Nurses Trade Scrubs for Suds Running Local Pub, Now Busier Than Ever

Francine and Mark Smith dreamed of owning a pub. They were both nurses and wanted a career change. In 2019, they moved to Aughton and looked for pubs in Town Green and Ormskirk, but nothing worked out for them at that time.

Then, they got a chance to run their local pub, The Dog and Gun Inn. This village pub, established in 1891, had open fires and cask ales. Mark and Francine loved the pub. Last February, they took over The Dog and Gun, which Francine said was a big selling point for buying their house, only a few hundred yards away. They had wanted a pub for 15 years!

They are both nurses; Francine is a children’s nurse, while Mark cares for adults. Pubs they wanted before didn’t work out due to planning issues or live music problems. When they heard their local was available, they applied and got it.

Their first anniversary is coming up soon, marking a great year. It was mostly a drinking pub before, serving food as a secondary option. Francine and Mark improved the food, making it the main focus supported by drinks.

It’s a big change for them both. Mark and Francine enjoy the hospitality world, and Francine loves working there. As a nurse, she already dealt with the public, similar to the pub role where they enjoy talking to people.

Many regulars visit, including older ones. They enjoy building relationships, feeling like family. The staff knows when people will come in. It has been hard work and challenging, but they learned a lot about pubs, cask care, cellars, and food.

Francine and Mark wanted to improve the food, leading to The Dog and Gun winning a TripAdvisor award. Francine thinks the food is the best thing now, aiming for classic pub food with high-quality, local ingredients. The feedback has been very good.

The food is made at the pub, with meat from Clarkson’s butcher, famous for gammon, which people love. Cropper’s farm provides potatoes, and farmers even attend quiz nights.

Francine is proud of their first year, acknowledging the hard work she and Mark put in. She said The Dog and Gun was their local, so they knew what they wanted to do, aiming to make it the village hub. They host cask ale Mondays with lower prices and fun quiz nights on Thursdays.

Francine thinks their Sunday roasts made the pub famous, often turning down bookings. The pub has two open fires, is friendly to dogs, and has a dog-free restaurant area. It feels cozy, relaxed, and friendly, located at 233 Long Lane, Aughton.