A satire – or adventures in the hospitality trade.

In the quiet and timeless hamlet of Birton Sodbury, Hacker Black has re-built the reputation of the local pub. Previously he had developed a listings business in the Manchester area before selling both it and a Leeds nightclub that the police thought he had torched.

A new arrival, Euphony Blurr appears a thrusting and dynamic business woman, but has a chequered past. She converts a derelict farmhouse into an up-market restaurant but clashes with the local authority and some of the long-standing village residents – the “old sods” as they call themselves.

Eventually, with Hacker’s help, Euphony re-brands and re-opens the restaurant. When it is taken up by the foodies and gets rave reviews, its future looks assured, but Hacker is becoming increasingly concerned about Euphony’s business practices.

Impressed by her resilience, an international conglomerate asks Euphony to re-style some of its ailing restaurants. The initial pilot goes well but the wider roll-out turns into a disaster and Hedge Inc. only just manages to survive. Euphony moves on to start the Third Way, a franchise operation that combines country house accommodation with her restaurant’s cuisine. She is soon in demand as a leadership guru and, despite Hacker’s advice, buys out what is left of Hedge Inc. He washes his hands of her and returns to running his pub.

also, e-book from October 2022     ISBN 978-1-9998510-0-2    £4.00