QUICK VERDICT
| Opportunity Type | Marston’s Partnership (Your Local) |
| Pubco | Marston’s |
| Weekly Sales Estimate | £3,000/week (Marston’s published estimate) |
| Security Deposit | £5,000 |
| Working Capital Needed | £15,000–£20,000 minimum |
| Trade Character | Wet-led village-character pub, Leeds commuter suburb |
| Best Suited To | Lifestyle operator or couple seeking a low-risk entry pub with community foundation; near-Leeds commuter belt has hidden opportunity |
| Shaun’s Rating | [ ] |
| Red Flag | This pub is in Morley, DE7 — not Morley near Leeds (LS27) as the town description suggests. The postcode places it in the Ilkeston, Derbyshire area. Verify the location and local market before any consideration. The draft data contains a likely error. |
THE LOCAL PICTURE
The address is Main Road, Morley, Ilkeston DE7 6DF — this places the
Three HorseShoes in Morley, a small village in Erewash, Derbyshire, not
Running this problem at your pub?
Here's the system I use at The Teal Farm to fix it — real-time labour %, cash position, and VAT liability in one dashboard. 30-minute setup. £97 once, no monthly fees.
Get Pub Command Centre — £97 →No monthly fees. 30-day money-back guarantee. Built by a working pub landlord.
Morley near Leeds. Erewash is a borough between Derby and Nottingham
with a population of approximately 115,000 across its settlements. The
village of Morley itself is small — a genuine rural community rather
than a commuter suburb.
Key employers in the Erewash area include Toyota at Burnaston,
Rolls-Royce at Derby, and the NHS. The commuter dynamic is real — both
Derby (8 miles) and Nottingham (10 miles) are accessible. No
Wetherspoons in immediate Morley; the nearest is likely in Ilkeston (3-4
miles) or Derby city centre. That’s manageable distance.
Google Places rating: 4.5 stars — strong for a rural Derbyshire
village pub, suggesting an existing community that values the pub and
will support a good operator. The Main Road, Morley address suggests a
village pub with passing road trade as well as local regulars.
WHAT THE PUB IS
The Three HorseShoes operates noon to 11pm seven days — a clean,
simple trading pattern for a rural village pub. No late licence
complexity, no Sunday early close. Google rating 4.5 stars. At
£3,000/week this is a low-volume, community-dependent operation that
requires owner presence and personal service.
A traditional village pub on a main road in Derbyshire typically has a
public bar and lounge area, potentially a small garden or car park, and
a character that reflects the surrounding agricultural and industrial
heritage of the East Midlands. The food opportunity here is real —
rural Derbyshire has good appetite for simple, quality pub food that a
village local can deliver without the kitchen overhead of a larger
operation.
THE MARSTON’S PARTNERSHIP DEAL
Your Local classification — the smallest Marston’s Partnership tier,
designed for community drink-led pubs. The management charge structure
applies on net sales. At £3,000/week the mathematics require very
careful management of costs: staff, utilities, product costs and
management charge need to leave something meaningful for the operator.
The Marston’s range plays well in Derbyshire — Pedigree has real
roots here as a Midlands ale. Work through your opening range with your
BDM and ensure the cask range is appropriate for a rural Derbyshire
demographic. The cellar in a village pub of this size needs to be
properly configured and maintained from day one — I know from my own
Marston’s agreement that the NSF standards don’t flex for small pubs.
The £5,000 deposit and low ingoing cost makes this one of the most
accessible entry points in this batch for operators who are
capital-light but experience-heavy.
FINANCIAL REALITY
| Metric | Figure |
| Weekly Sales Estimate | £3,000 (Source: Marston’s published estimate) |
| Annualised Revenue | \~£156,000 |
| Security Deposit | £5,000 |
| Working Capital Required | £15,000–£20,000 (liquid, not borrowed) |
| Ingoing Costs (est.) | £5,000–£10,000 total inc. deposit |
| Marston’s Management Charge | Percentage of net sales (confirm exact % pre-signing) |
| Staff Costs | Target minimal — owner-operated core with part-time support |
| Break-Even Target | 18–24 months with tight cost management |
| Food Opportunity | Adding a simple lunch/Sunday menu could add £500–£800/week at limited extra cost |
PUBS CODE RIGHTS — KNOW BEFORE YOU SIGN
PUBS CODE RIGHTS — KNOW BEFORE YOU SIGN
| – | Independent rent assessment (Pubs Code right — exercise it) |
| – | Request P&L projections from Marston’s before signing |
| – | Obtain Schedule of Condition — protect yourself on dilapidations |
| – | Get the tied product price list before you agree terms |
| – | Complete Marston’s pre-entry training programme (mandatory) |
| – | You can request a free Market Rent Only option assessment |
| – | Right to independent advice on terms from a qualified RICS surveyor |
WHO THIS SUITS
A couple or individual seeking a first pub entry with a genuine
community foundation. The low cost of entry, simple trading pattern and
strong existing Google rating make this accessible. You need to be
genuinely committed to living as part of the Morley community — this
isn’t a commute-in, commute-out operation.
A food-capable operator who can add a simple lunch and Sunday roast
trade would significantly improve the revenue picture. Previous pub,
catering or club management experience is important — don’t try this
with no hospitality background.
WHAT WORKS / WHAT DOESN’T
WHAT WORKS
| – | Simple, quality pub food — a rural Derbyshire Sunday roast done |
well can become a meaningful secondary revenue stream
| – | Real ale quality — village pub cask ale regulars are loyal and |
vocal when it’s done right
| – | Commuter connections to Derby and Nottingham bring an educated, |
income-stable demographic within the catchment
| – | Community events — rural villages have genuine appetite for |
well-run pub quiz, darts and seasonal occasions
WHAT DOESN’T WORK
| – | Trying to run this remotely or without genuine personal presence — |
at £3k/week you’re the operation
| – | Assuming the 4.5-star rating will sustain itself — it’s the |
previous operator’s legacy; you need to earn it again
| – | Ignoring the food opportunity — in rural Derbyshire, a pub that |
doesn’t serve food loses families and Sunday trade permanently
WHAT YOU NEED ON DAY ONE
A simple EPOS with stock management is sufficient — Marston’s
recommended system or basic ICRTouch. If you’re adding a food offer,
configure the kitchen printer integration before opening. Professional
stocktaking from month one: at £3k/week, stock loss of even 2% costs you
over £3,000 annually.
GET YOUR NUMBERS RIGHT BEFORE YOU SIGN
Before you sign anything, know your numbers.
Pub Command Centre gives you real-time labour %, VAT and cash position
from day one. £97 once.