Restaurant Spotlight: The Henley House Pub & Restaurant

Meryl Atkinson, has owned and operated The Henley House Pub & Restaurant in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia for 16 years. Faithful to both the historic, 100 year old Henley House building, and her own Welsh background, The Henley House boasts its original flooring, fireplace, and pictures of the 10 Henley children who were raised there, creating a homelike atmosphere, with Welsh pub offerings. 

The past 16 years have been a journey for Meryl and her family. With a background in Public Relations, her industry knowledge and experience were limited. When her original vision of a small Welsh tearoom grew into a “midlife crisis project,” she found herself consulting the Restaurants for Dummies book. Pubs are central to community life in Wales, and what Meryl ended up building was a comfortable, community-focused pub, true to her Welsh roots. But getting there wasn’t easy. “Double the amount you think you will need,” and “prepare for delays” she says. She also learned to be realistic about what she could handle, a lesson she has since shared with other restaurant owners: “the more you want to do, the more equipment you need, the more staff you need.”  

In addition to the difficulties of opening a new restaurant, The Henley House also faced the challenge of being a rural restaurant. One thing that makes Nova Scotia unique is its rural population. Finding experienced and skilled staff can be difficult in these rural areas. Education and training options play a role, of course, but Meryl also believes that another reason is that nightlife and social options are different for restaurant workers in smaller communities. Folks who thrive in the industry and enjoy an active nightlife might find their options more limited in Sheet Harbour. As Meryl points out, this industry sometimes attracts a unique personality type: “We are all weird in our own way,” she reflects. And it’s not just back of house. Making customers feel welcome is important, and that really begins with the staff, and the servers who interact with the guests the most. “It’s not just delivering a plate of food. You have to know how to talk to people”. The staffing challenges have helped Meryl truly understand the importance of employee retention. Keeping a community feel among the staff and ensuring fair wages are key, she believes.  

Meryl Atkinson (right) pictured with two Henley House staff members

Meryl reflects on a recent interaction with a customer, who was also from Wales. She was able to connect with him and give the family some Welsh bread during their visit. Dining at the Henley House was more than a meal for them, it was a connection to their roots. 

Staffing aside, access to immediate services in rural areas can be difficult and costly. For example, repairing a refrigeration table came with a $ 5000 price tag and a long wait, interrupting business for well over a week. Then, of course, the consumer base in rural Nova Scotia is not as large as in downtown areas. Some rural restaurants thrive on seasonal tourists; however, Sheet Harbour tends to be off the beaten path and does not always attract the same number of visitors. This is why maintaining a community feel has always been important to Meryl. Catering to the local population is essential, and although The Henley House shuts down during the winter, she has made sure to maintain certain elements for consistency. For instance, weekly trivia nights are moved to an adjacent pub during the off season. 

Meryl also believes that collaboration is key to rural success. The Henley House has tried various community events, including dinner theatre. The plays, written by one of the original Henley children and performed by community members, have been very successful. The four they have hosted have sold out. This sense of community and collaboration benefits restaurants. A trend in recent years is that a restaurant has become more than just a food service- it’s about creating an atmosphere and offering that attract visitors. The Henley House has done this, through creativity and collaboration with other local businesses.  

In recent years, restaurant owners have adapted to the post-COVID era. Business changes, coupled with the unimaginable loss of their son, made COVID a deeply difficult time for Meryl and her family. “I don’t even know how we opened after COVID because it’s like everybody else, you know, financially and everything. But we were emotionally drained too.”  Despite the challenges, there have been some positive changes as well. Meryl notes that she is seeing more local visitors, “Things changed after COVID because we got people coming in who never really thought about staying within Nova Scotia or staying close to home. We found a lot of that, that people lived here for years and never thought about driving to Sheet Harbour, even though they’re just a couple of hours.” Rural Nova Scotia, including Sheet Harbour, has also seen some growth in recent years. Though Nova Scotia is famous for its Maritime Hospitality, it can still be challenging for a new business to establish itself in Nova Scotia, especially in a rural area. Sometimes, new businesses can spark suspicion or concerns about competition. But Meryl sees this change as positive. “I think the more things we have, the more people we will attract”.  

Meryl reflects on her 16 years of operating a successful rural Nova Scotia restaurant, “It’s not for the faint of heart.” And when asked what she thinks is her greatest success? “Well, we are still here,” she says. And in an industry with low profit margins, high turnover, and the added challenge of operating in a rural area, that is definitely a huge success.   

About the Author

Heather Boucher

Membership & Marketing Coordinator, Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia

Heather has an extensive background in restaurants, tourism, and hospitality. She has worked in a wide range of hospitality positions in three different provinces: Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia. She is passionate about sharing stories from this unique, and exciting industry. 

From The Industry articles are an opportunity for our members to highlight the skills, talent and hardwork that goes into this industry. We work with a network of trusted guest writers and collaborators to tell stories from the industry. For more information about RANS membership, contact heather@rans.ca.

more From The Industry