PERSONALITIES
Interview
Jason Hunt: Crazy Bear From taking ownership of a derelict pub in the early nineties knowing ‘next to nothing’ about the hospitality industry, Jason Hunt has marshalled his Crazy Bear Group to Iconic British Brand status. The Crazy Bear Beaconsfield has been recognised by Conde Nast in their definitive guide to the best new hotels in the world and labelled by The Times ‘a new hotel for rock stars’; and not to be outdone, his London venues Crazy Bear Fitzrovia and Crazy Bear Covent Garden Members Club have between them swept the capital’s awards board, picking up Best Members Club, Best Restaurant and Best Bar accolades. John Musson meets the originator of ‘cool meets country’ to discuss the fundamentals of learning a business, developing a brand and being prepared to make mistakes along the way. It’s fitting that I’m interviewing Jason Hunt at his Beaconsfield ‘hotel for rock stars’. There’s definitely something of the rock star about Mr. Hunt as he saunters over to introduce himself. Think a young Bono without the sunglasses: casually stylish; definite presence. And the hotel itself is undeniably very cool. The photographer, spoiled for choice, has been ricocheting between the walnut and copper bar, the chandeliered and gold-leafed restaurant (the chandeliers 1930s originals from Alain Delon’s Paris apartment), the airily exotic Moroccan lounge and the zen calm of the poolside area before settling on a white leather banquette studded with Swarovski crystals where Jason informs him Peter Andre has just been shot for his latest album. And then of course there are the private dining rooms, which include The Hunting Lodge with its wall-mounted animal heads and the fabled bedrooms with their copper baths and gold rococo beds lifted straight out of the pages of The Great Gatsby. Hotel for rock stars indeed. The Crazy Bear Group has come a long way since Jason bought The Bear And Ragged Staff, a Stadhampton pub with a caved-in roof and boarded-up windows, less than twenty years ago. At the time he confesses to knowing very little about the hospitality industry and knowing very few people who did, prompting the inevitable question : what on earth possessed him? ‘I was inspired by the venue.’ He smiles. ‘Luckily I didn’t ask anyone’s advice; the only
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advice I have ever received has been not to buy the venues I’ve bought.’ And yet he went ahead anyway and thus The Crazy Bear brand was born. What was it, beyond youthful brio (he was twenty-nine at the time) that prompted such a leap into the unknown? ‘I’d worked hard in my former career and been successful. I couldn’t see any reason why the same hard work wouldn’t pay dividends with a bar, restaurant or hotel. For me the most important qualifications for undertaking any business venture have always been common sense and application; pushing yourself and everyone along with you; understanding there will always be a huge amount to learn and setting about learning it’. But a successful brand doesn’t just happen. He must have had a very clear vision of what he wanted to create? ‘I was a young man, single, with a disposable income and I’d go to great bars, clubs and restaurants in London, receive really good service, dine well and it was still fun and informal. At that time fine dining restaurants outside of London tended to be very serious and stuffy. I wanted to bring that same quality and fun hand in hand to the country.’ Which all sounds very commendable, but what about the specifics of medium or longterm planning? ‘The first ten years were all about the Stadhampton site. We started out as a bar, added food after about six months, added rooms by buying up surrounding buildings, brought in Thai food after four years (at the time there weren’t really any Thai restaurants
outside of London) then we bought the farm six years ago. By necessity we had to do everything slowly which in retrospect was a blessing because I didn’t have any formal training, wasn’t a chef, had no experience of managing a restaurant, so I was learning my trade, often by making mistakes.’ And simultaneously he was working on developing his very particular brand, discovering where and what his market niche was and how it could be developed. It was only when Stadhampton was up and running smoothly and he’d found the answers to some of these questions that he realised he was ‘a little bored and it was time to try something else.’ In fairly quick succession The Crazy Bear brand opened in Fitzovia in 2004, Beaconsfield in 2008 and in 2009 the Members Club in Covent Garden. I’m interested to know how he will describe the brand he’s worked so assiduously over nearly twenty years now to evolve. In past interviews he has described The Crazy Bear concept as ‘Disneyland for grown-ups’ with ‘a surprise around every corner’ and both Beaconsfield and the original Stadhampton venue with its double decker bus reception and Ben Hur plinths and statuary more than live up to the hype. His response today though seems more considered: ‘It’s definitely unique, flamboyant and I hope fun. I’ve always tried to create a venue I’d want to visit. There’s certainly an eclecticism, a real attention to detail and to quality but I hope the feel is relaxed and informal.’ The Stadhampton site has had two AA