Sian’s quarter century valued hugely in Rugeley

Pub manager Sian Siddall is pictured front and centre with a celebration cake, marking her 25 years’ service with Wetherspoon.

Also pictured (left to right) are regional audit manager Tim Short, area manager Kat Prince and regional manager Debbie Whittingham, presenting flowers and a certificate at Sian’s pub The Plaza (Rugeley).

Sian started her Wetherspoon career in 1999 as a shift manager at The Picture House (Stafford), where she spent 18 months before taking on her first role as pub manager at The Acorn Inn (Lichfield).

A five-year stint there, followed by a two-year spell at The Last Plantagenet (Leicester) (now closed) was followed by a year based at Wetherspoon’s head office.

Sian recalled: “A job opportunity came up as a regional catering manager for the company, so I moved south to Watford.

“I spent six months covering northwest London, the M3 corridor and the south coast, which included the adventure of hopping across to the Isle of Wight.

“For the second six months, I covered pubs in northeast and northwest London, which is where I first met Debbie Whittingham, then the area manager for north London.”

Sian continued: “I enjoyed the experience of the role, and was glad that I tried it, but I missed having a team around me and the day-today hands-on management of a pub.”

Sian returned to pub management at The George (Wanstead), for an 18-month tenure, before returning to her native Staffordshire to be closer to her family, when her mum became unwell.

Sian remembered: “I went back to The Acorn Inn – and it was so weird, like I had never been away.

“Many regular customers were the same, enjoying the same drinks and sitting at their favourite same tables.”

Living in Rugeley and juggling her career with bringing up a young family, Sian moved to The Plaza when the opportunity came up.

She has now been pub manager there for 11 years.

She added: “I joined the company almost at the same time as The Plaza opened, so we have both now marked 25 years.”

Sian continued: “I have had a brilliant career, so far, and am still in touch with a lot of people I originally worked with at Stafford.

“In fact, my area manager, Kat Prince, was a shift manager at The Acorn Inn when I was pub manager there.”

Sian concluded: “I’m very happy in my role and love the interaction with customers and staff.

“It’s like a big, extended family – with every day different. “I absolutely love my job as much now as when I first joined the company.”