Flock and Feast
The Aviary Hospitality Group continues to spread its wings and redefine dining experiences through their award-winning restaurant brands along the South Coast. With the recent unveiling of Flamingo Café Bar in Boscombe Spa and the addition of Chicken & Blues in Christchurch, the group's influence continues to expand. Visionary founders, Joshua Simons and Steve Crawford, share their journey and delve into the driving force behind their success.
Hi Josh and Steve! Can you tell us about the founding story of Aviary Hospitality Group and what inspired you to venture into the hospitality industry?
Joshua: I have grown up in the hospitality business - my dad had restaurants in London back in the 90s and he had me working in them from about the age of 14 - I guess you could say it’s in the blood! Myself and Steve met when I was in the nightclub business in Bournemouth over a decade ago. We got chatting as Steve had some business ideas that he wanted to partner with me on. At the time, he was an investment banker but fancied breaking out into the world of entrepreneurship. I was looking to move away from nightlife, and so the timing was right for both of us. We launched a few e-commerce businesses together before partnering on Chicken & Blues, with our first location opening in 2013. We’ve been on a bit of a journey since, and with the opening of our first Flamingo Café Bar location in 2021, we decided to set up Aviary Hospitality Group, keeping with
the bird theme!
You have grown multiple award-winning brands, operating from five locations across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. What is your secret to providing exceptional guest experiences?
Steve: There’s no secret! We operate with the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen as our company’s mantra - the idea being that we consistently look to make small incremental improvements to our products, services, and companies in general, over a long period of time. It’s hard to make giant leaps overnight, but with ten years behind us now of simply trying to get a bit better each day, we’ve managed to build a group of exciting restaurants that are bucking the market trend.
There’s no finish line in sight - we must keep pushing, looking for ways to improve, and trying at all times to partner with talented people that can teach us a thing or two.
Community engagement and social responsibility are becoming increasingly important to consumers. How does Aviary Hospitality Group actively participate in and give back to the communities it serves?
Joshua: You’re right, community engagement is important to consumers, and it’s become increasingly important for companies to have a community strategy. We have always tried our best to support local initiatives, charities and individuals in need since we opened in Boscombe all those years ago. Now we’ve grown a little, we’ve set up the Chicken & Blues Neighbourhood Fund, which our Flamingo brand now contributes to.
The idea is that we raise money throughout the year in a variety of ways, such as selling merchandise and hosting golf days and music events, and then we donate the raised funds to our chosen charity of the year. This year we’re supporting the Steve Bernard Foundation, last year we supported MYTime Young Carers, both local charities. Alongside this, we give away hundreds of gift cards per year to local organisations and individuals that are looking to raise money for various causes. We plan to continue making a meaningful impact in the communities we serve, and for guests to know that when they buy from us, we, in turn, support local.
Congratulations on the opening of the new Flamingo Café Bar in Boscombe Spa! What dining experience awaits our readers?
Steve: Flamingo is a place to catch up with friends over breakfast, lunch, or dinner – enjoy a quiet coffee or meet colleagues for drinks. It’s a classic neighbourhood café bar that’s open 7 days per week, from early ‘til late. We have built colourful, fun, aesthetically pleasing environments with an experienced team of professionals that provide relaxed and friendly hospitality.
Aviary Hospitality Group’s slogan is ‘Elevate Your Day’ - we like to think Flamingo does just that - it’s a happy place to while away your time, in your own way.
What are some of the upcoming projects that Aviary Hospitality Group is excited about?
Joshua: We’ve had a busy year so far in 2023, starting with the Chicken & Blues food truck build completion, followed by a new C&B location opening in Christchurch and then the Flamingo Café Bar Boscombe Spa opening in July. We’re a small team so it’s been an intense phase for us all. We’ll now continue to focus on improvements and refinements across the board, with the Kaizen mantra that Steve spoke about. There’s a long list that we’ll work through, step by step. At the same time, we’ll see what opportunities arise for further locations for both brands. It’s an exciting time, and we have plenty of work to do!
Website → aviaryhospitality.com
Instagram → @aviary_hospitality | @chickenandblues | @flamingocafes
