Pints, Prizes, and Public Relations: My Time at Sam Weller’s, Bath

This article is fondly dedicated to the incredible team who made Sam Weller’s the legendary spot it was. To he who shall be known as “Chef”—the superb, funny, and deeply creative Chris Fry, who always listened to my craziest ideas. To Bob for his stellar work in the kitchen, and to Will Kirby for holding down the front door with absolute distinction. And, of course, to Gemma, Emma, and the many more magnificent staff who made every shift an adventure and a lot of fun.

Every publican knows that running a proper city-centre drinking house is less about standing behind the pumps and much more about operational precision and the colourful characters you surround yourself with. Between 1990 and 1993, my life was anchored firmly within the beautiful, historic Bath stone walls of 14 Upper Borough Walls. The pub was Sam Weller’s—named after Charles Dickens’ famous, street-wise valet in The Pickwick Papers—and during those three years, it was the centre of my world.

It was an era of intense, unrelenting hard work, but looking back, it was also a time filled with immense fun, remarkable achievements, a brilliant team, and a beautiful romantic twist that made front-page news.

The Art of Orchestration

While the classic image of a landlord involves pouring pints all night, I was rarely found behind the bar itself. Instead, success came down to building a brilliant team and managing the business with absolute precision.

The cellar was flawlessly maintained by a dedicated assistant manager and a keen bartender who were passionate about mastering the craft of cask ales. My focus was directed firmly at the logistics and the numbers that kept the pub thriving:

• The 6 AM Twice A Week Ritual: I was absolutely strict about deliveries. Every single drop of stock had to arrive at the crack of dawn. As soon as it hit the cellar, I was down there with a thick piece of coloured chalk, marking each barrel to clearly identify the new delivery. I was completely fixated on inventory control—ensuring absolutely nothing went missing.
• The Profit Margin Puzzle: I became fascinated by the brand-new computerised stock-taking systems of the early ’90s. I regularly ran random, unannounced inventory checks on the computer to keep a hawk-eye on our gross profit margins. It was the ultimate way to ensure no booze was walking out the door or being surreptitiously given away.

That razor-sharp business management and dedication to the numbers didn’t just keep the books balanced—it set a standard that shook up the local hospitality scene.

Match Days, Buskers, and Movie Stars

What truly gave Sam Weller’s its beating heart was the atmosphere we cultivated. On match days, our front-door powerhouse Will stood firm, expertly turning away any traveling Bristol Rovers football fans to keep the peace. Inside, we actively encouraged the Bath Rugby crowd. They wanted a proper, old-school booze-up and loved to sing their famously rude rugby songs—a glorious local tradition that was entirely acceptable by me and highly entertaining for the slightly bemused international tourists sitting nearby.

The soundtrack of our corner of Bath was often provided by The Sidney Shattock Experience—a trio of absolutely magical local buskers. They would set up and play incredible, acoustic covers of everything from Prince’s “Kiss” to Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” They became a staple of our world, bringing a wonderful, creative energy to the streets.

You never quite knew who was going to walk through the door next on Upper Borough Walls. One afternoon, our wonderful staff member Gemma came bouncing over to introduce me to the famously charming British actor Nigel Havers, who had just popped into the pub for a quiet, relaxing beer. After he finished his pint and left, I couldn’t resist a bit of cheeky marketing—I put a small blackboard up directly above the table that proudly stated: “Nigel Havers Sat Here.” It became an instant talking point!

But one of the most unforgettable evenings began when a lovely, quiet gentleman walked into the pub early one evening. Hearing that I was the publican, he politely nodded for me to take a seat and join him. At first, my mind went a bit blank as we exchanged greetings. But after a few sips of our drinks, the fog cleared and I realized exactly who this incredibly kind man was: Patrick McGoohan.

Before long, a few American tourists spotted him and asked to take photos. Right around then, Elizabeth walked into the pub, saw who I was sitting with, and looked at me with absolute “Wow!” in her eyes. Patrick, ever the diplomat, warmly invited her to join us, and the three of us spent the evening chatting away, getting a little tipsy in the process.

I asked him what brought him to Bath, and if memory serves correctly, he told me he was actually scouting around to buy a house in the area. We were chatting politely about ordinary things when he leaned in and whispered with a smile, “You do know who I am?”

I looked at him and said, “Yes, but I thought you’d like to talk about life in general.”

He let out a brilliant laugh. I confessed that I used to love watching him in Danger Man, The Prisoner, and, of course, starring alongside Clint Eastwood in Escape from Alcatraz (a movie that would hold a very strange, prophetic connection for Elizabeth and me later in life!). Eventually, Patrick decided it was time for an early night. He stood up, smiled and nodded graciously to all the American tourists in the room, and left. What a superb, complete gentleman.

Oddly enough we “bumped” into each other the next whilst at a nearby back where he was obviously discussing his money and I was getting a polite “bollocking” for spending too much…..

Polishing the Silver: The Wembley Glory

Because we ran such a tight operational ship with Chris Fry and Bob Kirby driving things in the kitchen, Sam Weller’s earned some of the industry’s highest praises, both locally and nationally:

• Innkeeper of the Year: Taking home this title was the ultimate recognition. It wasn’t about being a jovial host pulling pints; it was a nod to exceptional business management, high standards, and the flawless operation we orchestrated within those wood-paneled walls.
• Pub Sandwich of the Year (Runner-Up at Wembley Arena): Long before the modern trend of the “gastropub” took over the British high street, Chris and I were already elevating the humble pub lunch. We made it all the way to a massive national ceremony at Wembley Arena, where our absolutely superb creation secured a highly contested second place in the entire country. Standing on a stage of that scale to claim a food trophy is something I will never forget!

In a lovely twist of fate, the team who took over Sam Weller’s in recent years is led by a well-known British chef famous for running a legendary sandwich shop in London. In a brilliant move, they actually encourage punters to bring in their own food from nearby independent shops to eat at the bar. It seems a passion for excellent food, sharp standards, and a great sandwich has always been baked into the bricks at 14 Upper Borough Walls!

“Looking After the Tourists”

As rewarding as the industry accolades and healthy profit margins were, the most significant moment of my time in Bath didn’t come from a computer printout or a judging panel. It walked through the front door in 1992.

An American tourist named Elizabeth walked into the pub. Originally from Detroit, she was living out in the San Francisco Bay Area—a vibrant, exciting corner of the world that was actively beckoning. What started as a casual conversation between us quickly blossomed into a profound international romance.

I will never forget when Elizabeth came back to England to live with me in 1993. She moved into my apartment directly above the pub, and it didn’t take long for us to share some unforgettable moments there. One busy Sunday afternoon, looking down from our window at the crowds filling the street below, I decided a proper prank was in order.

Leveraging my audio background, I hauled a massive, 350-watt disco speaker up to the window frame. I popped a cassette into the player that featured a hilarious symphony of farts varying in volume, pitch, and duration, and hit play at absolute full blast. Peeking through the window right next to the speaker, Elizabeth and I watched the street erupt. Tourists and locals alike completely cracked up, laughing uncontrollably on the pavement below. It was one of those brilliantly spontaneous, “off-the-cuff” moments that just seem to happen around me, and it instantly cemented the apartment as a place of joy.

By later that year in June, we were married right in the heart of the city, choosing the stunning, sun-drenched lawns of Parade Gardens for our wedding day. Elizabeth’s Uncle Mark from Maine in the USA gave us his blessing and sealed the deal for us!

It turned into a rather lively, unforgettable wedding reception—made even more special because The Sidney Shattock Experience came along to play a live, energetic set for us and our guests right there in the gardens.

The local newspaper caught wind of the award-winning landlord marrying his American sweetheart and ran a feature article on our wedding. When the reporter asked me about the romance, I couldn’t resist giving them a cheeky, classic line that perfectly summed up our story:

“The Chamber of Commerce are always saying to look after tourists. I think I’ve done quite well there.”

The Eternal Pull of Bath

With our wedding bells still ringing and the magnetic pull of California calling our names, we chose to move on from Sam Weller’s later in 1993. It was the beginning of a grand new adventure that took Elizabeth and me across the Atlantic to the United States for 15 wonderful years, living and working in the very Bay Area that had beckoned us from afar—with Alcatraz island sitting right out there in the middle of the bay, a constant, ironic reminder of that evening with Patrick McGoohan.

Running a busy business takes a massive toll, and there are always moments where you wonder what life might have looked like if you had stayed behind that bar a little longer. Today, we go back to Bath often, and the city still has a completely mesmerizing hold on us.

Whenever we return, we find ourselves walking along the paths of Parade Gardens, looking back at the exact spot where we said our vows. We look up at the spectacular, majestic facade of The Empire Hotel retirement apartments overlooking the gardens, wishing we lived there now.

It would be a way cool lifestyle. Imagine opening your front door and being just a short, effortless stroll away from a vibrant city-centre routine: grabbing premium daily essentials at the nearby Marks & Spencer, exploring the unique independent clothing boutiques hidden along the lanes, or heading out for a buzzing breakfast at Bill’s. Best of all, you could cap off the evening with the incredible, vibrant street food flavours at Bandook Indian restaurant on Milsom Street.

We poured our hearts into Bath, took home the prizes to prove it, and walked away with a lifelong romance and a treasury of wild, beautiful memories. The building on Upper Borough Walls still stands, the gardens still bloom, and the city will always hold some of the best chapters of our story.

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