience, the more they can sit in the 331 00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:27,720 front room if they want to, they can sit wherever they like. 332 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,000 But most people really like the green room because it's more 333 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:34,200 luxurious. It's, it's a little bit darker 334 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:39,080 so but we can start the evening with, you know, 2 tables or two 335 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:41,240 booked. But we get a lot of walk 336 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,840 insurance and you you can end up really, really busy and you 337 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:45,520 don't even know that it's going to happen. 338 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:47,920 Yeah, yeah. I mean, I just think it's an 339 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,800 absolute art to kind of have enough food to feed the people 340 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:53,320 that come in and you don't know at the beginning of the evening 341 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:56,080 whether you're going to get 10 or 100 people. 342 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,880 Exactly that, but we do. All our food is freshly prepared 343 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:06,080 so that it doesn't go to waste. The pizzas are made from 344 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:09,240 scratch, the dough's made, but everything else is is from 345 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,080 scratch. So there's very little wastage 346 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,840 here. It's just really knowing what to 347 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:18,400 have in the fridges and. What what have you got coming up 348 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,640 in it's sort of Christmas and New Year, your favorite time of 349 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:23,400 doing things? Is it, is there going to be a 350 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:27,520 lot of Turkey based cracker type of food and and entertainment or 351 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:29,440 have you got more interesting things going on? 352 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:33,840 Well, we don't do Turkey here. It's Italian and they're really, 353 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,360 really strict. If it's not Italian, it's not 354 00:19:36,360 --> 00:19:39,200 coming through the door. But we have got a festive set 355 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:43,800 menu and we are getting a lot of Christmas bookings now. 356 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:47,240 Big tables or private parties in the loft bar. 357 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:50,440 The Loft Bar has got so many parties coming up this this 358 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:54,520 Christmas that we actually don't have the space to put on 359 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,480 entertainment because the bookings have been so good. 360 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:02,320 But we just, we're just taking the bookings really. 361 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:04,360 But we've got some really good parties coming up. 362 00:20:04,360 --> 00:20:07,840 And that's the best bit is I get to help with the parties and 363 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:12,080 make sure they have a good time and, and help them set up, see 364 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:14,760 them off and then walk away and let them have their fun and 365 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,160 leave it to the staff because the staff are actually very 366 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:19,360 good. I tell them this is what's 367 00:20:19,360 --> 00:20:20,960 happening, this is what you've got to do. 368 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:23,880 And they go OK and they do it. They're really, really good. 369 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:26,800 I've gone through the hospitality thing, gone off to 370 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,520 be a cab driver, kept being a cab driver, come back to the 371 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,000 hospitality as well. What's going to keep you in 372 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:35,440 Brentwood from now onwards? I love where I live. 373 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:39,880 I live in Dodinghurst, I've got a lovely little cottage, I've 374 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:43,880 got an allotment over the road, I'm come from the country, I 375 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,600 love the country, but then I've only got to come into Brentwood. 376 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:49,520 I love my 2 jobs, they complement each other really 377 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:53,160 really well so I'm perfectly happy where I am. 378 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,560 Thanks very much to Debbie Butcher from Figo for a fabulous 379 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:01,760 evening and a great chat which continued long after the 380 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:05,240 recording was switched off about Allotment Musicals and Gamley's 381 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:07,600 Toy Shop in East Grinstead. You had to be there. 382 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:11,200 The Brentwood Buzz will be back very soon with details of how 383 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,920 you can help out Father Christmas and Essex Police with 384 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:17,280 some Christmas gifts. Keep listening and please do 385 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,280 like, comment and share.