By the time Mark Dawson joined the Ship in Hampshire eight years ago, trade had thinned to a trickle. “We were busy when the sun shone,” said the general manager. “But otherwise, it was very quiet.”
Over the next year, Dawson tried a range of ways to attract the local Langstone community. But footfall remained low. “Eventually I decided to go back in time: to themed nights,” he said. “I really went for it – and the success was immediate, lasting and is still growing.”
