It Runs In The Family

The Arbikie Estate is home to craftsmen of soil and curators of a fine ensemble of drinks from their distillery, now in its 7th year of producing sustainable, field-to-bottle spirits. Iain Stirling, one of three visionary brothers behind their venture, joins us on this episode of It Runs In The Family to discuss the story behind their 400 year family farming history, how a drink in New York sowed...

For the first time on “It Runs In The Family”, we’re joined by partners in business and wedlock alike - the husband and wife team behind Herringbone Kitchens, William Durrant and Elly Simmons. This episode offers us a unique opportunity to delve into how marriage contributes to the dynamic between the two Directors of the Canterbury-based business. Will and Elly join Liz & Leila to document th...

One Stanley Thatcher pioneered cider science on his farm and vouched for innovative methods of apple growth and cider production, and as the industry followed suit, so too did several generations of the Thatcher family to grow an iconic brand. As Martin Thatcher, Managing Director and 4th generation cider maker, prepares to pass the baton to daughter Eleanor, currently a Fermentation Supervisor, t...

For most, this week’s guest on It Runs In The Family truly needs no introduction. Marco Pierre White - the first Brit and youngest chef to be awarded the full 3 stars from Michelin - has since exceeded the desire for their praise, focusing his efforts on tailoring top class food and atmosphere in his restaurants (and suggesting that Michelin stick to tyres). Having his eyes set on the trade himsel...

Anyone growing up in and around the Dorset area will be familiar with the magic of Farmer Palmers Farm Park, which has hosted so many eager families, so it’s a real treat to sit down with the family behind the legendary local landmark. Evolving from a farm to a farm park is a shift that helped put Farmer Palmers on the map, and there’s an illustrious history behind the land inherited by David Palm...

The Treasure family has been at Stockton Bury since 1884, and in the generations that followed it evolved from a family farm into a relaxing space which has ranked among The Times’ Top 20 UK Gardens.  By transforming the 4 acres of land into a highly acclaimed haven in their earlier years, Raymond Treasure and Gordon Fenn have handed down an incredible legacy to Raymond’s niece - accomplished writ...

The world has seen so much since 1515, the Plague, two world wars, an industrial revolution and nearly two dozen changes of monarchy. One constant through all of that, maintaining its service to Bridport’s locals and surviving fires and floods alike, is Britain’s oldest family business - R J Balson & Son. We speak to the current custodian, Richard Balson, who carries the torch for the 26th gen...

The first six episodes of It Runs In The Family have proven to be a treasure trove of family business experience, with companies passed through generations, sibling connections on an almost telepathic level, and an incredible degree of humility from all of our wonderful guests. With this in mind, we’ve collated some of our favourite moments from across the show so far that have us excited to bring...

The rise in popularity of culinary TV personalities has promoted some of the most successful chefs into ‘rockstars’ - we all know Nigella, Gordon, Jamie and Gino on a first name basis. What separates Rick Stein’s family brand apart, however, is the attention to detail in their hospitality.  Founder and Co-Owner of The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, Jill Stein, and Chef Director Jack Stein are a mo...

From facilitating the first Ford dealership in the early 20th century through to its current, extensive roster of manufacturers, Hendy Group has grown immensely since its inception in 1859. Driving the business through some of its most turbulent times in recent memory, Chief Executive Paul Hendy, and his son and General Manager Will Hendy, have seen Hendy Group’s team exhibit incredible resilience...

The story of Jimmy’s Iced Coffee is a 10 year journey of massive wins, starting on the South Coast and earning its place as a household name. A great degree of the success of this family owned business might be explained by an almost-telepathic understanding between the brother and sister pairing of Suzie and Jim Cregan (Yes, Jim as in Jimmy’s).  From the inception of the idea from Jim’s experienc...

Few family businesses can say they have spanned 7 generations; such is the feat achieved by Hall and Woodhouse, brewers of award-winning Badger Beers and owners of over 250 pubs around the country.  Taking the reins of H&W upon the sudden passing of his brother, Executive Chairman Anthony Woodhouse recalls his father’s advice on the business’ true purpose, and sets a high bar for his son Matt...

In this episode, we welcome twin sisters Joyce and Raissa De Haas, founders of Double Dutch Drinks  Raised in the Netherlands, Joyce and Raissa, have a natural affinity with superlative drinks and excellent blendings. After all, they come from the birthplace of gin! But their love affair turned to frustration. While the world’s choice of spirits has continued to grow, mixers and sodas have remaine...

In this episode, we speak to Warren Haskins, Chairman of Haskins Garden Centres. The business is over 100 years old and was established by Warren’s great grandfather, Harry. Haskins, which is now a multi-million-pound business that employs over 600 people, had humble beginnings. It started on a small stretch of land, which the Haskins family rented for £10 a year, selling produce in the UK’s south...

Welcome to ‘It Runs In The Family’! We’re looking forward to bringing you stories, learnings and insight from a variety of family businesses in this series. But, before we dive in, episode 0 gives you the chance to get to know us, the hosts, Liz and Leila Willingham, a little bit better. We’ll tell you our story and how we’re at the beginning of our own family business journey, after Leila joined...

Hello, we're Liz & Leila Willingham and welcome to "It Runs In The Family".  We're the mother and daughter duo working within the public relations and communications agency, Liz Lean PR. Running a business is hard - really hard. Every business has its challenges and it's own ups and downs - but in a family business this is often exaggerated by the willingness to speak...