Michelle Hughes has been at the helm of the Titanic-owned Royal Exchange for 10 and a half years, however, tomorrow sees her call last orders as the transfer window closes and she switches to Port Vale FC.
As she kicked off her penultimate shift at Radford Street’s Royal Exchange, we caught up with Michelle to have chat about her time at a pub that sits right at the heart of the Stone community.
For those who are new to the area (or who have been living under a rock), The Royal Exchange is situated on the corner of Radford Street and Northesk Street. It’s owned by a local brewery Titanic, and for over a decade Michelle has been the landlady of this traditional pub.
June 30th is Michelle’s last day working for Titanic, after which she has a few days to settle into her new Stone home before heading in to work at Port Vale FC as their bar manager.
With football being a divisive topic in many towns, we asked Michelle why Port Vale FC?
“In all honesty, I’m not a football fan and don’t have any affiliation with the club through the game itself. An opportunity arose to manage the licensed areas at the club, and I couldn’t let the challenge go!”
After a decade in charge, what have been some of the things that you’re most proud of having achieved?
“I’m proud of everything… especially running a pub on my own. I’m proud that The Royal Exchange has been a real community pub and I hope that continues. I’m also incredibly proud of the amount of money we’ve raised for Dougie Mac, a local charity that does so much for people in Stone and the wider area.”
Whenever there’s a change, there are some good things you’ll miss, but also some bad things you certainly won’t miss, what are they for you?
“I definitely won’t miss the late nights and early mornings, they can be a killer – especially if it’s coupled with a beer shower when changing the barrels goes wrong!”
“In terms of things I’ll miss it’s without doubt the people. The pub is a real community and I’ve seen many of my regulars through good times and bad times. I was absolutely blown away that my regulars threw me a surprise leaving party, they are more than regulars, they are friends and I’ve loved having the opportunity to nurture these friendships here. We’ve held some absolutely epic themed nights and they’ve been a real highlight of my time at the pub – so many memories.”
What does it mean to be the landlady of The Royal Exchange and what advice would you give to the person who has to fill your Dr. Martens?
“The Royal Exchange is an apt name for the pub, we exchange kindness, courtesy and company for loyalty, humour and friendship. My advice to the new landlord/landlady would be to look after your customers and they’ll look after you. Focus on customers who treat the pub and other customers in the manner that they deserve and you’ll build a safe and welcoming community.”
To complement the wide range of Titanic drinks, Pie Night has become a really popular weekly event for the locals, Michelle tells us more about it.
“Pie night was something I wanted to do when I settled into the pub. Initially, we kicked off doing it every other Monday before biting the bullet around 5 years ago and doing it every single Monday! As a trained chef I knew that I could produce my own quality pies, utilising Titanic beers and ciders. By far our most popular is Steak and Steerage so we would do that every other week to keep up with demand.”
It’s not just Michelle leaving the Exchange, Rocco will be packing his doggo suitcase and heading off with Michelle too – what will Rocco miss the most about pub life?
“That’s easy, people and treats! It was a real concern moving on from the pub but Rocco’s going to be living his best life with access to a garden and everything on one level – he’s 12 years old and has problems with his hips.”
Finally, are there any special thank you’s you’d like to mention?
“I’d like to thank all of the regulars and everyone who makes the exchange what it is. It’s been a rollercoaster, especially the last few years, and I’m grateful for everyone who’s come through the door to support me and the pub.
People will still see me around, although I’m working at Port Vale I feel incredibly lucky that I’m going to be still living in Stone amongst the great community that the town has.”
1 comment
A Couple of Drips
Best of luck Michelle!