A Mother-Daughter Dream Realised - Rachel and Lauren’s Pub Journey with Greene King Pub Partners

Introductory Highlights:

• From redundancy and graduation to running their own pub together.
• Comprehensive business support that gave a first-time, 23-year-old tenant the confidence to succeed.
• Investment, trust and partnership helping them make their mark on the local community and drive local trade.

The Challenge

After taking redundancy from her role at one of the UK’s leading energy companies, Rachel O’Neal made a bold decision. Alongside her daughter Lauren, a recent university graduate, together they chose to pursue their shared dream of running a pub together.

However, stepping into the pub trade as complete newcomers was a significant leap. With no prior experience as licensees, they faced a steep learning curve — from understanding compliance and operations to building a sustainable business model.

For Lauren, becoming one of the youngest tenants in the Greene King estate at just 23 added another layer of pressure. It was exciting, but also daunting. They needed reassurance, practical guidance and genuine business support to navigate their early months with confidence.

The Solution

Rachel and Lauren found that support in the form of Greene King Pub Partners. From day one, they felt backed not just professionally, but personally. They describe the team as passionate about pubs and, crucially, passionate about the people running them.

Their BDM, Sarah, has played a central role in their journey. With decades of experience in the pub trade, she provides clear answers, practical advice and constant reassurance. Whether responding quickly to questions or checking in every few weeks, her hands-on approach has helped them feel secure and focused.

Beyond advice, Greene King Pub Partners demonstrated real trust through targeted investment in the pub. Importantly, Rachel and Lauren felt listened to — their ideas and direction were taken seriously and incorporated into plans for the business. That collaborative approach allowed them to shape the pub in a way that reflected their vision, while benefiting from structured guidance and operational expertise.

This combination of experience, availability and investment has given them the stability to grow at a steady pace, without feeling overwhelmed.

The Result

Today, Rachel and Lauren are building a pub business that reflects their personality and ambition. The improvements to the site have enhanced its appeal, acting as strong advertisement within the area and helping to strengthen local trade.

More than that, they’ve created a welcoming space where they can leave their own mark on the community. For them, the reward isn’t just financial — it’s the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the area they serve.

With ongoing business support, practical investment and a partnership built on trust, they’ve turned a leap of faith into a confident new chapter.

Start your own pub journey. If you’re ready to turn ambition into reality — with expert business support, meaningful investment and the freedom to shape your own pub.

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Full transcript:

After taking redundancy from her role at one of the UK’s leading energy companies, Rachel O’Neal and her daughter Lauren, a recent university graduate, set about realising their dream of running their own pub together.

As newcomers to the pub trade, Rachel and Lauren spoke to us about all the support they have received from Greene King Pub Partners.

Rachel – “The three words we would use to describe Greene King Pub Partners are passionate about pubs. The Pub Partners are really great people that you can speak to if you're unsure about anything. They've just been so informative and so supportive.

Lauren – “It’s not just supporting — it’s actually caring about you. I was 23, which I think I’ve been told is the youngest tenant at Greene King. It was quite a daunting task, obviously, and I just felt very safe and secure. They’ve always been on top of it and they’ve always remembered what’s going on with us. And I think that’s the difference — it’s the passion that people have for you as a pub owner and also for the pub itself.”

Lauren – “I don’t think we would be as calm, chilled out and put together if it wasn’t for Sarah helping us. I loved her the moment she walked in. Regardless of working with her, I would be her friend in a heartbeat. She’s really in the know about us as people.”

Rachel – “She’s so experienced — she’s lived and breathed the pub trade for so many years. If you go to her with a scenario, she always knows the answer or where you can go to get that answer from. She’s there at the drop of a hat. You could text her in the middle of the night and she’d answer her phone. She’s just fantastic. She still comes and sees us at least every six weeks just to check in on how we are. She’s brilliant.

Lauren – “She’s so good”

Rachel – “Being here for just a short time and Greene King having that sort of faith and trust in us and our abilities to spend some money on the pub.”

Lauren – “They listened to me, they took our opinions on board, didn’t they? They took our direction on board and made it work for us. It’s great advertisement for the pub in general, and it’s such a beautiful pub. I think it’s the opportunity to create your own mark on the community that we’re in — and that’s really rewarding.”

Has this story inspired you? Call us on 01284 843200 or live chat with us now to discuss your future pub plans.