By the side of... Restaurant Pine

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Nestled in the hills of Northumberland, in an old cow shed, Restaurant Pine is one of the most sought-after culinary experiences in the UK, having earned a Michelin star and a nod of approval from Gordon Ramsay.

“I feel what we do is quite unique. We’re very, very passionate and that shines through… I just get a lot of enjoyment out of seeing people happy and making people happy. And I think what we offer here at Pine is so amazing, so it’s really easy,” says Siân Byerley, Co-founder and Managing Director of Pine.

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“Some companies we work with simply just give you an invoice and that is a transaction over with. Whereas I do feel it’s a lot more personal at Haines Watts. The service I get from the team at Haines Watts is always so rewarding for me. I tend to take a lot from it to develop in my career.”

Siân Byerley - Restaurant Pine

Born out of the pandemic, Co-founders Siân and Cal Byerley brought their ambitions to life through the inception of the restaurant, which has been a booming success ever since.

The team at Haines Watts have been by the side of Siân and Cal throughout their journey, supporting them with everything from their business plan, cash flow forecasting and compliance services to exploring tax reliefs.

Our team started working with Siân and Cal in late 2020, when they had the concept of a restaurant. Since then, it’s been an incredible journey and they are now the proud owners of an awarding winning restaurant.”

Reflecting on their journey to date, Siân says, “Pine was always a dream of mine and Cal’s.

And being completely honest, I didn’t think it was ever going to happen. Once the pandemic hit, it gave us a bit of time to actually reflect on our situation… We realised maybe it’s time to look at actually starting a restaurant.”

The couple who have just recently married, were both born and bred in the North East. With 30 years’ worth of combined experience in the industry and a raft of accolades behind them, the pair have pioneered an entirely unique dining experience.

“I really want Pine to be known for its great customer service, it’s exceptional food, our commitment to being sustainable, and also just to be known for having a really good time,” says Siân.

Having been featured on BBC’s Great British Menu and Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars, it’s fair to say that diners are in safe hands with Co-Founder and Chef Cal. He and Head Chef, Ian have co-created their tasting menu from scratch, which can be paired with their wine flight, crafted by their Head Sommelier, Vanessa.

The menu celebrates the very best of Northumberland’s ingredients. Many of which are grown in their own onsite kitchen garden. “We really try to champion the ethos of sustainability” says Siân.

And their efforts haven’t gone unnoticed, with the restaurant having received Research and Development tax relief for their innovative practices, as well as a Green Star in the Michelin Guide.

“It wasn’t until the team suggested certain tax reliefs that I started to look into it. It came at an amazing time, because all of the energy bills increased and we were starting to worry about how things were going to look going forward.” says Siân.

“The team at Haines Watts came here and really enlightened us about what we actually could take advantage of. There were particular practises we have in place here that we didn’t realise would actually become a financial benefit to us," she adds.

“So, it’s been a really educational journey and it’s been quite rewarding.”

But their road to success hasn’t been without challenge. Like many other businesses in our region, they’ve had to grapple with the nuances of today’s wider economic and political landscape.

Such were issues that our team were acutely aware of. Working through the business plan, we looked at financials, but unfortunately, there were some difficulties we had to encounter and overcome. Mainly the coronavirus pandemic and of course, more recently the cost of living crisis.

Siân concurs, saying that “one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced here at Pine is definitely just getting the restaurant open during such an uncertain time.”

“We were watching the news constantly for updates, and it was very much to the second to find out whether we would be able to open, and how we managed to keep the staff at a time where they didn’t know if they had a job. It was really, really challenging.”

The team at Haines Watts were alongside Siân and Cal during these periods of uncertainty, offering a holistic service to support them throughout, bringing a level of accountability.

“We all commit to a plan and we deliver it. Siân and Cal have managed to face all of those challenges and

they’ve come out with an award-winning restaurant, which is something they should be very proud of.”

“the team has been by my side when my emotions have been all over the place and continued to reassure me and give me the boost that I need to do things properly,” says Siân.

“Haines Watts provide a fantastic service for us at Pine, they continue to go above and beyond my expectations."

"Every interaction I have with the team is always met with reassurance.”

When it comes to Siân, Cal and Pine’s future, prospects look equally exciting. “Things are going really well and they continue to just go up and up,” says Siân. “We want to make sure that we give our time and everything that we can to our guests.”

“It’s a really exciting time, because now we’re looking beyond Pine and how we can grow the business and look at other venues."

"I think definitely a dream of mine would be to have a second restaurant,” Siân adds.